Monrovia – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has revealed alarming statistics on asset declaration compliance, with only 26.5% of officials across the three branches of government fully complying with the requirements. LACC Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra Zoe highlighted that stringent measures, including suspension and withholding of salaries, are being considered for non-compliant officials.
In a press statement, Cllr. Zoe stated that Asset Declaration process, which began on May 2, 2024, with a deadline set for July 31st, 2024 required all appointed, elected, and selected public officials to declare their assets, incomes, and liabilities as per the National Code of Conduct and LACC regulations. The primary purpose of this exercise is to prevent and detect illicit enrichment, conflicts of interest, and other forms of corruption.
“We identified 1,900 employees and public officials of the government who were required to declare their assets. However, only 26.5% of these officials participated in the exercise,” Cllr. Zoe stated. She added that the LACC, in line with the “Rule of Law” pillar of the Government of Liberia’s ARREST agenda, also provided a “National Integrity Pledge” for officials to execute alongside their asset declarations.
In the Legislature, the compliance rates are notably low. Out of 73 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, only 26 have declared their assets, leaving 47 non-compliant. Similarly, in the Senate, only 12 out of 30 senators have complied, with 18 failing to declare their assets. “In the Legislative branch, we see a significant gap, with many representatives and senators not adhering to the asset declaration requirements,” she remarked.
The Executive Branch, which has the highest number of officials required to declare assets, shows a significant gap as well. Of the 1,281 public officials appointed by President Boakai, only 332 have complied, leaving 959 non-compliant. Additionally, 84 non-presidential appointees, including comptrollers and procurement directors, have declared their assets. Cllr. Zoe emphasized, “The compliance rate in the Executive Branch is concerning. We expected a higher level of adherence to the asset declaration requirements.”
At the Judiciary, of 333 officials required to declare assets, only 28 have complied, including seven judges and 21 administrative staff, while 305 remain non-compliant. “Transparency in the Judiciary is crucial for maintaining public trust, and the low compliance rate is disappointing,” Cllr Zoe stated.
Cllr. Zoe reiterated the LACC’s commitment to enforcing compliance. “We are recommending stringent measures ranging from suspension to withholding of salaries for officials who fail to declare their assets,” she asserted.
To address the widespread non-compliance, the LACC plans to compile a full listing of the asset declarations and publish them for public consumption. Additionally, they will recommend to the relevant authorities to enforce sanctions against non-compliant officials. Continuous monitoring will be implemented to ensure ongoing compliance for new appointments and changes in positions. Public awareness campaigns will also be launched to educate citizens on the importance of asset declarations and how they can contribute to the fight against corruption.
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