Liberian President Joseph Boakai has suspended more than 450 government officials, including ministers, for failing to declare their assets as required by law.
The affected officials, numbering 457, will be off duty without pay for a month or until they comply with the asset declaration requirement, the presidency announced.
Among those suspended are the ministers of education and health, special envoys for tourism and investment, officials from the Executive Mansion, and several county administrators.
Boakai, who campaigned on a strong anti-corruption agenda, stressed that failure to declare assets undermines efforts to promote transparency and accountability in governance.
“Public officials are reminded that asset declaration is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental measure to promote transparency and restore public trust in government institutions,” he stated.
Liberia’s law mandates public officers to disclose their assets before assuming office and upon exiting government roles. The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) published the full list of non-compliant officials, reinforcing the government’s commitment to accountability.
While some of the suspended officials rushed to the anti-corruption commission to submit their declarations, reactions to Boakai’s decision have been mixed.
Political analyst Abdullah Kiatamba acknowledged the importance of the move but noted that some officials may have faced difficulties in filing their declarations. However, civil society group Solidarity and Trust for a New Day dismissed the suspensions as inadequate.
“Suspending these officials for just one month is a meaningless, symbolic gesture—a slap on the wrist that no serious person should take seriously,” the group stated.
Boakai, who took office last year, has taken other steps to demonstrate his commitment to responsible governance, including slashing his own salary by 40%. His predecessor, George Weah, faced heavy criticism for alleged corruption and excessive spending, which triggered public protests amid rising economic hardships.
With the suspensions in place, all eyes are on the administration to see if stronger measures will follow to enforce accountability in Liberia’s government.