By: Staff Writer
Sinkor, Liberia — A critical new report from the Center for Accountability and Transparency Liberia (CENTAL) has outlined disturbing corruption and nepotism issues within President Joseph Boakai’s administration during its first 100 days.
The report casts serious doubt on Boakai’s commitment to fighting corruption, revealing a series of questionable appointments that have undermined his administration’s credibility.
CENTAL, a leading advocate for transparency and good governance in Liberia, has documented several controversial figures who have been appointed to high positions despite having problematic pasts. Among these are S. Tornorlah Varpilah, who now chairs the Liberia Maritime Authority (LMA) but was previously ordered by the National Legislature to repay misappropriated public funds.
Daniel Johnson, newly named Secretary General of the Roberts Flight Information Region, is wanted by the United States for allegedly defrauding USAID of approximately $1.9 million.
Additionally, Nortu Jappah, the newly appointed President of the National Insurance Company of Liberia, resigned from the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) in 2012 amid a corruption scandal.
Other controversial appointments include Patrick Sandike, now Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services at LWSC, who was previously dismissed for corruption; Rudolph Merab, Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), who is linked to illegal logging during the civil war; and Mohammed Maladho Bah, Special Presidential Envoy for Investment, who faces accusations of defrauding Liberians in his previous role as a used car dealer.
The CENTAL report suggests these appointments not only undermine Boakai’s anti-corruption promises but also cast serious doubts on the administration’s dedication to ethical governance.
As scrutiny intensifies, the Boakai administration faces increasing pressure to address these issues and restore public trust in its leadership.
