MONROVIA: Martin Kollie, Chairman emeritus of the Research and Policy Response Team of the Joseph N. Boakai for President 2023, has called on the incumbent President to ensure full implementation of his previous campaign promises to the Liberian Nation.
In a NOTE addressed to President Boakai, Kollie reminded him that as managers of public resources, members of his (Boakai’s) “Rescue Mission” promised to make their assets public and not to hide them.
“We, the Liberian people, criticized and condemned President George Weah for only declaring his assets in secrecy with GAC and LACC as you have also done. Weah was voted out because of this same reason,” Kollie told President Boakai.
He asked President Boakai: “What makes you different from Weah in this case of hiding or concealing assets?”
The civil society activist further told the 80 years old Liberian President in these words: “Public service is not secrecy. Whenever you are managing public resources, you cannot be confidential or secretive about what (private assets) you have because what you manage (public assets) are not yours but the people.
“Your advisors turned so-called lawyers are not quoting the law that publishing your assets is not mandatory, according to Section 10.1 of the 2014 Code of Conduct Law.
“This was Weah’s argument to us in 2018, and he was greeted with endless protests. This same so-called argument has been callously presented to us, justifying why you cannot publicly declare your assets.
“ Your are using Weah’s playbook which we fought to alter/change.”
Kollie: “Had you quoted this same law, justifying why you can’t make public your assets before the 2023 presidential election or before coming to power, some of us would have never supported you or built an army of diehard Liberian patriots to support you. We came to power based on these values.”
He asked Mr. Boakai: “Mr. President, are you aware that the law (Section 10.2) also states: ‘All such declarations shall be accessible to both the public employer and the general public upon a court order?’
Kollie: “Why even hide your asset declaration details when they will still be leaked at the end of the day as it was done in Weah’s case?”
“Mr. President, what is there to hide from your people at age 80? Mr. President, we once again call for open and transparent government. This must first begin with you publicly declaring your assets,” he asserted.
Kollie: “We had to stop telling other officials to make public their assets because the President had not done the same. The gold standard must begin with the leader.”
Quoting Liberia Anti-Co9rruption Commission (LACC), Mr. Kollie told President Boakai in his NOTE that 60% of his officials (293, out of 500), have declared their assets.
“We have seen some asset declaration forms. Some of your officials have inflated and are inflating the monetary values of their assets because they want to steal. This will backfire. We will pursue this also.”
