Monrovia, Liberia – A group calling itself “ex officials of the Liberian Business Association” (LIBA) has demanded that James M. Strother resign as the organization’s president, claiming that Strother has violated the constitution by being in office for a long period of time without holding elections.
Madam Emma C. B. Marshall revealed in a speech on Friday, June 13, 2025, that Strother is no longer acknowledged as the association’s leader and cautioned that conducting business with him on behalf of LIBA would be at one’s own risk.
Any person or organization doing business with Mr. James M. Strother on behalf of or in connection with LIBA will be doing so at their own risk as of right now, according to Madam Marshall. She claimed that although Strother’s constitutional term ended on August 15, 2022, he has reportedly disregarded the organization’s 2007 Constitution’s requirements for holding elections and calling a national convention.
The absence of elections and a national convention under Strother’s leadership, she explained, is a blatant violation of the LIBA’s regulations and erodes the membership’s voice and will.
At the same time, Madam Marshall questioned the validity of Mr. Strother’s present constitution, calling it unlawful and not having been adopted through the correct channels. She said that a number of people who were identified as document authors were unaware of the final version.
The current president of LIBA was also charged of operating the organization without a functional leadership structure, pointing out that there isn’t an active code of officers to direct LIBA’s operations at the moment.
The Association’s bylaws were also cited as being broken by his recent engagement in partisan politics, particularly his choice to run for Representative in Montserrado County District #4 in the 2023 elections, she said.
She asserted that LIBA is a corporate advocacy organization rather than a political one. “Our constitution prohibits its officials from actively participating in politics while they are in office,” she added.
She described Strother’s actions as an abuse of authority and a violation of the association’s basic ideals, noting that he unilaterally suspended a number of elected officials without following the proper procedures.
Strother’s failure to conduct the customary LIBA Business Quarterly Dinners, which she said earlier provided a forum for interacting with stakeholders and strengthening the association’s activities, was discussed by Madam Marshall.
She also pointed out that the organization has been cut off from the business community for over a year due to the lack of monthly meetings intended to inform members and discuss their issues.
Marshall underlined, “Under Mr. Strother, LIBA has become inactive, unresponsive, and incompatible with its fundamental mission to empower, protect, and promote Liberian businesses.”
Madam Marshall declared a vote of no confidence in Mr. Strother as part of their motion and urged him to step down as president so that a lawful and orderly transition could take place. She said that the statement represents a sea change in their attempts to give one of Liberia’s leading business advocacy organizations its credibility and usefulness back.
Reported by: Prince Saah
