By Othello B. Garblah
When candidate former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai campaigned on the “Rescue” slogan in 2023, it was believed that all those who campaigned with him were in sync with his vision to rescue the country from a “corrupt regime” and set it on the path of transparency, economic growth, and development. At least, this is what everyone thought of the “Rescue Mission.”
However, barely ten months into President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s administration, one official has been dismissed for administrative reasons, two forced to resign, one due to his tastes for luxury and the other poor health, and six have been suspended, among them, three relieved of their positions following investigations into acts of misconduct leading to their suspensions.
So, what has happened?
Last week, Mr. Boakai suspended three senior officials of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) immediately following serious allegations of financial misconduct and protests from workers at the entity.
LRRC Executive Director, Mr. Patrick Worzie, and his two deputies, Mr. Richard Hoff and Mr. AJ Armah Karneh, were suspended and subsequently turned over to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission for investigation.
These men were accused of engaging in questionable financial transactions at the Liberian returnees’ agency, allegedly taking bread from returning refugees’ mouths.
Just around the same time, the President announced the appointment of a new Executive Director of the Liberian Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) while relieving the entity’s Executive Director, Col. Abraham Kromah, and his two deputies, Mr. Hassan Fadiga and Mr. Gbawou Kowou.
The three men were suspended for months following allegations linking them to fights over drug money. Though the committee that investigated the incident at the LDEA has yet to confirm these allegations, it has set a bad example for the “Rescue Team.”
It all started just 7 months into the Rescue administration when President Boakai dismissed Mr. James Armah Massaquoi, the then Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Education, for administrative reasons and appointed Atty. Nyekeh Y. Forkpa.
As if that was not enough, former Commerce Minister Amin Modad, acting in consultation with the Liberia Revenue Authority Commissioner General Dorbor Jallah, violated the 2024 National Budget law to satisfy Mr. Modad’s taste for luxury by purchasing a USD98,000 vehicle for him.
LRA Commissioner Jallah will soon justify his conniving with former Minister Modad before a Senate hearing committee, saying he followed the example of his predecessors.
For weeks, Mr. Modad had been accused of purchasing a luxurious SUV for his official use at the cost of US150K. The vehicle was initially alleged to be a gift from MedTech Scientific Liberia Limited, a Dubai-based subsidiary, to purchase a car valued at US$150,000.
The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) will later provide conflicting information regarding vehicle purchases’ controversy.
These unfolding events have left citizens wondering whether these officials in the Boakai regime have actually come to “rescue” the country from what they claimed was a rogue regime or have come to rescue themselves from poverty just six years after losing power.
Thus, questions now abound, and ongoing debates are raging as to whether these officials, including the ones yet to be exposed, are moving at the same pace as President Boakai.
President Boakai seems not to be having it with them, at least for those whose shady deals have been brought into the public domain. Mr. Boakai’s ability to act swiftly against officials who have been linked to corruption demonstrates his level of commitment to some extent.
However, when we think of it, these are the early days, but compared to immediate past administrations around the same time, President Boakai has demonstrated some level of commitment towards the fight against corruption.
Meanwhile, some officials appear to be resolute about their desire to redirect state funds for their personal benefits, and this is where the problem lies with the “Rescue Mission.”
