Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am deeply honored to address you during this special edition of the Albert Porte Street Lecture Series on the important national issues of corruption, the Rule of Law, and the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Court in Liberia.
This gathering provides an opportunity for honest national reflection. We must ask ourselves where Liberia stands, why our nation continues to struggle despite its abundant natural wealth, and what must change if we are to build a prosperous, democratic, and just society.
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Corruption remains one of Liberia's greatest obstacles to development. It deprives our people of quality education, healthcare, roads, electricity, clean water, employment opportunities, and investor confidence. But corruption is much broader than the theft of public money.
Corruption is the abuse of public power through disregard for the Rule of Law.
Whenever public funds are spent without legislative appropriation, corruption has occurred. Whenever contracts are awarded outside the Public Procurement and Concessions Act, corruption has occurred. Whenever concession agreements fail to secure the greatest benefit for the Liberian people, corruption has occurred. Whenever laws are selectively enforced or public information is concealed, corruption has occurred.
Corruption begins where the Rule of Law ends, and the Rule of Law begins where no one is above the law.
For this reason, no nation can successfully fight corruption without strengthening respect for its Constitution and laws. Strong institutions--not slogans--are the true foundation of integrity.
The fight against corruption also requires impartial accountability. Public confidence grows when allegations are investigated fairly, regardless of who is involved. No institution and no public official should be above the law. The Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, autonomous agencies, and state-owned enterprises must all be held to the same standards of transparency and accountability. Justice must depend upon evidence and the law--not political influence, wealth, or official position.
If we wish to understand what corruption has cost Liberia, we need only compare ourselves with Botswana.
Botswana attained independence in 1966, more than a century after Liberia declared its independence. At independence it was one of the poorest countries in the world. It is landlocked, much of its territory is covered by the Kalahari Desert, and it has limited rainfall.
Liberia's circumstances are entirely different. We possess fertile land, abundant rainfall, rich forests, rivers, fisheries, iron ore, gold, diamonds, rubber, timber, and enormous agricultural potential. Yet Botswana has become one of Africa's best-governed and least corrupt nations, while Liberia continues to struggle with poverty.
The lesson is unmistakable: natural resources alone do not create prosperity. Prosperity is created by honest leadership, prudent management of public resources, strong institutions, and unwavering respect for the Rule of Law.
Botswana invested its natural resource wealth in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development. Liberia must do the same. Government holds our natural resources in trust for the people. Every concession agreement, every procurement contract, and every public expenditure should be measured by one simple question: Does it maximize the long-term benefit of the Liberian people?
Corruption is also a human rights issue. It destroys opportunity, weakens institutions, discourages investment, fuels unemployment, and drives many young Liberians to seek opportunities abroad. Fighting corruption is therefore not merely about recovering stolen money. It is about restoring justice, opportunity, hope, and confidence in public institutions.
I firmly believe that Liberia can become the Botswana of West Africa. The difference will not be our natural resources. The difference will be our leadership, our institutions, and our commitment to the Rule of Law.
One internationally recognized measure of governance is the Millennium Challenge Corporation Rule of Law score. During the Coalition for Democratic Change administration, Liberia's score stood at approximately 40 percent. Today, under the second Unity Party administration, it remains at about the same level. Regardless of political affiliation, the absence of measurable improvement should concern every Liberian because corruption flourishes where the Rule of Law remains weak.
We must therefore strengthen institutions that enforce accountability. An independent and competent Anti-Corruption Court can play an important role by ensuring that corruption cases are heard expeditiously, fairly, and without political interference. However, a new court alone will not solve the problem. The court must operate within a legal system where investigations are professional, prosecutions are impartial, judges are independent, and every accused person receives due process of law.
Transparency must become the rule, not the exception. Public officials are paid from public funds. The people therefore have a legitimate right to know how public resources are collected, allocated, and spent. Transparency strengthens public confidence, while secrecy breeds suspicion and weakens democratic governance.
We need leaders who understand that government is a place to serve, not to steal. We need governance that is for the people, not the pockets of those in government. We need prudence in public spending, integrity in public service, transparency in public finance, and accountability in every branch of government.
History already knows that Liberia is richly blessed with natural resources. What history will ask is whether our generation possessed the courage, discipline, integrity, and patriotism to transform those blessings into prosperity for all Liberians.
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My fellow Liberians, if you are able, I respectfully invite you to stand and repeat after me:
I pledge to support leaders of integrity.
I pledge to reject corruption in every form.
I pledge to obey and defend the Constitution and the Rule of Law.
I pledge to demand transparency in the use of public resources.
I pledge to insist that every concession agreement, every procurement contract, and every public expenditure serve the interests of the Liberian people.
I pledge to hold every public official accountable, regardless of political party or position.
I pledge that government is a place to serve, not to steal.
I pledge that governance is for the people, not the pockets of those in government.
I pledge to help make Liberia the Botswana of West Africa.
A better Liberia is possible if we remain faithful to these commitments.
May God bless each of you.
May God bless the Republic of Liberia.
Thank you.
