MONROVIA – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has lifted the suspension of Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah as NEC Chairperson, effective immediately. The disclosure was made via the Executive Mansion’s official Facebook page after midnight on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
According to the Executive Mansion, Madam Browne Lansanah’s reinstatement follows a high-level meeting at the Executive Mansion on Wednesday, February 19, attended by NEC Commissioners, the ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, and senior officials from the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. According to the Executive Mansion, the decision was reached after extensive discussions among NEC Commissioners and the President’s advisors, resulting in an agreement to enhance cooperation within the electoral body and reverse dismissals previously enacted by the suspended Chairperson.
The Executive Mansion release stated that President Boakai emphasized the importance of unity and professionalism at the NEC, urging Commissioners to collaborate effectively and avoid internal discord that could undermine public confidence in the commission’s work. He also announced plans to meet with representatives of the NEC’s aggrieved workers at a later date to address grievances raised in a petition following a December 2024 protest.
In a February 4 press statement, NEC employees warned that her reinstatement, without a thorough investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement, would be “an affront to the sacrifices of NEC workers.”
Madam Browne Lansanah was suspended indefinitely in late January following reports of administrative overreach, including the unilateral dismissal of 25 employees and a month-long closure of NEC offices without Board of Commissioners’ approval. The suspension had been widely welcomed by NEC staff, who claimed it restored stability and allowed employees to express concerns without fear of intimidation or forced transfers.
Employees have accused the Chairperson of financial mismanagement, citing a dubious $8 million surplus declaration despite the commission’s dire financial struggles. They revealed that despite a $200,000 expenditure on a solar power system, the NEC remains without reliable electricity, while its generator has been out of service for months due to lack of maintenance and fuel. Staff buses have also been grounded since August 2024 over unpaid fuel costs, and garbage collection services have been disrupted due to outstanding contractor payments dating back to the 2023 elections.
“These issues persist while the suspended Chairperson, now reinstated, claimed there was an $8 million surplus. Let the accountants explain how that figure was reached,” an NEC staff representative told reporters.
Meanwhile, the reinstatement comes at a crucial moment as the NEC prepares for the upcoming Nimba County senatorial by-election following the passing of Senator Prince Y. Johnson.
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