Monrovia – As Liberia’s capital remains plagued by uncollected waste and worsening sanitation, a cloud of serious allegations is gathering over the Monrovia City Mayor, John Charuk Siafa, raising questions about the integrity of his administration barely months into his tenure.
Mayor Siafa, who replaced former Mayor Jefferson Koijee following the 2023 presidential elections, came into office with promises to restore transparency and eliminate corruption within the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC). However, whistleblowers and internal sources are accusing the Mayor of financial misappropriation, abuse of power, and gross procedural violations.
FrontPage Africa has obtained a detailed dossier outlining a string of alleged financial and administrative breaches, including unauthorized payments, procurement irregularities, audit obstruction, conflict of interest, and politically motivated staffing decisions—painting a troubling picture of a city government under strain.
As of press time, the Mayor’s office has not responded to requests for comment.
Key Allegations: Financial Misappropriations and Procedural Breaches
Among the most damning allegations is the reported diversion of US$300,000 from the Clean Cities Project (PSIP 2024) and another US$400,000 from the World Bank-funded CLUS Project, half of which was allegedly used to fund Monrovia Day celebrations. More than US$200,000 was reportedly spent on the festivities without going through proper procurement channels or securing approval from the Internal Audit Agency (IAA).
Clus Project Staff payroll prepare (2)
counterpart funding liabilities (1)
The Cheesemanburg Landfill Urban Sanitation (CLUS) Project is aimed at improving access to solid waste collection and disposal services in Monrovia and its surrounding areas. It is being implemented by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC). It seeks to strengthen Monrovia’s solid waste management sector, which is becoming increasingly important within the Government of Liberia (GoL)’s development agenda.
Funded by the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund (LRTF) through the World Bank (WB), the CLUS Project is designed as an urban development initiative, using solid waste management as its primary entry point.
The main objective of the project is to enhance access to effective solid waste management services in Monrovia and nearby townships. A major milestone of the project will be the construction of a new sanitary landfill in Cheesemanburg, which will replace the current landfill in Whein Town, now nearing the end of its operational lifespan—with less than two years remaining. FPA gathered it has an initial lifespan of five years, but it has lingered on amid allegation of mismanagement of the fund.
Additional questionable expenditures cited in the report include US$5,000 allegedly paid to the Public Affairs Department to suppress negative media coverage, CCTV installation contracts awarded to Sunrise Smart Secure Home, owned by Deputy Director Sonnie Kollie, while she remained on MCC’s payroll—raising conflict of interest concerns and an order allegedly issued by the Mayor to destroy key financial documents on March 4, 2024, ahead of a scheduled General Auditing Commission (GAC) audit.
Staffing Controversies and Procurement Violations
The dossier also highlights politically motivated dismissals of MCC staff and the alleged promotion of unqualified individuals. Rachel Harris, previously an office assistant, was reportedly elevated to Revenue Director, earning a salary higher than that of the Comptroller.
Summary of Financial and Procurement Irregularities at Monrovia City Corporation (1)
In another instance, contracts for van advertisements and police uniforms were awarded without competitive bidding.
The report states that police supplies meant to meet international quality standards were substituted with substandard local alternatives, with the remaining funds unaccounted for. The Ewallie contract, which expired in 2022, was allegedly extended illegally in breach of Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) regulations.
Unpaid Salaries and Political Favoritism
Despite large expenditures on public events, at least 11 MCC staff assigned to the CLUS project—including drivers, janitors, IT staff, and key technical personnel—remain unpaid. The outstanding salary arrears total more than US$21,000, according to the report.
Donations for July 26 Independence Day and Christmas celebrations were reportedly not publicly accounted for, while hiring at the MCC has been influenced by political bias. The Mayor is accused of rejecting recommendations to recruit youth from the ruling Unity Party, allegedly favoring individuals based on loyalty.
There are also claims that security staff assigned to the Mayor’s residence earn more than regular patrol officers, without any clear justification.
Suppressed Investigations and Internal Misconduct
The whistleblower document alleges that multiple internal investigations were intentionally suppressed. These include a failed attempt to fraudulently withdraw over US$10,000, reportedly involving several senior staff, including the Chief of Staff Charlene Carey, City Manager Jones Williams, and Director General Joyce Wantue.
The misuse of fuel intended for solid waste operations, a sexual assault case involving a staff member, which was allegedly ignored by the Mayor’s office.
Whistleblowers Demand Accountability
According to internal sources, all financial transactions cited are traceable via MCC bank statements. The whistleblower is challenging the Mayor’s office to produce payment vouchers or other supporting documentation to disprove the claims.
They emphasize that MCC’s payroll process involves multiple layers of approval—including Finance, HR, the Chief of Staff, the Internal Audit Agency, and the Mayor’s Office—making unilateral actions difficult without coordinated oversight.
Call for Investigation
Whistleblowers are urging the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and other oversight institutions to immediately launch a full investigation into the allegations, warning that continued mismanagement will only worsen the capital’s sanitation crisis and erode public trust in local governance.
As Monrovia drowns in its own waste, the allegations now threaten to bury the Mayor’s reformist image under a mountain of scandal and growing calls for accountability.
