Editorial: Recent amendment of the Act creating the Liberia Ant-Corruption Commission by the 54th Legislature with a clause seeking to dissolve the current leadership at the LACC is a calculated attempt by the Weah administration to render the vital anti-graft commission a toothless bulldog.
Any structure emerging from the current ploy would amount to nothing less than an empty frame that would exist only on paper without any power to fight corruption in the public sector, judging from how Capitol Hill is proceeding.
It is highly incomprehensible that while the current LACC, headed by Executive Chairperson Cllr. Edwin Klar Martin is exerting efforts in fighting corruption with recent audit reports indicting officials of three government institutions, the Legislature would embark on a process to dissolve the current leadership of the Commission.
While the Executive says it seeks to grant the LACC prosecutorial power to move against corrupt officials, we think the scheme on Capitol Hill is cleverly designed to render this important integrity institution powerless in order to allow corruption to flourish instead, under this government with no remorse.
LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Edwin Klar Martin, who has alarmed of insecurity, said that he will challenge the amendment by the Legislature in court.
Suspicions of attempts to remove Cllr. Martin and his corps of commissioners would not have gone wide if the LACC hadn’t just released audit reports on the National Road Fund, National Census Fund and the Ministry of Agriculture, respectively, which indict officials of these entities.
It is unfortunate that this government would pay lip service to corruption that is eating up the very existence of this country with no regard whatsoever, for the thousands of poverty-stricken citizens who go to bed hungry daily, while schools and hospitals across the country lack essential support.
By their singular move, members of the 54th Legislature are creating room for corrupt officials to compile more wealth for themselves while the national coffer is stripped naked.
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Corruption undermines democratic governance and President George Weah would have to explain at the upcoming African Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, that is if he goes to America, how has his governance promoted accountability and transparency in the usage of public funds when integrity institutions are being butchered under his watch.
More babies, women giving birth and elderly persons would continue to die across this country, as State funds that should be directed at improving our health system, training and paying doctors and teachers better salaries are being diverted to pockets of corrupt officials, while funeral for key institution such as the LACC is being held for its eventual burial.
