By Amos Harris
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has welcomed aspects of President Joseph N. Boakai’s anti-corruption agenda but says major gaps remain in translating policy commitments into concrete accountability outcomes.
In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered Monday to a Joint Sitting of the National Legislature, President Boakai outlined several measures aimed at strengthening transparency and combating corruption across public institutions.
Among them is the introduction of a Performance Management and Compliance System, under which heads of public institutions are required to sign performance contracts tied to defined standards.
The President also reported progress by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), noting that the body has secured 11 indictments, obtained two convictions, recorded one acquittal, and currently has four corruption cases under prosecution.
He further cited the suspension and dismissal of officials implicated in misconduct and improvements in asset declaration requirements.
CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen acknowledged gains in public financial accountability, pointing to the General Auditing Commission’s (GAC) completion of 94 out of 105 audits, including a Domestic Debt Audit covering 2018 to 2023 that reportedly rejected over US$704 million in unsupported claims.
The organization also noted improved compliance with GAC recommendations, rising from 13 percent in 2024 to 37 percent in 2025.
CENTAL further welcomed the near completion of a system audit of the House of Representatives covering 2021 to 2024, as well as the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission’s (PPCC) expansion of electronic procurement systems to more than 50 public entities.
However, the anti-corruption watchdog raised concerns about persistent structural weaknesses, including the failure to establish a specialized anti-corruption court, the continued five-year statute of limitations on corruption cases, and the slow pace of asset recovery.
The group also questioned the effectiveness of the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (ARPRT), arguing that more than a year of full operation should have produced visible results, particularly in light of U.S.
sanctions and audit reports implicating former officials.
CENTAL criticized the Legislature’s Public Accounts Committees for delays in reviewing audit reports and enforcing accountability, warning that such inaction undermines the credibility of the GAC and weakens public trust.
The organization also expressed concern over the LACC’s failure to publish asset verification reports more than two years after asset declarations were made, noting that declaration without verification defeats the purpose of the regime.
CENTAL urging stronger coordination among the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary to ensure Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts are independent, adequately resourced, and results-driven, stressing that success must be measured by tangible outcomes rather than policy pronouncements.
