Monrovia, Liberia – The General Auditing Commission (GAC) confirmed that the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) implemented 81 percent of audit recommendations in 2025, a significant increase from the 61 percent compliance rate observed during the previous follow-up period. This indicates a significant improvement in institutional accountability.
The Auditor General’s Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of Audit Recommendations for NPHIL, which covers the time frame from August 20, 2024, to August 31, 2025, provides specifics about the progress.
The report was formally sent to Dr. Sia Wata Camanor, the interim director general of NPHIL, on December 15, 2025. 75 of the 93 audit recommendations examined during the second stage of the follow-up exercise were effectively implemented by NPHIL, according to Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson. In contrast, just 40 of the 66 suggestions were put into practice during the first phase, indicating a notable increase in internal changes and compliance.
According to the study, the findings demonstrate NPHIL’s strong commitment to upgrading its financial management and operational controls and fixing audit shortcomings. Project and financial audits reveal significant gains. The GAC claims that the audit follow-up looked at both project-related and financial statement audits.
Financial audits found that 52 out of 66 recommendations were implemented at a rate of 79%. With 23 out of 27 suggestions being put into practice, project audits did even better, attaining an 85 percent compliance rate. In total, 22 recommendations (or 24 percent) were partially adopted, while 64 recommendations (or 69 percent) were fully implemented. There are just seven recommendations left, or 7% of the total.
These findings led the GAC to classify NPHIL as “Compliant – Light Green,” putting the organization in the “Significant Implementation” category. Meetings with management, verification of corrective activities, monitoring visits, and examinations of documented evidence were all part of the follow-up procedure, according to the Auditor General’s report.
To confirm adherence to audit recommendations, including record-keeping systems and internal procedures, one on-site monitoring visit was carried out. Spending above authorized procurement plans, failing to provide quarterly interim financial reports, inaccurate reporting period disclosure, and the lack of functional internal audit operations for projects were among the long-standing issues that were totally remedied.
These include inadequate tax withholding and remittance, problems with third-party payments, shortcomings in project asset management, and the absence of a thorough risk assessment structure and strategy. Auditor General Jackson advised NPHIL to step up follow-up efforts to fully address the remaining 29 recommendations that are either not implemented at all or only partially executed, while praising the organization’s management and employees for their collaboration and advancements.
The report stressed that while the progress made is praiseworthy, more focus is required to overcome remaining gaps and further increase accountability in the use of public resources. In order to guarantee that audit results result in significant reforms and enhanced governance throughout Liberia’s public sector, the NPHIL audit follow-up is a component of a larger national project encompassing 62 government agencies.
Reported by: Prince Saah
