Monrovia, Liberia – The Honorable Comptroller General of the United States and Head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Mr. Gene L. Dodaro, and Hon. P. Garswa Jackson, Sr., the Auditor General of Liberia, have signed a historic five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). A major step in strengthening Liberia’s fight against corruption and improving public accountability was taken with the finalization of this historic agreement in Washington, D.C.
The MOU will grant the Liberian General Auditing Commission (GAC) access to a variety of capacity-building programs provided by the GAO’s Center of Audit Excellence. A coveted three-month assignment for at least one GAC auditor through the International Auditor Fellowship Program is one of these initiatives, along with online and in-person training courses. The GAO, which is widely recognized for its superior assistance of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), is now expanding its knowledge to Liberia, demonstrating its dedication to promoting accountability and openness on a global scale.
This accord comes at a crucial moment for Liberia, where ongoing corruption scandals have made accountability and governance improvements difficult. The collaboration with the GAO demonstrates Liberia’s efforts to restore integrity and credibility to its public institutions. A newfound faith in Liberia’s commitment to reform is also reflected in the MOU, which marks the first time the GAO has collaborated with another Supreme Audit Institution in seven years.
The GAC’s capacity to carry out comprehensive audits and guarantee more accountability for public expenditures is expected to be strengthened by this relationship. The partnership demonstrates the U.S. government’s intention to use GAC audit results as instruments to counter Liberia’s deeply rooted system of impunity and corruption.
Although the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Legislature of Liberia receives the audit results from the GAC for public hearings and recommendations to the President, a culture of impunity has historically been maintained by inadequate enforcement and little application of these findings. Meaningful accountability is still difficult in spite of institutions such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
President Joseph Boakai’s goal of a Liberia where public officials are held accountable for mismanagement and abuse of public monies is in line with this renewed collaboration, according to the GAC. The ultimate goal is to guarantee that those accused suffer consequences, such as the seizure of their assets and long jail terms.
