By Congo Town, Monrovia – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has released its latest report on asset declaration compliance across the three branches of government, revealing notable disparities in adherence to transparency measures.
Addressing a major News conference on Thursday, August 1, 2024, the head of LACC Cllr, Alexandria Zoe disclosed that many government officials were not able to live up to the submission deadline which elapsed today.
The LACC Boss added that, out of a total of 73 members of the House of Representatives only 26 have declared their assets, leaving 47 unable to comply with the requirement.
As For the Liberian Senate, of the 30 senators, only 12 have declared their assets, while 18 senators have not fulfilled this obligation.
She furthered that within the Executive Branch, comprising 1281 public officials appointed by President Boakai, the numbers reflect a similar trend of non-compliance. Only 322 officials have declared their assets, indicating that 959 officials have not complied with the asset declaration mandate.
Additionally, 84 officials who were not appointed by the President, including comptrollers and procurement officers, have declared their assets.
While the Judiciary, which requires asset declaration from its officials, shows a stark disparity. Out of 333 officials mandated to declare assets, only 28 have done so.
This group includes judges and 21 administrative staff members, while a significant majority of 305 judiciary officials have not fulfilled this obligation.
Cllr, Alexandria Zoe indicated that the report underscores a widespread failure among public officials to adhere to asset declaration regulations, raising concerns about transparency and accountability within Liberia’s governance structures.
The Commission has instructed stringent enforcement of these requirements to combat corruption effectively and ensure public trust in governmental institutions.
The discrepancies revealed in asset declaration compliance across all branches of government highlight the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to strengthen accountability mechanisms and promote transparency in Liberia’s public sector.
By: Domingo Dargbeh
