MONROVIA – Anderson D. Miamen, Executive Director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), took questions from journalists on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, following a press conference at CENTAL headquarters in Sinkor, Monrovia. He addressed recent findings from the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and called on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to take swift action.
After reading CENTAL’s statement, Miamen elaborated on the 2024 State of Corruption report, which surveyed citizens’ perceptions of governance and transparency. The report found that 83 percent of respondents said corruption levels were very high, down slightly from 90 percent in earlier surveys.
He also highlighted that the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index showed Liberia improving modestly, from 25 to 27 out of 100. “These are marginal improvements,” Miamen said, “but corruption remains widespread and continues to undermine progress.”
Miamen emphasized that the GAC audit covering the consolidated account from January to December 2024 revealed major issues requiring urgent attention. He warned that corruption continues to drain state revenues and hinder public service delivery in health, education, and water supply.
“Leakages in the system are causing Liberia to lose critical revenues,” he said. “Addressing these gaps is essential for improving services and citizens’ lives.”
He criticized the government’s slow response to corruption cases, citing the delayed prosecution of Abdullah Kamara and the resignation of officials like former Commerce Inspector Dorr Cooper, which came only after months of advocacy. “The president must act faster on audit reports and corruption allegations,” Miamen said.
On the judiciary, Miamen welcomed the incoming Chief Justice’s commitment to accountability through financial audits and the installation of CCTV cameras in courts. He noted that the judiciary has achieved full compliance with the asset declaration law, unlike some members of the Legislature.
Miamen concluded that, despite modest gains in governance indicators, corruption remains a major challenge. His remarks, given during a press conference where he answered journalists’ questions, underscore the urgent need for prompt action and greater accountability across Liberia’s public institutions.
The journalists’ questions followed CENTAL’s call for the LACC to take immediate action on the GAC audit findings. The organization also welcomed proposed financial and credential audits of the judiciary as key steps toward improving accountability in Liberia’s public sector.
Addressing the media, Miamen emphasized the importance of transparency in government operations. “We cherish our partnership and shared commitment to advancing democratic values, especially those related to anti-corruption, rule of law, and inclusive economic growth,” he said.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by public institutions, noting that gaps in performance remain significant. “Although the gaps in performance remain significant, we applaud the LACC, GAC, Financial Intelligence Agency, and other public integrity institutions for working under largely difficult circumstances to achieve key results,” Miamen added.
The GAC audit examined how public funds were managed and disbursed, highlighting several weaknesses in revenue collection and financial management systems. Miamen said the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) did not extend its revenue reporting software, including ASYCUDA and LITAS, to rural collectorates. “This leaves gaps in transparency and increases the likelihood of corruption,” he said.
The audit also noted personnel shortages in rural tax collection centers, over-disbursement of funds by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) by more than US$2.8 million, and under-disbursement of approved appropriations totaling US$78,289,600 affecting 106 ministries and agencies.
Additionally, 11 state-owned enterprises paid only US$5,669,672.88 in income taxes, far below the required US$10,160,233.98, resulting in significant revenue losses. “These observations raise questions about whether government’s desire to increase resource mobilization is matched by commitments from its agents,” Miamen said.
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