Published: February 4, 2026
MONROVIA — Despite an expanding web of anti-corruption laws and institutions, Liberia’s campaign against graft is failing to deliver the accountability the public expects, hobbled by weak prosecutions, unverified asset declarations, and uneven political will, according to a leading transparency advocate who says the country risks entrenching a culture of impunity.
“No, I’m not entirely pleased with the fight against corruption in Liberia,” Mr. Anderson Miamen told Peter Clottey on Africa Things. “Things are not at the level I want to see them. Things are not proceeding the way we want to see them as Liberians, as an organization.”
Miamen, a longtime anti-corruption crusader who heads the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia and works closely with governance partners across West Africa, acknowledged that Liberia has put in place much of the formal architecture needed to combat graft. “We have a number of laws in place to deal with corruption,” he said, ticking off institutions that include the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the General Auditing Commission, the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
He also cited legal tools ranging from the Penal Law and Code of Conduct for Public Officials to whistleblower and witness protection statutes and the law establishing the Financial Intelligence Agency to tackle money laundering and related crimes.
“But while all of these institutions are in place and we have the Anti-Corruption Commission leading that process,” Anderson said, “we still have major challenges.”
Prosecutions lag behind audits
Foremost among those challenges, Miamen argued, is the gap between the steady flow of audit findings and the scarcity of consequences. “We have lots of corruption cases in Liberia. The media reports corruption issues on a regular basis,” he said. “The General Auditing Commission… conducts audits of different public sector institutions and even private sector institutions that receive government funding. These different reports have highlighted several financial and other abuses.”
Yet, he said, the pipeline stalls after audits are published. The Legislature’s Public Accounts Committee reviews audit reports and makes recommendations to the president, but “not much has happened in terms of the outcomes of their work or the impact of their work.”
Even where the LACC has investigated, Miamen said the scale of enforcement remains limited. “They’ve drawn up indictments in some cases and they have succeeded in successfully prosecuting cases, but there are just so many cases that have still not been touched,” he said.
Asset declarations filed—but not verified
Miamen reserved some of his sharpest criticism for the handling of asset declarations, a cornerstone of Liberia’s Code of Conduct. Public officials are required to declare assets, income and liabilities upon entering and leaving office to enable scrutiny for illicit enrichment.
“That is a very brilliant law,” he said. “The issue with that law is the fact that we have not used it fully.”
He credited the current administration with improving compliance. “The LACC… has indicated that far more people have made declarations compared to the previous administrations,” he said. But compliance, he stressed, is only the first step. “The value of the process is not just in mere submission of papers to the commission, but the usage of those declarations to do investigation and then come to the public with information.”
Without verification, Anderson warned, the exercise is hollow. “For the last two years and more, LACC has not been able to produce one report on the different assets that have been submitted to them,” he said. “Prejury is a crime under our law and you can be prosecuted for it. So that is the value of the asset declaration process. And we haven’t been doing much around that.”
Call for public disclosure
Pressed by Clottey on whether asset declarations should be made public, a move President Joseph Boakai has urged officials to complete, Miamen endorsed disclosure as both a transparency measure and a protection for honest officials.
“Once you come to public service, nothing about you should be a secret, especially the assets that you have,” he said. “If you’ve worked very hard over time and you acquired properties legitimately, you don’t want people considering those things… as stolen properties.”
Even if the law does not explicitly mandate publication, Miamen said, the LACC should at least begin robust verification. “If the commission can do these investigations and come up with reports, it’s going to almost serve the same purpose as the publication,” he said, adding that media scrutiny would amplify the effect.
Independence constrained by funding
On the LACC’s independence, Miamen said, “To a large extent, we can say that the Anti-Corruption Commission is independent,” he said, noting that the current commissioners were selected through an inclusive vetting process involving civil society.
But financial independence remains elusive. “They are not accessing their resources on time,” he said, describing budget delays that leave agencies receiving first-quarter funds deep into the fiscal year. “That impairs their function. It affects their ability to do the kind of work that they have to do.”
Capacity gaps compound the problem, he added, citing shortages of prosecutors and logistics needed for investigations outside Monrovia.
