MONROVIA — Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner for Monitoring and Investigation Dr. Miatta Jeh has challenged young professionals to make integrity, accountability, and courage defining principles of their careers, warning that Liberia cannot effectively fight corruption if it tolerates dishonesty in everyday professional life.
Speaking Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the graduation of the first cohort of the Governance and Anti-Corruption Fellowship, Jeh told graduates that their professions will present opportunities to either reinforce corruption or confront it.
“If you become a lawyer, defend justice. If you become an auditor, follow the evidence. If you become a journalist, pursue the truth. If you become a policymaker, put the public interest before personal interest. If you become a business leader, reject corrupt practices, even when corruption appears to be the easier path,” Jeh said.
She stressed that fighting corruption begins with individual responsibility and consistency, not merely criticism of public officials.
“We cannot condemn corruption in public office while tolerating dishonesty in our own professional lives. We cannot demand transparency from government while hiding information when it is inconvenient to us. The fight against corruption requires consistency, even when nobody is watching,” she said.
Jeh acknowledged that maintaining integrity can come at a personal cost, including lost opportunities, strained relationships and unpopularity, but said such sacrifices are necessary to build a more accountable society.
“Your responsibility is not to protect the culture because it is familiar. Your responsibility is to help build a culture that is better,” she added.
She also emphasized the importance of building resilient institutions with clear rules, transparent processes and effective oversight mechanisms that reduce opportunities for abuse.
Professor Alaric Tokpah of the Governance Commission described the fellowship as an important platform for developing ethical leaders and strengthening Liberia’s democratic progress.
Tokpah said the program was designed to go beyond theory by allowing fellows to learn, question, conduct research and develop practical responses to governance challenges. He said the initiative also supports the objectives of Pillar Four of the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
Joshua Cleon, deputy program director of Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, commended the graduates for completing what he described as a rigorous process of learning, mentorship, research and public service engagement.
“Good governance is not a destination but a continuous process. It requires citizens who are informed, institutions that are accountable, and leaders who place national interests above personal gain,” Cleon said.
He warned that corruption remains one of Liberia’s major development obstacles, diverting resources intended for citizens, weakening public trust and undermining confidence in democratic institutions.
Cleon also thanked Naymote Partners and the LACC for their roles in organizing and implementing the fellowship, saying the graduates now carry a responsibility to translate their training into practical contributions to Liberia’s governance and anti-corruption efforts.
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