Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Boakai and the nation’s Joint Security have been praised by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) for acting on the results of recent drug investigations. However, CENTAL claims that the large-scale drug seizures have revealed significant institutional flaws that call for comprehensive reforms.
The anti-corruption group also commended the Liberian media, civil society organizations, citizens, and other stakeholders in a statement for maintaining public pressure that resulted in the identities of those of interest in the current investigations being made public. Although CENTAL applauded the government’s efforts, it issued a warning that the most recent drug busts exposed serious flaws in Liberia’s security framework.
The group claimed that drugs of this size could not have passed through Liberia without substantial flaws or compromises at the nation’s borders, seaports, and airports, casting grave doubts about the efficacy of the organizations in charge of stopping drug trafficking. Citing little official updates on the investigations and rising public mistrust of the involvement of additional unidentified state and non-state players, CENTAL added that the developments had damaged popular trust in state institutions.
The recent terminations of senior security officers, according to CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen, should not be seen as isolated disciplinary actions but rather as proof of larger institutional flaws. CENTAL commends the President for taking action rather than putting the results of these investigations on hold and the Joint Security members for pursuing the probe. The Liberian press, civil society organizations, residents, and other stakeholders are also acknowledged for their persistent demands that the names of individuals of interest be made public.
The magnitude of the drug seizures, according to Miamen, indicates structural flaws in Liberia’s security framework. Such large amounts of drugs do not travel through a nation whose borders, seaports, and airports are operational without collusion and compromise. It is not a personal affair to fire an airport security director, the deputy commander of the Drug Enforcement Agency stationed there, the police commissioners in charge of Criminal Investigation and INTERPOL liaison, or the deputy director of the National Security Agency.
It is proof that our main ports of entry’s integrity architecture was compromised simultaneously at several different locations. He went on to say that the issue is both a criminal business and a failure of governance. Removing people from office won’t solve this government failing before it turns into a criminal one. According to Miamen, CENTAL is still extremely worried that the events have eroded public confidence in organizations tasked with battling organized crime and illegal substances.
In order to reassure the public that justice is being sought, the organization urged the government to promptly disclose updates on the investigations. The administration was also encouraged by the anti-corruption body to improve integrity in the security sector by rotating staff on a regular basis and making merit-based appointments.
