Editorial: Morlu’s Allegations

Challenging the Government to Prove Otherwise

Liberia’s former Auditor General, John Morlu, III is once more at the core of what may likely be another public debate in Monrovia and elsewhere in the country. His denial, as alleged, by the Liberian Government is already the focus of online media reports and has already begun surfacing in the local media here.

According to the reports, Mr. Morlu’s denial by the government is out of the fear (by Mrs. Sirleaf) that if he is allowed to establish a company in Liberia with employment opportunities for his compatriots, it could pave his way of becoming Liberia’s next president, something that disappointed and compelled  him to divert his auditing business’  main headquarters to Ghana.

The reports quoted the former Auditor General as claiming that Madam President  was stopping him because of ‘her fear’ that if he became President of Liberia after her, he could pursue her by supporting the establishment of a War Crimes Tribunal for ‘her role’ in the country’s civil wars.

The reports come amidst claim that Mr. john Morlu had secured a mega million auditing contract with the united States Government to audit its programs and projects in a number of countries, including Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Timor Leste, as well as Zambia, Haiti, among others.

However, in response, President Sirleaf is quoted as describing reports attributed to the former Auditor General as wicked fabrication, claiming neither to know anything about Morlu’s business nor be ever informed about such.

She told a local media outlet in Monrovia recently that she has already mandated the Ministries of Commerce and Foreign Affairs-the two institutions responsible for business registration, to launch an inquiry into the matter beginning with former AG Morlu in order to know the name of such business, destination of his application and the respondent for probing.

In our thinking, this is a grave allegation to which the Government of Liberia must handle with sincerity, urgency and importance as a way of determining what actually happened, if at all the allegations by the former Auditor General has a semblance of truth.

If the allegation is proven to have substance, it must incumbent on the government, through Madam President whose name is at the forefront, to institute the necessary administrative measures against the individual or individuals who may have done such.

With the clarity provided by the President, as well as her mandate to her ministers to investigate, former Auditor General John Morlu, III is now challenged to brush aside the ‘politics and propaganda of the matter’ and make public the name or names of the agency/agencies of government, as well as the officials to which his submission was made for his business registration. AG Morlu must also reveal the date and person/persons through which his document(s) was submitted.

This would also assist the process of accelerating the investigation for a logical conclusion. Like any other Liberian, Mr. Morlu has the right not only to express his desire for the Liberian Presidency come 2017 or thereafter, but also do business in his own country provided such instruction adheres to the requirements or business laws of Liberia.

It is no secret that the establishment of such business by the former Auditor General of Liberia would buttress the efforts by the Liberian Government to further reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country.

In this matter, we must avoid ‘jumping into conclusion’ in all of our public and internet discussions and challenged Mr. Morlu and President Sirleaf (and her administration) for the reality.