Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the president of Liberia, was in the Netherlands to receive an Honorary Doctorate Degree at Tilburg University on 9 November 2012. RNW's Africa Desk was on hand for an exclusive interview.
You are a beloved leader around the globe and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Yet, in your own country you've been accused of nepotism and corruption. Three of your sons have been appointed to high government positions. How do you explain this?
"We have a country that has a very low capacity. Some of our institutions - the ones that have to carry out the important reforms for the transformation of our country - simply do not have the capabilities. They also sometimes lack the sufficient integrity to be able to do what is right.
"We have to place certain people close to us in positions to carry out our mandate of reform at the level of competence and honesty that is needed.
"Nepotism is putting somebody who is a relative in a position for which they don't have the qualifications, integrity or competence. There are times when you have to hire relatives, even when it's a temporary measure, to achieve your objectives."
You've accused former Liberian president William Tolbert of nepotism because he put his relatives in powerful positions. Do you think they were competent?
"Oh absolutely they were competent. Look, I've been criticised now too. But meeting your objectives at the end of the day is what counts most."
So you will not fire your sons? To show that you are a hero of anti-corruption?
"No, I will not. There is a mandate and there's a job to be done. When that job and mandate is done, perhaps they'll move on to other things."
Government officials in Liberia sometimes earn up to 10,000 dollars a month. Is there anything you can do about that?
"We have to recruit Liberians of certain professional skills and experience to certain strategic posts. If we do not pay them well, we will not be able to recruit them. We actually pay foreigners on our technical assistance programme much more than that.
"If a Liberian is qualified and competitive and if we want to get them, we've got to do that. Those Liberians getting positions and getting high salaries are strong, experienced managers, recruited from corporations abroad. Their skills are desperately needed to build our country. Liberians should not criticise those who come home with the right skills to rebuild their country. We need them at home."
How will you gain trust in Liberia?
"I have trust in Liberia. I'm not talking about the noisy minority - that's just all part of transformation. I'm talking about a satisfied majority who I meet in rural areas and who are pleased that their lives have changed, their incomes have increased and they're getting better services.
"We accept the criticism and the comments. We also accept the adulation and the praise. That's part of moving ahead in a democratic society where all rights are respected and protected. Liberia is making progress and the majority of the Liberians and the international community is quite aware and recognises that."
Listen to the audio interview in the upcoming 16 November 2012 edition of Bridges with Africa.
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When did president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, learned the meaning of nepotism? President Sirleaf, has no shame when defending the appointment of sons and other family members in lucrative positions in her government. Now I can see why president Sirleaf, can't work or live in Executive Mansion. She is terribly afraid of the ghosts of William R. Tolbert and Samuel K. Doe. I also, believe that the fire in the Executive Mansion, was intentionally set to prevent or to give president Sirleaf the excuse to moved operation into the Foreign Ministry.
Madame President... It is not the noisy minority but the absolutely majority, the common Liberians with whom you lack trust. You are right about hiring the right people for the job but are your friends and sons the only right people available? In 2008 after being elected the first Black president of the United States, Obama didn't issue U.S. citizenship to all his Kenya relatives nor did he hire his buddies from College. Instead he appointed Hilary Clinton, one of his bitter rivals to be his Secretary of State and surrounded himself with capable personelles not his wife relatives or his'. Madame President, it is because of people like you and numerous others including Charles Taylor and PJ... etc that most of us, Liberians are parentless, helpless and hopeless, yet you take pride in appeasing your western friends than caring for the common Liberian at home. Madame President, instead of spending the majority of your time in foreign countries accepting awards you don't deserve, I would recommend you spending some time at home, focusing on nation building. Madame president, I recommend you focus on sensible business regulations that promote confidence in our economy among consumers, entrepreneurs and businesses alike. This can be accomplished by firing corrupt officials even if that include your son or sons. Madame president, maintaining a world-class system of primary and secondary education with high standards in which all students can reach their potential is critically important to Liberia’s future - you need to invest the country resources in education, that means building and maintaining schools and the best available scholars in Liberia... not sending people abroad to study! Madame President instead of flying to America or Europe for routine medical check-ups, the country would be well served if you invested in the country healthcare system... We need common-sense reforms that will lower costs, ensure quality health care that Liberians deserve... Remember the proclamation you made back in 1990 to your then best friend Charles Taylor... that he should destroy the executive mansion... that which represents the greatness of Liberia and that you were going to rebuild it in less than a year? Well, you have been in power more than 6 years and you are not remotely closed to that objective... Instead of focusing on nation building at home, you invest your energy and and Liberia's resources on your image building abroad. I applaud you for the magnificent work you have done in regard to freedom of speech but what use is this mandate to the common citizens of Liberia when these poor people lack any voice due to the hunger and poor health?
Oh no she didn't! Ellen has the nerve to say that she appoits only competent people? If competency equals corruption than Harvard did a disservice to her trained economist. It is true that wisdom is lost with time and given Ellen's age, one can assume the obvious.