By: Taisiah K. Merfee
..Says U.S. is rising to Expectations
Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has called for the immediate dismissal of the three public officials designated by the United States Government for ‘public corruption’.
“The US Government took a significant step in heeding our position designating Nathaniel McGill, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Sayma Syrennius Cephus, Solicitor General, and Bill Twehway, Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA) for their “involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia.” CENTAL’s Executive Director, Anderson D. Miamen, said in a press statement on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 in Monrovia.
Mr. Miamen said the decision taken by the United States Government is a significant step in heeding CENTAL’s position designating Nathaniel McGill, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Sayma Syrennius Cephus, Solicitor General, and Bill Twehway, Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA) for their “involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia”.
According to Miamen, by taking such actions, the United States is rising to the expectations of many Liberians that such designations affect all corrupt public officials and not only a few.
He said it is particularly important, given that the US Government has often spoken authoritatively regarding acts and actors of corruption—a stance which demonstrates that it might be well-informed of “on-going public corruption” than many Liberians from which these acts are kept secret.
“These latest designations bring to six (6) the number of Liberian Government Officials that have so far been designated under the Global Magnitsky Act for their involvement with significant corruption,” the CENTAL Executive Director told members of the press on Tuesday.
Andrew Wonploe, former Passport Director, Senator Varney Sherman, and Senator Prince Y. Johnson were earlier designated.
CENTAL said it believes that these designations reinforce countless recommendations that have been made to President George Weah and the Government of Liberia to show genuine political will and be practical, impartial, and holistic about the fight against Corruption in the country.
“Certainly, the fight against corruption must neither be reduced to an intellectual exercise nor abused by thwarting legitimate processes to fight back at those in the vanguard fighting corruption,” the CENTAL’s press statement noted.
Read by its Executive Director, Miamen, the statement said the dissolution of the current Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) through the recent enactment of the amended LACC Act; continued lack of will to adequately fund public integrity institutions; and failure of the President to take appropriate corrective actions against government officials accused and investigated for grave incidences of corruption are classic examples.
The CENTAL in the statement said it believes that President Weah still has an opportunity to redeem his government.
It said such revival must begin by immediately dismissing, and not suspending officials of the executive that have been internationally found wanting in integrity.
CENTAL also said relevant Liberian Authorities should seek the support of US Government to thoroughly investigate and prosecute the designated officials.
“The President cannot afford to be oblivious to history and the passage of time. Retaining Nathaniel McGill, Syrennius Cephas, and Bill Twehway would amount to explicit confidence in their integrity as against the countless outcry of Liberians, and now international partners, on several occasions,” CENTAL further indicated in the statement.
The statement also said ordinary Liberians have a role to demand accountability for corruption and rejecting members of the Legislature, who it said have been designated at the polls in 2023 and beyond.
“We must never give up in our quest for a better Liberia, and must keep pushing till victory against corruption is achieved,” the CENTAL statement added.
It said CENTAL recommits to meaningfully supporting the fight against corruption in Liberia, individually and in collaboration with state and non-state actors.
