MONROVIA – The Executive Director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Mr. Anderson D. Miamen, has strongly criticized President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for what he described as selective enforcement of anti-corruption measures within his administration.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Wednesday, May 8, 2025, Miamen accused the Liberian leader of undermining his own anti-corruption agenda by shielding certain government officials from accountability. Titled “Selective Accountability will Further Undermine Your Already Inconsistent Anti-Corruption Efforts, President Boakai,” the post outlines a litany of actions and inactions that Miamen believes contradict Boakai’s commitment to integrity and transparency.
Central to Miamen’s criticism is the continued tenure of Mr. Dorr Cooper, a government appointee recently implicated in academic fraud at the University of Liberia. According to Miamen, both the previous and current administrations of the university have confirmed Cooper’s involvement in fraudulent academic activities. Yet, despite this, President Boakai has reportedly refused to dismiss him.
“You dismissed others quickly, but for many months now, you have shielded Dorr Cooper,” Miamen wrote. “Imagine the university dismissing people who helped him execute his scheme, while you continue to keep him in a sensitive government role related to accountability.”
Miamen also referenced the case of former Central Bank Governor Aloysius Tarlue, who was suspended under allegations of corruption but was later reportedly paid nearly half a million U.S. dollars. He questioned the rationale behind such a settlement in the absence of a completed investigation or prosecution. “Only God knows what suddenly changed his suspension to a quiet settlement,” Miamen said.
He further noted that the president’s swift actions against officials aligned with former President George Weah, contrasted with leniency toward those perceived as close to Boakai, sends the wrong signal. “This is not the kind of corruption fight you promised,” Miamen stated. “It contradicts your commitments and undermines some of your government’s otherwise positive steps.”
Calling the situation “highly contradictory,” Miamen warned that the president’s inaction regarding Cooper’s case sets a damaging precedent for students and the wider public. “You are telling young people that it’s acceptable to cheat and steal their way through school, and you’re telling officials that corruption is tolerable depending on who you are,” he said.
In a final appeal, Miamen called on President Boakai to immediately dismiss Dorr Cooper, arguing that his continued presence in government threatens the credibility of the administration’s anti-corruption agenda. “You are sending the wrong message to development partners and citizens. If your fight against corruption is to be taken seriously, it must be impartial and consistent,” he concluded.
