Paynesville — Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has criticized President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for failing to sack or suspend government officials who have violated the Code of Conduct on asset declaration. He argues that the president's inaction supports these officials' disregard for transparency and accountability in governance.
Appearing on the Super Morning Show on ELBC on Monday, October 14, 2024, in Paynesville, Senator Dillon emphasized that the president's continuous silence or delay in taking action against officials within the Executive Branch for failing to respect the Code of Conduct enables their violations.
"In my view, the president is enabling the violation. Sack the people, suspend them. And let's even push it further -- why are people who hold party positions still holding positions in government?" he questioned.
According to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), 73.5% of government officials, including those appointed by the president, are non-compliant. Of the 1,281 officials in the Executive Branch required to declare their assets, only 322 were fully compliant, while 959 were non-compliant. In the Judiciary, out of 333 individuals required to declare their assets, only 29 complied, including seven judges and 21 administrative staff, demonstrating their commitment to transparency, while 305 failed to comply.
Senator Dillon, who also chairs the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and Information, stressed that asset declaration is a fundamental step towards ensuring transparency and accountability. He warned that the president's reluctance to act against violators in his administration could spell trouble for his government.
"I'm calling on President Boakai to act. No one in his government should be in office for more than 30 days without declaring their assets, even though not everyone appointed by the president is subject to asset declaration," Dillon asserted.
The senator further criticized the president for "pampering" officials by urging them to declare their assets with the LACC, especially considering that the government has been in office for nine months. He stated that President Boakai should not still be asking officials of the ruling Unity Party, who are holding public positions in violation of the Code of Conduct, to resign. "If the president is still asking them by this time, then in my view, he's pampering them," Dillon added.
He also described it as untimely for the president to make such a call after nine months in office. "The law says when you take public office, you can't manage a political party anymore. The president should be angry by now -- righteously angry," Dillon remarked.
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The senator further called on citizens to demand accountability from their elected representatives and senators, urging them to comply with the asset declaration laws or resign. "The law says a vacancy can occur in the presidency or the legislature by reason of resignation, death, incapacitation, and what have you, and resignation can be voluntary or forced," Dillon pointed out.
According to the LACC, among the 73 elected members of the House of Representatives, only 26 complied with the asset declaration law, while 47 were non-compliant. In the Senate, of the 30 elected senators, only 12 complied, while 18 failed to declare their assets. Additionally, none of the 44 administrative staff members of the Senate complied.
Senator Dillon expressed disappointment at lawmakers who violate the very laws they passed. He emphasized that the law requires officials to declare their assets and liabilities upon taking office and before leaving, yet many legislators continue to ignore the matter. He called it a "complete contradiction" for lawmakers to make asset declaration laws and then blatantly violate them while they question presidential nominees about whether they had declared their assets before appearing before the Senate.