Political will under scrutiny
Miamen’s recent news conference, he said, sought to balance recognition of incremental gains with frank criticism of executive actions that undercut accountability. He cited improvements such as Liberia’s passage of the Millennium Challenge Corporation scorecard and a modest rise on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, alongside the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman.
But he also pointed to what he called troubling delays and inconsistencies. In one case, he said, a senior official accused of academic fraud was allowed to resign after more than a year, rather than being dismissed and referred for prosecution. In another, Anderson criticized the pace of action following an audit of a former head of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority. “We pushed for his dismissal so that he [could be] subjected to an investigative process,” he said. “But he took more than one year in his position before the president could suspend him… and subsequently dismiss.”
“These are some of the concerns that we’re having,” Anderson said, returning to the unresolved issue of asset verification as emblematic of unfinished reform.
A warning about impunity
The anti-corruption advocate framed corruption as an existential threat to Liberia’s future. “Corruption is into the development of any society… the peace of any society, the growth of any society,” he said. “The civil war we had was largely attributable to corruption, exclusion, marginalization, mismanagement of resources.”
The antidote, he argued, is making corruption costly. “Once we can put some scare in people, in terms of prosecuting them, investigating them, putting them in jail, confiscating the assets, other people will learn lessons,” he said. “But because we’re not doing much of that, not many good examples are out there.”
He urged coordinated action by all branches of government, sustained pressure from civil society and the media, support from development partners, and cleaner practices in the private sector, which he described as the “supply side” of corruption. Citizens, he said, are engaging but need more tools and motivation. “Yes, they’re doing so, but not enough,” he said. “For the results that we need to come, all of us have to play our different parts.”
Conference United Methodist Women mark 79 years, elect new leaders in Southeast Liberia
FISH TOWN, River Gee County — The Conference United Methodist Women (UMW) Organization of the Liberia Annual Conference has concluded its 79th annual assembly and anniversary celebration, capping five days of worship, reflection and leadership transition in southeastern Liberia.
The gathering, held Jan. 28–Feb. 1 at the First United Methodist Church in Fish Town, was hosted in collaboration with the Gee River District United Methodist Women Organization. Church leaders said the decision to take the assembly to River Gee County underscored a renewed commitment to inclusion, regional participation and women’s empowerment across the Liberia Annual Conference.
Acting Conference UMW President Mother Josephine D. Snorton said the southeastern location was chosen deliberately to strengthen unity and visibility among women in districts that are often underrepresented.
“Bringing the assembly to southeastern Liberia is part of our effort to promote inclusion, expand economic empowerment and continue making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world,” Snorton said.
The assembly was held under the theme “Turn It Up: Our Faith at Work,” drawn from James 2:14–18, emphasizing practical expressions of Christian faith through service and advocacy. Organizers said the theme reflects the Conference UMW’s broader push to reinvigorate women’s ministry ahead of the Liberia Annual Conference session traditionally held each February.
Hundreds of delegates from 20 districts and two circuits attended, alongside senior leaders of the church. Among those present were Conference Lay Leader Cllr. Dr. Tolbert Nyenswah; Associate Lay Leader Mother Theresa M. Davies; Mother of the Church Richlian N. Quire; several district superintendents; and Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., resident bishop of the Liberia Episcopal Area.
A key outcome of the assembly was the election of a new leadership team to guide the Conference United Methodist Women Organization through the next quadrennial.
Those elected were Mother Josephine D. Snorton, president; Paulina Doe Hilton, vice president; Sayblee J. Crayton, secretary; Catherine D. Nyenawo, financial secretary; Ida Reeves, communications officer; Weata N. Sangala, treasurer; and Mother Zoe A. Dormah, leadership chairperson.
The newly elected officials were immediately sworn into office by Cllr. Dr. Nyenswah, who urged them to lead with integrity and fidelity to church doctrine.
“Use both the Holy Bible and the Book of Discipline as your guide,” Nyenswah said. “Defend the Cross and Flame, protect the code of conduct of the Conference United Methodist Women Organization, and let your resilience and service change the old narratives.”
