Non-Cooperation With GAC Speaks Volumes

“ CORRUPTION, UNDER MY Administration, will be the major public enemy,” Public Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said at inauguration two years ago. “We will confront it. We will fight it.” But the then President-Elect did not stop there. The Iron Lady also made a threat: “Any member of my administration, who see this affirmation as a mere posturing, or yet another attempt by yet another Liberian leader to play to the gallery on this grave issue should think twice.” She also set the roadmap. “In this respect, I will lead by example,” she proclaimed. “I will expect and demand that everyone serving in my Administration leads by example. The first testament…will be that everyone appointed to high positions of public trust…will be required to declare their assets, not only as part of their confirmation requirement, but also as a matter of policy.” Then, to demonstrate her leading by example, the President affirmed: “I will be the first to comply by declaring my assets.”

TWENTY-EIGHT MONTHS later, Liberians and their international counterparts are still waiting for the translation of the President's hypnotizing and moving speech into concrete reality. Not only have top officials under the Sirleaf administration defied the requirement and policy of declaring their assets, the President is treating the evasion with outright apathy and complacency, probably playing to the gallery and considering the presidential affirmation as a mere posturing of yet another Liberian leader. But from all indications, not many, if not one, is leading by example--virtuous example. And if there is any example most of them are leading by, it is the example of kleptocracy and pillage. Consequently, it seems the major public enemy, corruption, is consuming nearly everyone in government, as the President simply sits back and simply weeps over the plunder and loot of the nation's budding economy.

AS IF IT were a further demonstration of sheer defiance of the President's inauguration threat on corruption and its perpetrators, and in an attempt to further shield themselves from potential exposure, officials of government--at least some them in the meanwhile--are cold-shouldering and shrugging off auditors' inquiry. Without being specific and blunt though, the European Union-funded General Auditing Commission is lamenting the uncooperative attitude of government ministries and agencies targeted for audit. In a release, the GAC not only says it “appears” it “is not getting the cooperation from government agencies and organizations in the ongoing audits of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 fiscal years,” it also underscores the powers and responsibilities of the Commission and its Auditor General to “conduct comprehensive post audits, special financial investigations, reconciliation and analyses and continuous audit on a routine basis of government agencies and organizations.” This is an outright alarm disguised in euhemerism.

IF THIS GOVERNMENT does not hastily negate the GAC alarm of non-cooperation with auditors, then one can safely say that Liberia is doom. Firstly, the act of non-cooperation grossly contradicts the President, and probably her international partners, who have spoken so fondly of international best practices, transparency and accountability. Secondly, it hugely undermines the very essence and foundation of the political administration that loudly projects itself second to none in Liberia 's governance history. Thirdly, the non-cooperation with auditors erodes all confidence in the administration's ability to govern prudently; good reason that could keep donor countries and institutions at bay and subsequently reverse the country to the decadent days of old.

THE WAY TO negate the GAC, which we expect, should not be by the characteristic verbosity of government to vexing national issues. What the public expects is a demonstration of the political will of officials to submit without precondition to auditors. All books and ledgers and files must be turned over; for anyone who has nothing to hide will submit with speed and gladness.

THE CHALLENGE IS all but President Sirleaf's, who, like her failed predecessors, has enlisted herself in the forefront of the war against Liberia 's oldest and most formidable foe--corruption. She is the Iron lady of Liberia , a darling of the best international economic practitioners and a champion standing before the altar of history. Except she encourages--if possible coerces--non-cooperative officials to face auditors, the attitude of her officials could be understood as standing policy of government, and history might not be kind to the administration in general and to the President in particular.