Published: November 13, 2024
MONROVIA – The Director General of the Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Mr. Mohammed Ali, and the Minister of Transport, Tyler Sirleaf, appeared before a breakaway group of lawmakers to address allegations that they used their respective entities to channel funds to lawmakers pushing to oust Speaker J. Fonati Koffa.
The two officials were summoned on Tuesday by a faction comprising 43 lawmakers, including the Deputy Speaker, who have distanced themselves from Speaker Koffa’s leadership and are conducting separate sessions. This faction has vowed not to participate under Speaker Koffa’s authority.
Despite the lawmakers themselves being accused of accepting bribes, they summoned Ali and Tyler based on claims from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), which reported receiving complaints and observing allegations on social media. The LACC noted that some members of the House of Representatives were rumored to have accepted bribes to support a resolution to unseat Speaker Koffa. The commission further revealed allegations that up to $750,000 had been funneled through the LWSC and the Ministry of Transport to facilitate Koffa’s removal.
Executive Chairperson of the LACC, Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe, described the alleged bribery as a severe breach of trust that could undermine Liberia’s democratic processes.
During Tuesday’s hearings, both Ali and Tyler vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that they were victims of misinformation. Ali robustly defended the LWSC’s financial practices, claiming that the corporation adheres to stringent financial regulations. “The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation operates on best financial practices. No funds are withdrawn or transferred without clear, documented reasons,” Ali asserted.
To ensure transparency, Ali confirmed that the LWSC had submitted comprehensive financial records to both the LACC and the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), including account histories from the corporation’s eight bank accounts. He called for a prompt investigation to clear the corporation’s name.
Minister Tyler also firmly rejected the allegations, describing them as “misleading” and “without merit.” He emphasized that the Ministry of Transport strictly adheres to Public Financial Management (PFM) laws and operates under the close oversight of the Ministry of Finance. “We have written to the LACC requesting an immediate investigation into these baseless allegations. We fully support a transparent inquiry,” Tyler stated, suggesting that the accusations were a calculated effort to create discord between the executive and legislative branches.
The timing and setting of the appearance, however, have raised further questions. Ali and Tyler were called to testify before the ‘majority bloc,’ a group of lawmakers actively working to remove Speaker Koffa. Although this bloc has yet to secure the necessary 49 votes to constitutionally remove Koffa, they have continued to apply pressure for his resignation. The Speaker has reiterated that he will not resign and has encouraged his dissatisfied colleagues to pursue the constitutional process for his removal.
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