Liberia Government (Monrovia)
4 December 2008
The Government of Liberia has made it clear that any action instituted in its fight against corruption will be done in keeping with the law.
In a radio address Thursday on corruption, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said, firing and prosecuting people may be crowd pleasing, but such measures must be in a legal and timely manner not through pressure from any source, public or private, but consistent with what is right and in conformity with the law.
According to an Executive Mansion release, the President said, Government continues to take action where evidence of corruption is clear. The President cited a recent decision taken by Government, suspending the superintendent of Bong County, based upon internal audits and investigations that showed financial malpractices. The Government, the Liberian leader said, has also suspended or dismissed officials and staff of the Ministry of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications, and lately, the Central Bank.
Many of the cases, the President disclosed, have been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution. The Ministry, she said, has been asked to enlighten the public of the processes and the status of public prosecution.
Regarding the recent report of the General Auditing Commission, President Johnson Sirleaf said the Executive has received audit reports from the General Auditing Commission.
"We have accepted these reports, commented on a few and held meetings with the Auditor General on the way forward. The reports are reviewed for action consistent with the findings and recommendations," the President told the nation. She reminded Liberians that auditing processes also have established procedures which must be followed. 'There is no intention to protect anyone,' the President assured Liberians, adding 'only caution to protect the innocent.'
The Chief Executive, has meanwhile, urged the Ministry of Justice, in concert with the Chief Justice, to look into measures that could be taken to put corruption cases on a fast track judicial system, aimed at closure of pending cases extraordinarily faster than the normal judicial cycle. Public participation with active media involvement, the Liberian leader said, will be helpful to educate everyone on the judicial process to be developed.
The President welcomed the media's role as a watchdog of society, but urged journalists that prudence is exercised in the reporting of allegations or facts. Such report, she said, should be done logically, based upon audit reports or investigations. "We welcome the fact that the media can be a true partner in the fight against corruption. But in doing so, we, including the media, must ensure that freedom is matched with responsibility," she pleaded.
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THANKS YOU ALOT MY BRO. I THINK YOU ER NORMAL MAN LIKE ME HERE. ACTUALLY ELLEN JOHNSON HAVE NOT HTING TO OFFER THE LIBERIAN PEOPLE AND THOSE WHO HAVE PUT HER IN POWER. SHE SOPKE ON TRANPARENCY WHY HAS SHE IS WORSE CRIMINAL IN LIBERIA AT PRESENT. I DONT WENT THE LIBERIAN PEOPLE WILL COME TO THERE SENSES THEY WILL CONTINUE LIVE IN ERROR, BY ELECTING PEOPLE WHO DO NOT CARE FOR OUR LAND OF LIBERITY, THEY STOLE OUR MONEY AND RESOURCES TO LIVE AWAY.SHEME ON THE LIBERIAN PEOPLE FOR PUTTING ELLEN IN POWER NARROWLY. I REGRET THE HOUR AND SECOUND AFTER I HER THAT ELLEN IS PRESIDENT. CAN YOU IMAGINE IRON LADY IS PRESIDENT TODAY. KAM4
Ellen herself is corrupt. As long she continue to kiss the West ASS. She is fine in their book. The only different I see between Ellen government and past governments is that she is not using political corruption but rather institutional corruption.
Political corruption is the use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality.
Institutional corruption, as corrupt actions or policies within an organization that break the law, serve to subjugate humans in unlawful manners, discriminate against humans based upon race, ethnicity, culture, or orientation, or serve to degrade other humans or groups for that institution's own profit.
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The fact that the General Audit Office has audited some ministries,and agencies of government and the reports point out to corruption in those agencies, what is President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf waiting for to take action? It is important to note that there has been many reported cases of corruption especially in the office of the president; for instance, her economic advisor (Morris Saytuma). Though it wasn't made public, but it was credibly reported that the previous finance minister, Dr. Sayeh left because of irregularities linking the president's economic advisior (aka corruption advisor)and the finance ministry. Request of thousands of dollars send to the ministry with the president's signature were turned down by Dr. Sayeh thus making the relationship unbearable. If Sirleaf is serious about corruption, she need to start cleaning from her own office and then to the senate, where law makers think that they are working for themselves and not accountable to anyone. Shame on delay presecution of corruption cases.
The lady is a soupist, and only a fool does not know what's up with soupists anytime, everywhere.
Mission loot the treasury. That's it. Nothing complicated here. Everything else is bunkum, spin, and worse.
Regards.
Birds of the same teeth eat together despite the fact that hunters are always looking for them. It’s unfortunate that the law makers are the law breakers in our dearest nation, consider to be Africa’s oldest republic but least development and most corrupt. I will encourage those corrupt officials in my country that are hiding behind the band of transparency in our dearest nation to come to other African nation like S. Africa and Ivory Coast. It’s hard to fight corruption when the government official are stealing the people’s resources every minute-Shame on those corrupt men and women that only come to Liberia to steal to purchase houses in America and send their children to Harvard University and Oxford.