District presidents presented annual reports highlighting progress made during the year, along with persistent challenges, including uneven participation from some local churches.
In a collective statement, the women expressed appreciation to the interim leadership and partner organizations for sustained support toward empowerment programs and skills training.
“We are grateful for the immense contributions of our interim leaders and partners whose support continues to transform women through empowerment initiatives,” the leaders said.
In her report to the assembly, Snorton said the organization recorded measurable gains in advocacy, outreach and women’s economic empowerment nationwide. She cited regional meetings hosted by the Gee River, Gbarnga, Tappita, Gompa and St. Paul River districts as evidence of continued commitment, despite limited engagement in some areas.
Snorton also highlighted proposal-funded empowerment initiatives that enabled skills training in Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa and Montserrado counties. Women from districts including Kokoya, Gbarnga, Weala, Ganta, Gompa, St. John, Rivercess and Kakata Farmington River were trained in soap making, tie-and-dye and baking.
She reported that the Conference UMW strengthened partnerships with national, regional and international women’s bodies, cleared outstanding dues, and remained active in evangelism, prayer services and pastoral visitations, reinforcing unity across the conference.
Delivering the keynote sermon, Bishop Quire challenged the women to translate faith into tangible action, warning that belief without service is hollow.
“Faith that does not act is meaningless,” Quire said. “The United Methodist Women have shown that faith becomes powerful when it is expressed through helping others.”
He pointed to the Rescue Daughters Rehabilitation Center in Upper Caldwell, which supports the recovery of drug users, as a concrete example of faith in action. The bishop urged the women to deepen their commitment to the poor, live lives of holiness, advocate for peace and treat everyday spaces as mission fields.
“Let your kitchen become a mission field,” Quire said. “When people are hungry, do not refuse to share. Put your faith into action.”
“We stand on the corpse of history”: Ngafuan signals economic reset under Boakai
MONROVIA — Liberia’s finance minister says President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration is pressing ahead with an economic reset rooted in infrastructure expansion, fiscal discipline, and institutional reform, brushing aside opposition criticism as part of the cost of governing.
Appearing on the CLASS Reloaded radio program, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan described Boakai as an intensely engaged leader focused on what he called “big and consequential plans” to confront Liberia’s long-standing structural weaknesses.
“President Boakai is animated. He is always thinking — thinking deeply about what Liberia should become,” Ngafuan said, adding that the administration is deliberately applying lessons from past failures rather than repeating them.
Infrastructure at the center
Ngafuan said road connectivity remains a central pillar of the government’s development strategy, describing Liberia’s fragmented transport network as a historic anomaly.
“Liberia is a small country, yet we are still not fully connected by paved roads,” he said, noting that the condition persists more than 177 years after independence.
The government, he said, is working toward completing a continuous paved road corridor from Monrovia to Harper, Maryland County, and another linking Gbarnga, Bong County, to Mendicorma in Lofa County.
If realized, the projects would mark the first time Liberia’s capital is connected by paved road to the southeastern region, a development analysts say could significantly boost trade, mobility and national integration.
Infrastructure experts estimate that only a fraction of Liberia’s roughly 11,000-kilometer road network is paved, leaving large swaths of the country inaccessible during the rainy season.
Budget stability improves
Ngafuan acknowledged that the administration faced fiscal turbulence during its first year in office but said the current budget cycle shows signs of improved stability.
“This year, there is more certainty. We are in better shape,” he said, citing improved upfront financing that has reduced delays in project execution.
He urged ministries and agencies to strengthen coordination between procurement, technical and administrative units to accelerate delivery.
“There should be a ‘get set, ready, go’ mindset across government,” he said.
According to the Finance Ministry, tighter alignment between revenue collection and expenditure has helped prevent budget shortfalls. Ngafuan also pointed to rising bank deposit levels as an indicator of growing public confidence in the economy.
Salaries and governance
Ngafuan said the government has begun reversing aspects of salary harmonization affecting key integrity institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the General Auditing Commission and the judiciary.
The adjustments, he said, are intended to reinforce institutional independence without imposing unsustainable fiscal pressure.
