By By Alphanso G. Kalama;
Monrovia, Liberia – the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) convened a critical consultative meeting with several key partners, including the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Liberia Business Registry (LBR), to kickstart the long-anticipated Asset Declaration Verification Process.
The meeting, held on Monday, aimed to solidify collaboration between agencies tasked with ensuring the accurate verification of assets declared by public officials. LACC’s Acting Executive Director, Mr. James K. Kingsley, emphasized the need for a unified approach to improve public trust, stating, “Accurate verification of declared assets requires cooperation among institutions to enhance public trust.”
The asset verification exercise, which will begin on November 25, 2024, and run through January 31, 2025, will target 175 public officials, spanning both current and former administrations. LACC’s Executive Assistant & Program Manager, Ms. Vivian S. Akoto, explained the significance of the process in fostering integrity within public service. “Discrepancies found during verification will be publicly disclosed, and any false declarations will be referred to our Monitoring and Investigation Department for further action,” she added.
The LACC is initially funding the process through the Government of Liberia, with strong backing from its partners. During the meeting, Mr. Sumo Kalaplee, Assistant Commissioner for the Professional Ethics Division at LRA, voiced his support, highlighting that the LRA had already taken steps to improve internal accountability. “We have implemented policies requiring all employees to declare their assets, and we fully support the LACC’s verification process,” he noted.
The LBR and other stakeholders also pledged to actively contribute to the verification process. Their roles will include financial reviews, the validation of property and business ownership, and cross-referencing records with other institutions such as the Liberia Land Authority and the Ministry of Transport.
The verification process will involve several steps, including a review of asset declarations, cross-checking with partner agency records, conducting field assessments, and analyzing financial transactions. Any violations uncovered during the review will be addressed according to the provisions of the New LACC Act of 2022.
In concluding the meeting, LACC and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to the initiative. By promoting accountability and ethical standards, the verification process aims to restore public confidence in the Liberian government’s efforts to combat corruption and strengthen governance.
The LACC’s efforts come at a critical time as the country strives to uphold integrity in public service, with this new initiative serving as a significant step toward ensuring that Liberia’s leadership remains transparent and accountable to its citizens.
