PHOTO: Ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
“We have to build confidence in all aspects of our national endeavors. Otherwise, we might have those bad businesses like those drug people who are coming here. We have to build that confidence,” former Pres. Sirleaf said.
By Aruna A. Goepogui
MONROVIA, Liberia–Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on the Liberian government to strengthen integrity and public confidence in its institutions, warning that a poor national reputation could continue to attract criminal enterprises instead of legitimate investors.
Liberia and Africa’s first elected female president was speaking today, Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at the opening of the two-day National Conference on Women’s Financial Inclusion in Monrovia’s Congo Town suburb/
Former President Sirleaf stressed that Liberia must create an environment where credible investors and financial institutions have confidence in the country’s governance.
Her remarks come as security authorities continue investigating the latest seizure of suspected illicit drugs with an estimated street value of more than US$300 million in Liberia, with ongoing legal action against alleged traffickers of the June 2026 US$19.2 million cocaine bust at the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
“We have to build confidence in all aspects of our national endeavors,” Sirleaf said.
“Otherwise, we might have those bad businesses like those drug people who are coming here. We have to build that confidence,” the former Liberian leader added.
According to the former President Sirleaf, restoring confidence in government institutions is essential to attracting legitimate businesses, expanding investment opportunities, and preventing criminal networks from viewing Liberia as a destination for illegal operations.