He added that personnel of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency are expected to receive salary increases this year, a move aimed at boosting morale and operational effectiveness.
Business growth, job pressure
On job creation, Ngafuan cited Commerce Ministry figures showing more than 8,000 new businesses registered in 2025, pointing to renewed private-sector activity.
While employment figures were not provided, economists note that each registered business can create multiple jobs in a country grappling with high youth unemployment and underemployment.
“International trade is increasing, deposit rates are up, and there is no budget shortfall,” Ngafuan said. “We are not where we want to be, but we are certainly not where we used to be.”
Answering critics
Ngafuan said opposition criticism has not distracted the administration and may, at times, serve a useful purpose.
“Sometimes, the opposition puts fire under our rocket, and that helps,” he said. “We are not arrogant. When we slip, we rise, we learn, we implement, and we execute.”
He disclosed that the Finance Ministry has installed suggestion boxes at its offices to collect feedback from staff and the public, part of broader efforts to improve efficiency.
Ngafuan also warned that Boakai has little patience for unjustified bureaucratic delays.
“When there is a real cash crunch, mandated delays can happen,” he said. “But when there is no reason for delay, and people still delay, that is unacceptable. At that point, they are not delaying the minister; they are delaying the president, and we will act.”
As Liberia continues its postwar recovery, the administration is betting that infrastructure investment, fiscal discipline, and institutional accountability will anchor long-term growth.
“Although we gained independence in 1847,” Ngafuan said, “we must sprint now. History should not anger us; it should motivate us to do better for our people.”
Liberia’s next generation of farmers train at youth international training institute to combat food insecurity
Trainer Jacob B. Dennis leads a session with trainees at YITI farm near Gbarnga
By: Nukanah Kollie
Under the hot sun and amid rows of vegetables, fish ponds, compost pits, and buzzing beehives, young Liberians are redefining agriculture, not as punishment or a last resort, but as innovation, entrepreneurship, and a national responsibility.
At the agricultural training farm of the Youth International Training Institute (YITI), dozens of young people drawn from different institutions and surrounding communities are acquiring hands-on skills aimed at strengthening Liberia’s food security and reducing the country’s heavy dependence on imported food.
Agriculture remains central to Liberia’s economy and livelihoods, providing the main source of income for an estimated 60–70 percent of the population and contributing about 30–35 percent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Yet food insecurity and low productivity persist, with much of the country’s staple food still imported due to weak production systems and limited investment.
Why the Institute Was Formed
The Youth International Training Institute was established about five years ago by a group of young Liberian professionals from diverse backgrounds, including agriculture, economics, and entrepreneurship. According to the institute’s trainer and national consultant, Jacob B. Dennis, the idea was born out of a shared concern about youth unemployment and Liberia’s underutilized agricultural potential.
“If you want to succeed in agriculture, you need four things: land, labor, management, and capital,” Dennis explained. “Liberia already has land and labor. That alone opens a big door for agricultural productivity. Agriculture is a low-hanging fruit for young people, even for those who studied nursing or other disciplines.”
The vision of YITI is to create a practical training space where young people gain real agricultural skills, develop entrepreneurial thinking, and build pathways to self-employment instead of languishing in joblessness.
Youth Voices from the Field
One of the beneficiaries, Emma M. Johnson, said her motivation to join the training stems from concern about Liberia’s growing food insecurity and the disengagement of many young people from productive work.
Student Emma M. Johnson speaks with an agricultural reporter
“Food insecurity is not good for our country,” Emma said. “Many young people today are not interested in productive work. We decided to get involved in agriculture so we can improve our country and stop depending on other nations for food.”
She encouraged young people, especially young women not to remain inactive.
“Agriculture is hands-on. We need to plant, manage crops, and learn how to produce food ourselves. When we are many, we can fight food insecurity,” she added.
Emma also appealed to the Government of Liberia and development partners to support the initiative through grants and agricultural inputs.
“Support can be in cash or kind, tools, fertilizers, or organic manure. Here, we are trying to move away from inorganic fertilizers by producing compost and organic nutrients ourselves.”
