Nothing To Hide

Liberian President Joseph Boakai suspended more than 450 senior officials this week for failing to declare their assets to the anti-corruption agency, part of his campaign pledge to fight graft in the West African country, the BBC reported.

The suspension comes after the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) published a list of 457 officials, including government ministers and ambassadors, who failed to declare what they own before a November deadline.

Under Liberia’s code of conduct for state officials, all public officials must declare their wealth before taking office and after leaving their government positions.

The presidency said the individuals would be suspended without pay for a month or “until they submit the required declarations.” It emphasized that their failure to comply with the asset declaration “undermines national efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability.”

Elected in November 2023, Boakai has pledged to root out corruption in the nation of five million, Agence France-Presse noted.

Last year, he announced he was reducing his salary by 40 percent, hoping the move would set a precedent for “responsible governance” and demonstrate “solidarity” with Liberians.

His predecessor, George Weah, faced accusations of corruption and lavish spending, sparking mass demonstrations amid a rise in the cost of living.

Liberia, one of the poorest countries in the world, ranks 135th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index.

While some analysts welcomed Boakai’s decision, civil rights groups described it as insufficient and “a slap on the wrist.”