Our Country's Coffer Is Bleeding'

News and Events

Our Country's Coffer Is Bleeding'
-Anti-Corruption Campaigners
Joachim Sendolo, Observer
June 10, 2009

Civil society organizations under the umbrella of Anti-Corruption Action on Tuesday June 9, 2009, carried on a peaceful march through some principal streets of Monrovia, shouting anti-corruption slogans and asking the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to prosecute all alleged corrupt officials. The march began on B.W. Harris School campus on Broad Street through Newport Street through Sekou Toure Avenue to the embassies of the United States of America and European Union.

In their position statement, read by Alfred Quayjandi and presented to embassy officials, the anti-corruption campaigners first extended gratitude to donor countries for their tireless support to the recovery and reconstruction process of Liberia but noted that instead of the assistance helping the common people of the country, citizens' living standard continues to decline while few elite are enjoying.

Commenting on other ills, the statement indicates that rampant corruption has overshadowed the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-led Government and that her promise to fight it while giving her inaugural speech in 2006 has become a failure.

Providing some evidence about their claim of rampant corruption in government, the statement said the issues involving the e-mail scandal for which the Dunn committee was set to investigate, the disappearance of L$22 million checks from the Ministry of Finance, the US$24.8 million involving Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC) CEO Harry Greeves, the transfer of US$1 million into a private account at Ecobank and the confiscation and 'inappropriate' use of US$500,000 from a Nigerian businessman are some instances that manifest the existence of massive corruption in the ruling Unity Party Government.

The group's statement also indicates that audits conducted by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) have allegedly pointed to many ministries as being involved in rampant corruption. The statement further alleges that the President, who considers corruption as number one public enemy, has not made any attempt to combat it.

The anti-corruption campaigners, in the statement, say the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs has published that out of the 107 deliverables earmarked for the first year of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) were lagging behind by a little over 68% as per the target benchmark, which the group describes as 'ridiculous'.
In recommendations presented to the embassies, the group requests that there should be prompt enforcement and full implementation of the GAC audit reports; that the Government should investigate and make public its findings on all allegations of corruption; Government should go beyond arbitrary suspension of individuals for alleged corruption, misuse of public funds; and consider mandatory the prosecution of the accused; that the US Government and the rest of the international community should not provide safe haven and/or entry visa to individuals implicated in corruption, malpractices and malfeasance until they exonerate themselves in a court of competent jurisdiction; that the Government should speedily appoint the chief prosecutor to investigate the e-mail scandal linking 'confidants of the President'; and that the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission should demonstrate and exhibit independence and accountability with focus on addressing corruption in a more transparent manner.

The group that marched yesterday was not as huge as was expected. It was, however, heavily guarded by the Liberia National Police and that of the United Nations Mission in Liberia.

Participating groups that combined in the march included the National Human Rights Center, Plan for the Children, Movement for the Downtrodden and the Movement for Liberia Destiny.

According to the group's technical advisor Darius Dillon, copies of the position statement will also be taken to other stakeholders by individuals so that they (stakeholders) can be informed.