Monsterrado County Senator A. Darius Dillon has called on the Liberian Senate to investigate allegations made by Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor suggesting that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s government has refused to pay her benefits as former Vice President.
Speaking to SPOON FM Online Show on Sunday, April 6, 2025, former Vice President Taylor revealed that she had written and raised concerns about the fact that she was receiving remuneration as a former senator when she should be benefits required for a former Vice President.
There are benefits of salary, vehicles, and staffing that should be allocated to her to make life easier as required by law, something she said hasn’t been forthcoming. Senator Dillon said the trending news about former VP Taylor not receiving her legal benefits since leaving office is unfortunate but that they must call the former Vice President to order if found to be untrue.
The Monsterrado County Senator said legal benefits should not be provided based on who likes the former officials or how they feel about them but as long they served and are entitled.
“This is the LAW in Liberia and in keeping with best practices around the world. Understandably, the public generally feels that former officials do not deserve state benefits upon leaving office. This is due to the belief and or perception that especially every (past) administration failed,” he said.
He added that he’s particularly concerned about former presidents and vice presidents, speakers, presidents pro tempore, and chief justices who no longer work in government upon (honorably) leaving office.
“There may never be a time when everyone would agree that holders of these offices were 100% on the job during their terms in office. There will always be plus and minus, positives and negatives, but this should never be the reason/s to deprive or deny them their due benefits upon leaving office unless impeached or prosecuted and convicted for acts done whilst in office,” Senator Dillon said.
