Corruption is a key threat to good governance and democratic processes, and fighting corruption among public officials starts from their publications of their asset declarations before taking office.
Liberia's Code of Conduct compels Public officials and Employees of Government involved in making decisions affecting contracting, tendering or procurement, and issuance of licenses of various types, to sign performance or financial bonds and in addition to declare his or her income, assets, and liabilities Before taking office.
The compliance institution, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), pushed the deadline twice and the final was Wednesday, 31 July 2024 to set and promote anti-corruption standards and good governance principles.
On her Facebook page Wednesday late afternoon, the President Secretary to President Joseph N. Boakai, Kula Fofana, reminded public officials of the July 31 deadline.
"A quick reminder to Public Officials: If you haven't declared your assets, today is the deadline."
The means the Chairperson of Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. Alexandra Kromah-Zoe is expected to disclose the total number of persons from all branches of government who have declared their assets and name them as well as name and shame those who have not declared their assets.
It may be recalled, that at the end of the first quarter in May, Cllr. Kromah-Zoe disclosed that out of 500 appointments made by President Joseph N. Boakai, only 75 government officials have declared their assets.
The LACC boss said the statistics are from LACC's first quarter reports and those that declared their assets are from the Executive and Legislative Branches.
She said the annual assets declaration deadline is the last working day in July 2024 and it requires that all government officials declare their assets.
The LACC Boss said the ongoing assets declaration by government officials is very slow.
Cllr. Zoe further said Section 10.2(h) of the Amended Code of Conduct provides that an official appointed by the President shall declare his/her assets not less than thirty (30) days after appointment. Failure to comply shall result in immediate suspension from office until full compliance is obtained.
"LACC does not have any idea if all cabinet members of President Boakai's government have declared their assets and a comprehensive listing will be generated and published on May 15, 2024," LACC Boss said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
She said the LACC will recommend and request relevant authorities to execute appropriate sanctions against non-compliant public officials and employees of the Government of Liberia in keeping with the section 10.3 of the National Code of Conduct.
She said the assets declaration exercise for all public officials and employees of the government is ongoing for them to declare their income, assets, and liabilities in keeping with the law.
Section 10.2(h) of the code of conduct as amended, section 5.2 (o), and section 4.1(g) of the New LACC Act of 2022, designates the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) as the repository for the asset declaration and verification regime of the Government of Liberia. Additionally, section 10.1 of the code of conduct of 2014, requires every Public Official and Employee of the government involved in making decisions affecting contracting, tendering or procurement, and issuance of licenses of various types, to sign performance or financial bonds and in addition to declare his or her income, assets, and liabilities before taking office.
According to her, LACC is currently taking steps to track compliance as well as non-compliance in keeping with relevant provisions of the law.
Meanwhile, President Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung, and Speaker of the House of Representatives J. Fonati Koffa, were among the top officials who officially declared their assets, with Koffa's declaration published in local newspapers. The ongoing process aims to ensure transparency and accountability in governance by tracking compliance with asset declaration requirements.
