Who would have envisaged that the fight against corruption would begin with defying the Supreme Court’s ruling on tenure positions, violating Public Procurement and Concession Commission regulations, illegally altering an already approved national budget, and the mass dismissal of innocent individuals with differing political views—even janitors? All while promoting nepotism at a record high.
By Michael Francis Tarr, Contributing Writer
These actions, though merely the tip of the iceberg, are literally the forces shaping Liberia’s so-called fight against corruption under the Joseph Boakai-led administration. While some may argue that it is way too early to label this regime a complete failure and a threat to our post-war democracy, we, like many others, believe that little or nothing will change. After all, the government’s leader has shown no history of carrying out any meaningful reforms throughout his more than 40 years in public service.
Dismissed in the 1980s as Agriculture Minister on corruption charges, and again in the early 1990s as head of the LPRC for gross underperformance, Joseph Boakai has long shown the signs. Even after admitting to being complicit in squandering the country’s immediate postwar opportunities as Vice President, did we not already see the writings on the wall? Boakai’s credentials clearly did not match the radical change we sought. But tyranny of the majority is indeed a challenge to democracy.
Maybe we should accept that Joe Boakai lacks the wherewithal to unite a polarized nation like ours. His reputation for being vindictive stretches far back. It’s said he keeps a “little book of grudges,” recording the names, dates, and offenses of those who cross him—ensuring he neither forgives nor forgets. This claim has been publicly confirmed by Senator Amara Konneh, Senator Edwin Snowe, and Dr. James Kollie. His handling of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) crisis further illustrated his inability to manage conflict and shed light on his leadership style.
Carrying these excesses to the nation’s highest office obviously led to Cherry-picking in the fight against corruption— which is counterproductive and undermines the core objective. It has never worked and clearly won’t in Liberia’s case. You can’t put straight in others what’s warped in yourself. This is why the Asset Recovery Team failed. Appointing unqualified and tainted zealots only complicates the fight against corruption and expose lack of genuine commitment.
Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe made this compelling point in his recent press statement: “High-level officials implicated in corrupt practices remain untouched. The people of Liberia will only have confidence in the government’s commitment to fighting corruption if it starts holding its own officials accountable, rather than making excuses for them. I want to remind current government officials that there is no secret in government. When you steal, the comptroller, the chief accountant, the procurement director will know. Even your driver, personal assistant, and security officers will know.”
There’s been no genuine outcome regarding the unlawful monies taken from NASSCORP by Sylvester Grisby, nor the mismanagement of inauguration funds by Miata Fahnbulleh. The same goes for the blatant squandering of party funds by Reverend Luther Tarpeh, which sparked nationwide concern. No proper accountability has been provided for the 22 million the Public Works Minister claimed to have used on dusty roads. The Justice System was even manipulated to free his longtime friend Musu Scott, found guilty of murdering little Charloe Musu—compromising previously provided evidence to fit the scheme.
All the major ministries and agencies are now run by the President’s close friends and relatives. It seems like, if you’re not from his county or part of his inner circle, you don’t stand a chance—you’re simply not considered qualified for the job, no matter your experience or ability. This has become the new standard, setting a troubling precedent where loyalty to the President outweighs competence. This is a mandate the politically charged CSA boss, Josiah Joekai, is also prefectly implementing at his level.
After barely securing a 1% victory in a deeply divided and struggling nation like ours, silencing free speech, violating the rule of law, promoting nepotism, and taking a selective approach to fighting corruption just won’t cut it. But sadly, this is the reality Liberia faces. We can cry out all we want, but must also brace ourselves for the next five years. It feels like we’re deeply trapped in a brutal catch-22.
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