The MPR News story centers on Sekou Dukuly, managing director of Liberia’s National Port Authority, and the political fallout from an MPR investigation revealing that he was simultaneously listed as the assisted-living director for three group homes in Minnesota while serving in his high-ranking Liberian government position.
MPR’s investigation found that Minnesota has paid about $36 million in taxpayer funds to group-home companies linked to Dukuly and his family. The reporting raised questions about how Dukuly could fulfill responsibilities in both Liberia and Minnesota and about oversight of the group-home system.
The revelations quickly generated controversy in both Liberia and Minnesota. In Liberia, political figures and commentators questioned whether Dukuly’s involvement with the Minnesota businesses created a conflict with his responsibilities as head of the National Port Authority and called for greater scrutiny of his activities. In Minnesota, the investigation added to broader concerns about state oversight of taxpayer-funded group homes and whether existing regulations are sufficient.
The controversy is part of a larger MPR News investigation into Minnesota’s rapidly expanding group-home industry. Previous reporting documented concerns involving poor oversight, neglect, deaths and repeated police calls at some facilities.
In short: the story is about a senior Liberian government official who maintained significant involvement in Minnesota’s taxpayer-funded group-home industry, with companies connected to him and his family receiving millions of dollars from the state. The investigation has now become a political issue on two continents, prompting questions about government accountability in Liberia and oversight of public money in Minnesota.
