Monrovia — The National Insurance Corporation of Liberia (NICOL) has been thrown into controversy following the circulation of a leaked letter sent to President Joseph Boakai, alleging payroll fraud, tribalism, internal conflicts, and a widening power struggle within the state-owned entity.
The communication, purportedly written by an employee identified as Rick Mark James, accuses Deputy Managing Director Abdullah S. Swaray of orchestrating internal strife and manipulating the employment process to undermine the corporation's suspended Managing Director, Nortu Jappah.
Leaked Letter Alleges Power Struggle and Payroll Fraud
In the letter titled "Breach of Employment Policy," the writer claims that NICOL has descended into chaos since July 2024, when Swaray allegedly "incited people to stage a strike action against his own administration in an effort to bring down MD Nortu Jappah," with alleged support from board member Ansumanah Sungi Jallah.
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"Since Mr. Jappah was suspended, NICOL has turned into a place of war and not of peace anymore," the letter states, further urging President Boakai to "act fast and save this entity from witch hunt, tribalism etc."
The communication also suggests widespread payroll malpractice, alleging that individuals were hired illegally and placed on NICOL's payroll without adherence to employment procedures.
According to James, at least five individuals were reportedly placed on NICOL's payroll without undergoing the Civil Service Agency (CSA) vetting process--a move he says has fueled suspicion and heightened internal tensions.
He alleged that Acting Managing Director Abdullah S. Swaray, Human Resources Manager Vessay S. Konneh, and Acting Board Chair Ansumanah Sungi Jallah may have been involved in "manipulating, padding, and altering" the corporation's CSA payroll between October and December 2025. The alleged scheme reportedly involved adding names of individuals who, according to the letter, were never legally employed by NICOL.
"These actions have caused serious misunderstandings at the entity," the letter states, adding that the unrest is not new but intensified after a leadership dispute in July 2024. James claims that during that period, Deputy Managing Director Swaray encouraged employees to protest against Managing Director Nortu A. Jappah, deepening divisions within the institution.
The leaked communication also details a series of internal disputes, including allegations that senior officials have visited the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to influence probes, despite the General Auditing Commission (GAC) already being commissioned by the President to conduct an audit. Seven officials--including Swaray and Jappah--were reportedly issued letters by the LACC for questioning.
Another serious claim found in the letter accuses board member Ansumanah Sungi Jallah of receiving insurance commissions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under another person's name. Additionally, both Jallah and Swaray allegedly submitted a list of new employees to the CSA without the approval of NICOL's board. The positions reportedly included procurement staff, customer service workers, HR personnel, and messengers.
James further alleges rising favoritism and tribal division within the corporation, stating that "the entire office is now run on a tribal basis." He also claims a construction contract was awarded to a company owned by a board member's associate without adhering to Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) regulations.
According to the letter, staff morale has plummeted amid fears of retaliation, "witch-hunting," and increasing hostility among employees. Some workers have also reportedly questioned why Unity Party partisans within NICOL feel targeted despite their role in the President's electoral victory.
James concluded his letter by appealing directly to the President to step in, warning that NICOL "has turned into a place of war and not of peace."
NICOL Leadership Denies Wrongdoing
But in sharp contrast to the accusations, Acting Managing Director Abdullah S. Swaray dismissed claims of payroll fraud and political manipulation, describing the allegations as a "work of blackmail" intended to tarnish the image of the corporation's leadership.
He said the letter is a scam and the author does is in the employ of NICOL.
Swaray clarified that NICOL acted strictly in line with Civil Service Agency (CSA) procedures in filling four vacancies created by deaths and retirements.
According to Swaray, he inherited two payroll systems - CSA payroll and staff pay from the institution's internal revenue.
"At the level of the Civil Service, four vacancies were created due to deaths or retirements. The Civil Service Agency notified us, and we carried out the recruitment process in line with established procedures," he explained.
He added that the CSA "completed the process" and that the recruitment was finalized on November 9, 2025.
However, he noted that the NICOL Board later placed a moratorium on new employment on October 10, 2025, as part of efforts to control overhead costs.
"We immediately communicated with the Board, and just as the moratorium was about to be lifted, this issue surfaced," Swaray said, suggesting that the renewed allegations were timed to disrupt the process.
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The CSA did not respond to FPA inquiry up to the time of publication.
Internal Payroll Debate and Accusations of Blackmail
Swaray further defended the corporation's internal payroll adjustments, saying they were made solely to reduce pressure on NICOL's internally generated revenue.
"The internal payroll was the result of trying to control overhead because we were paying those employees from our internal revenue," he said. "This is simply blackmail. We have been on this for a long time, and they just decided to blackmail us."
He added that as a young professional serving in senior leadership, he has become a target of internal smear campaigns.
Board Yet to Make Public Statement
The NICOL Board has not yet issued a statement addressing either the leaked letter or the recruitment-related moratorium. FPA gathered an emergency meeting scheduled on Tuesday December 2 was not held due to lack of quorum. It also remains unclear whether President Boakai has formally responded to the concerns raised.
With allegations and counter-allegations intensifying, analysts say the situation at NICOL highlights long-standing governance challenges facing several state-owned enterprises.
