–As Board Resolution Recommends His Suspension, But…
The Boakai administration recently reignited the fight against corruption, wasteful spending and bad governance; however, many are of the opinion that the crackdown is only being implemented on individuals who do not have close ties to President Joseph N. Boakai and his kitchen cabinet.
The President has taken punitive action against several public officials for alleged corruption and administrative malpractice, including the Director General of the National Fishery and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Emma Glassco; President of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), Rustolyn Suacoco Dennis; Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Davidetta Browne Lansannah, etc. But in the same vein, he has elected to close his eyes on other corruption allegations levied on certain officials, including the Chairperson of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), Abdullah Kamara; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Road Fund, Josetta Wento, and others. Documents in the possession of the Hot Pepper has placed the Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, in the latter category.
According to the documents, the Board of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) was recently concerned about numerous crisis-related events occurring at NPHIL, for which it initiated an investigation, and findings were discussed during its regular and emergency meetings.
Issues investigated and discussed included the mandate for the declaration of outbreaks in Liberia, coordination between the NPHIL and the Ministry of Health, staff suspension procedures, budget submission process without the knowledge of the board, media relations and communication, etc.
According to information, on February 5, 2025, the NPHIL board recommended to President Boakai in a resolution signed by all board members that the Director-General of NPHIL, Dr. Nyan, be suspended with immediate effect for one month without pay and benefits for violating section 2.4, subsection A (xxiv); section 4.3 (b), (k) and (o), section 5.2 and section 5.5, among others, of the NPHIL Act of 2016.
The Board further recommended that, after the completion of the suspension, the Director General, Nyan, be issued a formal warning from the Board and his actions be closely monitored by the Board to ensure compliance with the Board’s guidelines and statutory responsibility.
The Board also recommended the indefinite suspension of the Deputy Director General for Administration effective immediately with pay pending the results of an investigation into the vehicle theft and alleged dysfunction within the administrative structure of the NPHIL.
However, after the board’s resolution was submitted to President Boakai, elite forces within the Executive Mansion allegedly chose to downplay the resolution and suspended the Deputy Director General.
Dr. Nyan has since been functioning without any warning or suspension, as recommended by the board. Instead, he is now instituting administrative actions on his colleagues and apportioning unto himself powers that belong to the board.
It is being said that since the board’s action was thwarted, Dr. Nyan has been allegedly marginalizing several persons whom he feels are not in his interest, bringing serious division at NPHIL.
Observers are beginning to wonder whether the once acclaimed and admired scientist is choosing to muddy his hard-earned character only to please a few influential folks of the UP administration to retain his job at NPHIL. They nevertheless reminded Dr. Nyan that NPHIL is a health organization and not a political theater; as such, he should perform his duty in line with constituted guidelines and do away with politics.