15/08/2022
Liberia: Key Members of Weah-Led Government Placed on US Sanctions.
Three senior members of President George Manneh Weah-led government have been slapped with sanctions by the United States Department of Treasury.
Mr. Michael McCarthy, the US envoy accredited to Liberia, in a statement with media executives at the US embassy Monday announced that Minister of State Nathaniel McGill, Solicitor General Sayma Cyrennius Cephus and the head of the National Port Authority, Bill Twehway have been actively engaged in ongoing public corruption.
The US envoy lamented that corruption under the Weah-led government is stealing from the poorest of the poor. “It blunts or negates the impact of all of our development projects, it defeats initiatives before they are even launched, and raises risk and uncertainty to drive away foreign investment,” the ambassador intoned.
The US ambassador recalled President Weah’s inaugural speech in 2017 when he stated, “It is my belief that the most effective way to directly impact the poor, and to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor is to ensure that public resources do not end up in the pockets of government officials. I further believe that he said that ‘the overwhelming mandate I have received from the Liberian people is a mandate to end corruption in the public service. I promise to deliver on this mandate.’
The sanctions under the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated McGill, Cephus, and Twehway for their involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia. These officials are designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.
“Through their corruption these officials have undermined democracy in Liberia for their own personal benefit,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Treasury’s designations today demonstrate that the United States remains committed to holding corrupt actors accountable and to the continued support of the Liberian people.”
The state department statement noted that corruption has long undermined Liberia’s democracy and its economy, robbing the Liberian people of funds for public services, empowering illicit actors, degrading the business environment, and damaging the rule of law and effective governance in the country.
Said the statement: “Corruption also contributes to diminished confidence in government and public perception of impunity for those with power. These designations reaffirm the commitment of the United States to hold corrupt actors accountable. The United States is a proud and dedicated partner and friend of Liberia and stands with the people of Liberia in support of democracy and the rule of law and will continue to promote accountability for corrupt actors, regardless of their position or political affiliation. The United States is also committed to working with the people and Government of Liberia to elevate countering corruption as a priority, including by bolstering public sector anti-corruption capacity, and reviewing and re-evaluating criteria for bilateral and multilateral assistance, including around transparency and accountability. Holding corrupt actors accountable and bolstering anti-corruption efforts are both consistent with, and reflects our commitment to implementing, the United States Strategy on Countering Corruption.”
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