Monrovia — FrontPage Africa has obtained documents showing that the Unity Party (UP)-led government entered into secret severance agreements worth US$100,000 each with two suspended commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) to facilitate their resignation, despite ongoing corruption allegations.
The two officials, Israel Akinsanya and Zotawon D. Titus and were among several LTA Commissioners suspended by President Joseph Boakai in April 2024, following accusations of financial impropriety and mismanagement. Others suspended included Chairperson Edwina Zackpah, James Gbarwea, and Osborne K. Diggs.
While it remains unclear whether all five commissioners received similar offers, previous FrontPage Africa reporting in August 2024 revealed that the acting leadership at LTA--backed by the Executive--was proposing "attractive" financial settlements to the suspended officials, assuring them they would not face investigation after the General Auditing Commission (GAC) report.
Leaked Documents Confirm Secret Settlement
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The documents reviewed by FPA confirm that the LTA, under the signature of then-Acting Chairperson Abdullah Kamara, agreed to pay each of the suspended commissioners US$100,000 in four equal installments throughout the 2025 fiscal year. The payments were to be tax-free, with the first installment disbursed upon signing. Additionally, the officials were allowed to keep personal assets--including laptops and generators--used during their tenure, with a vague requirement to return telecommunications data stored on the devices.
The agreements also included legal immunity clauses. One excerpt from the release reads:
"It is understood and agreed that this Release/Receipt Document is executed by me in favor of the LTA, releasing the Board of Commissioners, Management, and successors from all liabilities arising out of or connected with my services at the LTA and bars any claim or civil suit which I may have now or in the future connected with and/or arising from my services."
Incoming Chair Denies Knowledge of Deals
The revelation contradicts statements made by Clarence Massaquoi, Chairperson-Designate of the LTA, during his Senate confirmation hearing. Massaquoi denied knowledge of any settlement contracts between the Government of Liberia and the suspended commissioners, despite acknowledging that "discussions" had occurred.
He stated, "Board decisions are taken in boardrooms by resolution. I saw copies of resignations and, in those letters, I don't see conditions set in." He admitted awareness of conversations surrounding the commissioners' exit but stressed, "Before me, I have no contracts. This Board has not received a contract."
Pressed by lawmakers, Massaquoi emphasized that he could not validate any deals signed by the suspended acting Chairperson, Abdullah Kamara.
Constitutional Questions and Court Rulings
Under the 2007 Telecommunications Act, LTA Commissioners are granted fixed four-year tenures, renewable once. The Act prohibits their removal without cause before the expiration of their terms. In February 2024, President Boakai attempted to nominate new commissioners while the previous ones were still serving--a move ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in April.
Despite the ruling, Boakai swiftly suspended the commissioners--those who won in court included--citing pending audits. Critics viewed this as a deliberate effort to circumvent the Supreme Court's decision. Subsequent reports alleged that the government quietly offered financial incentives for the commissioners to step aside and create room for new appointments.
Commissioners Confirm Deals in Letter to Senate
Further confirming the secret settlements, suspended commissioners Akinsanya and Titus wrote to the Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, stating that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the LTA's acting leadership in December 2024.
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"The objective of the MOU was to settle our payments to pave the way for the official appointment of those acting," they wrote. "Unfortunately, the acting board has not honored its side of the agreement. If they fail to honor the deal, then no vacancy exists. That's the mutual consent they need to respect."
Public Outrage and Credibility Crisis for Boakai
The revelation has sparked a public outcry, with citizens and critics accusing the Boakai administration of hypocrisy and undermining its stated anti-corruption agenda.
"This is an act of bribery," said activist Jeremiah Smith in a social media post. "You suspend people on corruption allegations and secretly pay them to resign. That's not fighting corruption--that's facilitating it. Everyone involved should be held accountable."
The incident raises troubling questions about President Boakai's commitment to transparency and rule of law, especially as he continues to promote a "zero tolerance" stance on corruption.
