It’s has been at most 17 days now since President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Administration took over the Liberian Government including all the challenges. Among the many challenges incurred by this Administration, is the issue of the Liberian Government’s assets, including vehicles, not being on hand for the smooth running of the government’s functionaries.
On Friday, February 2, 2024, President Boakai directed all former officials of government to, without any delay and hesitation, turn over all assets of government in their possession.
The President’s directive began to take immediate effect following its release to the public on the same day.
As further attachment of seriousness and urgency to the directives, the Liberian Leader announced the constitution of Government Assets Retrieval Team (GART), charged with the responsibility, among other duties, to identify, trace and retrieve all assets of government in and out of Liberia.
Part of the Team’s functions, it is expected to focus on investigating assets, and also working with the relevant agencies of government to prosecute those found criminally liable.
The President places premium on the highest standards of commitment, integrity and patriotism as hallmark of public service, and has been urging officials of government to exercise and demonstrate these principles at all times.
Back in late November 2023, former President George Manneh Weah, too, did similar move; whether it was cosmetics having been the President for six years, it is yet to be seen. Absolutely, the desired results of the assets, including vehicles, being retrieved and turned over to the present Administration, didn’t materialize.
Former President Weah had mandated the General Services Agency Director General, Madam Mary Broh, to assist in tracking all government assets during the transition period, which ran throughout from November 23rd 2023 to January 22, 2024.
It the moment, nearly all the vehicles that were used during the Weah-led Administration, are yet to be recovered and turned over to the Boakai Administration.
In the absence of these vital logistics, it is going to be hard to run the Government of Liberia smoothly.
The need for these vehicles can’t be overemphasized. So, where are the government’s assets? Why aren’t the formal senior government officials turning these vehicles and other items over? President Boakai’s GART needs to be very robust and should leave no stone unturned in the recovery of these ass
