A non-governmental organization under the banner InfoQuest Liberia has expressed dismay and growing alarm over the current state of affairs of Liberia under the administration of President Joseph Boakai.
Speaking Wednesday, October 16, 2024 in Monrovia, the Acting Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia Ezekiel Allen said just ten months into President Boakai’s tenure, the organization has observed the stark disparity between campaign promises and tangible actions which is increasingly casting a long shadow over the future of Liberian governance.
According to Allen, the administration, which rose to power on a platform of anti-corruption, fiscal responsibility, and a departure from “business as usual,” has thus far failed to demonstrate the decisive leadership and transformative governance that Liberians were promised and rightfully deserve.
He said a troubling pattern of behavior has emerged, characterized by alleged lack of transparency, and mounting allegations of corruption at the highest levels of government.
Allen call on President Boakai to take immediate and decisive action to rectify these issues and restore faith in his administration’s commitment to good governance.
“This must include implementing and enforcing a stringent asset declaration policy for all government officials, launching thorough and independent investigations into all allegations of corruption and ethical breaches, publishing all commissioned reports in full to ensure transparency and public access to information, taking swift and visible disciplinary action against officials found to have engaged in misconduct, and implementing strict guidelines on government travel and expenditure to curb wasteful spending,” he stated.
He called on citizens, civil society organizations, and international partners to join in demanding better from elected leaders because the future of Liberia hangs, and it is incumbent upon all to ensure that the promise of good governance is not squandered.
He said the path forward must be paved with integrity, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of the Liberian people.
Meanwhile, he said that President Boakai’s ten international trips within his first ten months in office raise serious questions about priorities and the judicious use of state resources, particularly in a country grappling with significant economic challenges.
“This frequent absence from the country not only incurs substantial costs, but also raises doubts about the president’s commitment to addressing pressing domestic issues,” he said.
Allen said this lack of financial disclosure not only contravenes principles of accountability but also fuels suspicions of illicit enrichment among public servants, and the integrity of the administration has been further compromised by serious corruption allegations leveled against the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Sylvester Grigsby, a key figure in the government.
“We believe that the fact that these allegations remain unaddressed, sends a troubling message about the administration’s commitment to rooting out corruption even when it touches the highest echelons of power,” he said.
