The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has convened a consultative meeting with key partners, including the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Liberia Business Registry (LBR), amongst others, to kickstart the Asset Declaration Verification process on assets declared by public officials of the Boakai administration, as well as some officials of the Weah administration.
The meeting, held Tuesday, November 19, 2024, aimed at strengthening inter-agency collaboration in ensuring transparency and accountability in public office. LACC’s Acting Executive Director, James K. Kingsley, highlighted the importance of a unified approach, emphasizing that “accurate verification of declared assets requires cooperation among institutions to enhance public trust”.
Providing an overview of the initiative, Vivian S. Akoto, Executive Assistant & Program Manager to the Office of the Executive Chairperson of the LACC, announced that the process will target 175 public officials from both past and present administrations. “This process is critical to fostering integrity in public service. Discrepancies found during verification will be publicly disclosed, and any false declarations will be turned over to the Monitoring and Investigation Division for further action,” she stated.
Akoto also confirmed that the verification exercise will run from November 25, 2024, to January 31, 2025, and will be initially funded by the LACC through the Government of Liberia (GOL).
The consultative session included inputs from key partners, who pledged their support to the initiative. Sumo Kalaplee, Assistant Commissioner for the Professional Ethics Division at the LRA, commended the LACC for the initiative and shared LRA’s on-going efforts to enhance accountability within the institution. “We have implemented policies requiring all employees to declare their assets and will appreciate that our declarations are verified by the LACC,” he noted.
Other partners, including the LBR, expressed their dedication to working closely with the LACC. Collaborative efforts will include financial reviews, validation of property and business ownership, and cross-referencing of records with relevant agencies, such as the Liberia Land Authority and the Ministry of Transport.
The verification process will involve a thorough review of asset declarations, cross-checking information with records from partner institutions, conducting field assessments, and analyzing financial activities. Findings will be documented, and any violations will be addressed in accordance with the New LACC Act of 2022.
The consultative meeting concluded with a unified commitment to ensuring the success of the verification process. By promoting accountability and upholding ethical standards, the LACC and its partners are working to restore public trust and strengthen governance in Liberia.
