President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has issued Executive Order No. 161, extending the mandate of the Asset Recovery Task Force for an additional period of one calendar year.
According to the Executive Order, the current mandate of the Task Force was due to expire on March 5, 2026. However, due to circumstances that prevented the completion of its assigned responsibilities, the extension has been granted to allow the body to continue its work in identifying, tracing, investigating, and recovering assets belonging to the government and people of Liberia that may have been unlawfully converted to private use.
The Asset Recovery Task Force will operate within the Office of the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and will be composed of four members appointed by the President. The Task Force is chaired by Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, with Dr. Ranney B. Jackson serving as Vice Chairman, and John Mulbah Gbilee and Crosby Johnson serving as members.
The Executive Order mandates the Task Force to work in collaboration with several government institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, the General Services Agency, the Liberia Revenue Authority, and the Financial Intelligence Agency, among others, to effectively carry out its functions.
The Task Force is authorized to identify and trace suspicious assets both within and outside Liberia, establish investigative panels, and pursue criminal prosecution and civil litigation where necessary to recover assets and return them to the Government of Liberia (GOL).
Additionally, the Task Force may recommend travel and other restrictions on individuals under investigation and may utilize diplomatic channels and international mechanisms, including cooperation with Interpol, where appropriate, in the execution of its duties.
The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has been directed to allocate and disburse the necessary funding to support the implementation of the Task Force’s activities.
Executive Order No. 161 takes immediate effect.