Other beneficiaries, including graduates from Bong County Technical College and University of Liberia shared similar motivations, describing agriculture as a pathway to self-employment, innovation, and long-term economic independence in a country blessed with fertile soil but struggling with low production and rising food imports.
From Theory to Practice
Participants consistently emphasized that agricultural education in Liberia must move beyond classroom theory.
Students engage in hands-on learning as they gain first-hand practical experience on the YITI farm
“You cannot study agriculture and remain in the city waiting for office work,” Emma noted. “Agriculture is practical. If you learn it, you must go to the field.”
Josepeh Zankpah Jr., a trainee explained that agriculture and business remain the two strongest wealth-creating sectors globally.
“Liberia has fertile land,” he said. “So why should we be importing food?”
Climate-Smart and Integrated Farming Systems
With climate change disrupting traditional farming seasons and nearly half of Liberian households facing food insecurity, trainees at YITI are learning climate-smart and integrated farming approaches. These include soil testing, compost production, worm farming, organic fertilizer development, water recycling, vegetable cultivation, beekeeping, oil palm production, and fish farming, designed to complement one another and reduce waste.
Trainer Jacob B. Dennis shows a reporter the designated beekeeping site on the farm
Aloysius Sumo, another trainee explained that soil pH, texture, and nutrient levels are routinely tested to determine crop suitability.
“We use compost, worm extract, and even properly treated human urine, which is rich in urea, to improve soil fertility,” Sumo said.
The farm is also piloting fish-farming systems suitable for limited land use, demonstrating how households can raise fish within their own compounds rather than relying solely on swamp-based production.
International Training and Global Exposure
Beyond local training, Mr. Dennis has facilitated international agricultural training opportunities for hundreds of Liberian youths, exposing them to advanced farming technologies and agribusiness models abroad. Through partnerships with leading agricultural training institutions in Israel, selected trainees have participated in intensive programs focused on irrigation technology, greenhouse farming, precision agriculture, and agribusiness management.
After eleven months of intensive training in Israel, the second batch of Liberian beneficiaries arrives home in Liberia
These international trainees return to Liberia equipped with modern skills and knowledge, which they apply at YITI and within their communities to improve productivity and mentor other youths.
“This exposure helps our youths see agriculture as a business and a science,” Mr. Dennis said. “They come back ready to train others and help Liberia reduce food imports.”
What Happens on the Farm
Every Friday and Saturday, Mr. Dennis joins trainees on the farm, where multiple agricultural enterprises are actively managed as part of an integrated system. Training programs typically run for three to four months and cover soil chemistry, pH testing, irrigation methods, fish breeding, and organic fertilizer production. The number of trainees has more than doubled, stretching limited accommodation and resources.
Mr. Dennis feeds fish at one of the farm’s fish ponds, demonstrating practical aquaculture techniques to trainees
“We need support to build a water reservoir for irrigation and expand our fish systems so trainees can buy fingerlings and start on their own,” Mr. Dennis noted.
Training Technicians, Not Just Degree Holders
According to Mr. Dennis, one of YITI’s core goals is to address Liberia’s shortage of skilled agricultural technicians.
“Liberia has many degree holders, but very few technicians,” he said. “Technicians understand measurements, land, and systems. They don’t need long explanations, they do the work.”
YITI aims to train 5,000 young people within five years, offering short practical trainings, one-month intensive programs, and three-month certified courses. Several batches of trainees have already completed both local and international programs.
Call for Support from Youth and Community Leaders
Youth trainees, along with prominent citizens of Bong County, are calling on development partners, donors, and the Government of Liberia particularly the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen support for YITI. They stress that expanding irrigation systems, accommodation, training equipment, and scholarships for international exposure will significantly increase the program’s impact.
As Liberia continues to spend millions on imported food and under-invest in agriculture, they say initiatives like YITI offer a proven, homegrown solution.
“This farm is open to everyone,” Mr. Dennis concluded. “With the right support, we can train more youths, improve food production, and make agriculture attractive and profitable.”
At the Youth International Training Institute farm, the message is clear: Liberia’s food future depends on empowering its youth, not just with theory, but with soil on their hands, global exposure, and skills in their minds.
Discussion about this post