House summons Asset Recovery chair over activities, progress

Published: May 15, 2025

CAPITOL HILL — The House of Representatives has summoned Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, chairperson of the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force, to appear before its full plenary on Thursday, May 22, to present a detailed report on the Task Force’s operations, activities and accomplishments since its establishment.

The decision was triggered by a communication from Rep. P. Mike Jury of Maryland County District 1 during the House’s second-day sitting of the second quarter of its second session on Thursday, May 15.

In his letter, Jury raised concerns over what he described as “conspicuous silence” surrounding the Task Force’s work since it was established through Executive Order 126 and later renewed under Executive Order 145 on March 5.

“There seems to be no concrete information on the achievements, operations and mandates of the institution,” Jury wrote. “It is important for the Liberian people to know what is happening at the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force. They will be happy to know the gaps between what goes missing, what is recovered and what is ultimately returned.”

Jury, who chairs the House Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, stressed the need for transparency and accountability.

“Fellow colleagues, it’s almost a year and a half. With our public sector management principles, in one year the president might again extend the functions of this entity — and we haven’t heard anything,” he told the plenary. “That is why I think it is important, based on the role of this entity — to retrieve and restore all of the properties, both assets and liquid assets, of the Republic of Liberia that might have been taken away — to report to us and to the Liberian people.”

Following a floor debate, the House voted in favor of a motion to summon Martin. Lawmakers say his appearance is expected to clarify what progress, if any, the Task Force has made in recovering government assets allegedly misappropriated by former officials, both in Liberia and abroad.

The Task Force was a flagship component of President Joseph Boakai’s anti-corruption campaign, introduced under the ARREST Agenda, which seeks to promote transparency and recover state property. But since its formation, the Task Force has been largely silent, leading to mounting bipartisan concerns.