Voices Of A Cross-Section Of Liberians Captured By This News Outlet
PHOTO: One of the streets of Gbarnga, Bong County
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Calls on the incoming government of Pres-elect Joseph Nyuma Boakai to conduct audit and prosecute allegedly corrupt officials are intensifying around the country.
From Monrovia to other parts, many citizens are raising their voices to say they want present and past officials to be held accountable for reportedly abusing state resources, as heard on various live phone in talk shows and other intellectual centers.
In the central Bon County, some citizens have called on former vice president Joseph Boakai to hold accountable the outgoing CDC government of President George Manneh Weah.
Speaking to our reporter, the Bong County citizens stressed the need to hold accountable both past and present leaders as a sign of credibility and trustfulness.
They feel the country has lost more under the Weah-Taylor government, as such holding leaders reliable for their action cannot be overlooked.
It can be recalled, that the leadership of former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf left the country in eight hundred thousand USD credit while the current leadership of President George Weah is reported of leaving the country into millions.
Recently, Liberia’s outgoing President George Weah advised President-Elect Joseph Boakai against targeting former officials of his Government.
During a Church Service on Sunday, November 19,2023 incumbent Weah said his Government did not prosecute past officials as a means of maintaining peace of the country, while urging the UP Administration to do the same.
Mr. Weah’s Statement is in reaction to the incoming Government’s strong stance on ensuring an audit of past administration, including the CDC and officials allegedly involved with corruption.
Like Bongese, the Institute for Research and Democratic Development wants President-elect Joseph Boakai to conduct a comprehensive audit of the outgoing regime. Their message was contained in a news conference last week.
At the conference, IREED Executive Director Mathias Yeanay stated “that the audit must be conducted in an unbiased, inclusive and thorough process to ensure public assets and resources allegedly misused/stolen are identified and retrieved”.
According to Yeanay, findings from the audits must be made public and prosecute individuals found culpable of abusing public resources, position and assets.
Yeanay said the move is not a witch hunt adding, there can be no reconciliation and governance without accountability and respect for the rule of law.
IREED’s call followed nine (9) Liberian Civil Society also want same done.
They are: the Center for Transparency and accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Organization for Women and Children (ORWOCH), Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI), Integrity Watch Liberia, Accountability Lab Liberia, Public Health Initiative Liberia, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development.
A fort-night ago, defeated Monsterrado County District#8 Representative Acarous Moses Gray, says President-Elect Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s resolve to audit the outgoing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led administration must well extend to the Liberian Legislature, as a benchmark to battling corruption.
Rep. Gray in a live podcast here says rampant corruption has engulfed the 54th Legislature, particularly the House where he served until losing the election recently noting that therefore, if the new government is steadfast in sweeping corruption, they must clean up both the executive and legislative branches of government.
President-elect Boakai among several cross-cutting issues after his inauguration in January of 2024, has the utmost task of reconciling the country.
As many Liberians maintain high expectation in the Unity Party administration headed by Mr. Boakai, the implementation of his promises is key as President Weah has promised “to keep Amb. Boakai’s feet to the fire as a strong opposition”.
Already, the “rescue team” of Ambassador Boakai has promised to address Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourism.
Ambassador Boakai has also promised to fight corruption by bringing corrupt public officials to book.