MONROVIA — Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf pressed President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the Supreme Court and the National Legislature on Tuesday to act decisively against corruption, demanding the swift creation of a Specialized National Anti-Corruption Court that she called the missing piece in Liberia's accountability framework.
Delivering the keynote address at the National Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue, Sirleaf said the proposed court cannot succeed if any one institution acts alone, framing it as a national project as essential to the country's future as roads and electricity.
The dialogue, organized by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) in partnership with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L), with support from the Embassy of Ireland, brought together senior government officials, lawmakers, diplomats, civil society organizations and development partners.
The event was held under the theme "Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Liberia Through the Establishment of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Court."
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Sirleaf said accountability requires an entire governance system working in coordination, recalling that during her administration institutions were established to investigate and prevent corruption. According to her, the proposed court would complete that framework by ensuring corruption cases are fairly and efficiently adjudicated.
"Accountability cannot be the work of a single institution but the product of an entire system working in coordination," Sirleaf said.
She explained that while investigative institutions gather evidence and prosecutors build cases, the proposed court would strengthen enforcement by ensuring those cases are heard competently and without unnecessary delays.
The former president described the court as a national institution that transcends any single administration.
"This should not be the responsibility of any single administration or agency. It is a national infrastructure project, as important to our development as roads, electricity, physical and social infrastructure, all of which are necessary for sustainable economic growth and a mature democracy," she said.
Sirleaf urged President Boakai to prioritize the proposed court and address the broader governance concerns affecting the country.
"We therefore call on the President to treat the request for the Specialized Court with the seriousness it deserves and to take necessary corrective Executive action on that and the several scandals that plague the society," she said.
She also challenged the Supreme Court to improve judicial performance.
"We also call on the Supreme Court to improve its record of performance by taking corrective action on the workings of the court and the overall judiciary system as required by the Constitution."
Turning to lawmakers, Sirleaf said members of the Legislature must demonstrate leadership by advancing anti-corruption reforms. She urged them to "set the example, do what is right on the corruption fight, and carry out the functions as described by the Constitution."
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also called on civil society organizations, led by CENTAL, to continue educating the public and advocating for the court until it becomes law and begins operations.
She further appealed to the private sector to reject corrupt business practices.
"Moreover, we also call on businesses to help us in this fight against corruption by refraining from compromising officials, thereby participating in the corruption fight. This enables our country to have an enabling environment for the attraction of private capital and private investments," she said.
Sirleaf also thanked Liberia's international partners for supporting nationally driven governance reforms.
Reflecting on her administration's legacy, she said Liberia has made significant democratic gains but must complete the fight against corruption.
"Colleagues and Partners, Liberia has come a long way from the nation I inherited in 2006. We built institutions of accountability when none existed. We opened our books when secrecy had been the norm. We settled the national debt, and more importantly provided peace and a democratic political transition. We must now finish the work on corruption."
Earlier, CENTAL Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen described the proposed court as a major milestone in Liberia's anti-corruption efforts and urged lawmakers to expedite its passage.
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Miamen welcomed the Executive's submission of bills seeking to establish both the Specialized National Anti-Corruption Court and the War and Economic Crimes Court, describing the move as progress while cautioning that stronger institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, will be needed to ensure the court functions effectively.
"We'd like to say a big thank you to the Executive for this proactive step, even though it is not entirely what we want to see, but it is a step in the right direction in ensuring that we have this court established to deal with corruption and other related issues that continue to eat into the development and future of Liberia," Miamen said.
Also speaking, Irish Ambassador to Liberia Gerard Considine reaffirmed Ireland's support for the proposed court, describing it as essential to strengthening transparency, accountability and democratic governance. He noted that corruption directly affects ordinary Liberians by diverting resources from critical public services.
"Corruption is not an abstract problem. It has real consequences for ordinary people. When public funds are mismanaged or diverted, it is hospitals that go unequipped, schools that go underfunded, and communities that go unserved," Ambassador Considine said.
