Published: July 1, 2025
MONROVIA, Liberia – Rolando K. Woheel holds two of the most powerful positions at the National Identification Registry—Comptroller and Acting Deputy Executive Director for Administration—making him the man who approves, supervises, and audits his own work in a troubling setup that has raised red flags over conflict of interest and unchecked authority.
Though the Registry is supposed to be governed by a structured management system under the NIR Act of 2011, Woheel’s dual occupancy of two critical posts violates both the spirit and letter of the law.
A Man in Two Offices
Woheel’s simultaneous control of NIR’s finance and administration arms has effectively turned him into a one-man command center. He initiates payments, oversees procurement, manages administrative audits, chairs budget meetings, and signs off on memos—all without oversight from a confirmed Deputy Administrator or clear appointment by the governing Board of Registrars.
An August 29, 2023, internal memorandum authored and signed by Woheel summoned top staffers to a “very important” Budget Management Committee Meeting. “Please fail not to attend as matters relating to the early preparation of the FY2024 Budget will be high on the agenda,” Woheel wrote, signing off as both Comptroller and Committee Chairman. Notably, the memo showed his authority extending beyond finance into high-level administrative planning.
Then on March 31, 2025, another memo—General Circular No. 5—revealed Woheel writing as “Comptroller/Acting DEDA,” instructing all sectional heads to cooperate with an Assets Verification Team from the General Services Agency (GSA). The directive had the full force of administrative command, reinforcing his control over day-to-day operations across departments.
No Board Approval
According to the NIR Act, particularly Part V, Section 5.2, the Deputy Executive Directors “shall serve on a full-time basis” and must be formally appointed by the Board of Registrars. That Board is chaired by the Minister of Internal Affairs and includes top government officials like the Ministers of Health, Justice, and the Director-General of LISGIS.
However, Woheel has not been formally appointed by the Board. Internal sources say the Deputy post became vacant under unclear circumstances in 2024, and Woheel assumed the title without documented approval. This procedural gap has left the Registry functioning under a shadow of improvised authority.
Woheel Admits He Reports to Himself
When contacted via phone on June 30, Woheel confirmed holding both roles: “Yes, I am the Acting Deputy for Administration and the Comptroller.”
Asked directly if this meant he reports to himself, he initially said yes, but tried to explain it away. “It’s not that I report to myself,” he argued. “The system is such that in the absence of the Deputy for Administration, the Comptroller steps in.”
However, Woheel declined to answer whether the NIR Board approved his dual role or if he receives two government salaries. “You’ll have to ask the Board,” he said.
Procurement Committee Involvement Raises More Eyebrows
A January 24, 2024 memo signed by Executive Director Andrew Peters shows that Woheel also sits on the NIR Procurement Committee, alongside Peters himself and other senior staff. The memo titled “Re-appointment of Procurement Committee” formally lists Woheel as a committee member responsible for procurement decisions at the agency.
This compounds concerns over institutional safeguards, as public procurement law prohibits individuals from holding overlapping roles that could bias procurement or financial accountability.
“Procurement and finance should never be fused under one person,” said a former GAC auditor who reviewed the documents. “When one man prepares the budget, authorizes contracts, and oversees procurement, that’s a blueprint for abuse.”
Silence at the Top
Efforts to get clarity from the Board of Registrars have failed. Minister Francis Nyumalin, who chairs the NIR Board, declined to comment and referred inquiries to Executive Director Andrew Peters.
Peters, for his part, refused to speak over the phone and demanded a formal letter be submitted to his office.
Boakai’s Appointment Misstep
Earlier this year, President Joseph Boakai attempted to appoint Alphonso Belleh as Deputy Executive Director for Administration. The decision was quickly challenged as unconstitutional, since such appointments are within the purview of the NIR Board—not the Executive Mansion. Belleh never assumed the post, and the seat remained vacant.
In the void, Woheel continues to wield authority unchecked and undocumented.
What the Law Says
The NIR’s founding Act and the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA) of 2005 both emphasize accountability, separation of functions, and Board supervision for executive appointments.
Section 26 of the PPCA specifically warns against procurement conflicts and the concentration of roles: “Officials responsible for financial management shall not simultaneously be involved in procurement decisions.”
And yet, Mr. Woheel appears to wear all the hats—from managing the budget and approving expenditures to directing procurement and leading internal audits.
A System Built on Silence
Multiple insiders at the NIR, speaking anonymously, confirmed that many staffers are “afraid to speak up” due to what one described as a “culture of intimidation” and tight internal control.
“There’s no paper trail from the Board appointing Woheel, but he acts with full authority,” said one administrative staff member. “No one dares question it because everything flows through him.”
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