Liberia: Cental Report – 83 Percent of Liberians Say Corruption Remains High Despite 7 Percent Drop – – Police, Health Workers Most Corrupt
Monrovia — Despite a marginal decline in public perception, corruption in Liberia remains deeply entrenched, particularly in public institutions such as the police and health sectors. According to the 2024 State of Corruption Report (SCORE) released by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), 83% of Liberians still believe corruption is high–down from 90% in previous years but still alarmingly elevated.
The report, part of CENTAL’s National Integrity Building and Anti-Corruption (NIBA) Program funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), was launched in Monrovia before government officials, civil society actors, and international partners including the Swedish and Irish Embassies.
Police, Health, and Judiciary Rank Highest for Corruption
The report reveals that 71% of respondents view the Liberia National Police (LNP) as the most corrupt institution–a slight drop from 73% in 2023. The healthcare sector follows with 46%, down from 59%, while court services come in third at 26%, a 12-point decrease from 2023. The education sector is also flagged, though its ranking declined from 31% to 24%.
Despite these declines, these four sectors–police, health, judiciary, and education–remain the most corruption-prone in the eyes of the public.
“When compared to the previous report, police, medical, court, and educational services still rank as the top services prone to corruption despite the decrease in the percentages,” the report stated.
Street-Level Corruption Persists
Public complaints about corruption within the LNP remain widespread. Criminal suspects reportedly pay bribes for release, while vendors and transport operators frequently face extortion.
In January, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman caught highway patrol officers extorting bribes from drivers on the road between Nimba County and Monrovia. In a Facebook post, Coleman said he intercepted the officers with a black plastic bag filled with money believed to be bribes.
“This afternoon, while on my way from Nimba, I saw something really concerning. Some highway patrol officers were bothering drivers and taking bribes,” Coleman stated.
“These officers have been turned over to the Professional Standards Division (PSD) for further disciplinary action.”
However, the PSD has yet to release the outcome of the investigation, prompting public concern over accountability.
Health Sector Faces Allegations of Misappropriation
Corruption in Liberia’s healthcare system continues to undermine access and quality of care. Forms of abuse include bribery, theft of supplies, procurement fraud, and patient exploitation.
A 2023 FrontPage Africa investigation uncovered a scandal involving US$188,978.86 from a USAID-funded healthcare project in Margibi County. A leaked audio recording implicated local health officials in collusion with vendors to divert project funds. Although the vendors restituted the money, the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Bong County acquitted the health officials involved.
Government Commitment Viewed with Skepticism
While some gains have been recorded, skepticism over the government’s commitment to fighting corruption remains. Only 35% of respondents expressed confidence in the Executive Branch, up from 27% in 2023. The Judiciary saw a modest increase in confidence from 28% to 33%, but the Legislature suffered a further decline–from 24% in 2023 to 22% in 2024.
Fewer Citizens Witnessing or Paying Bribes
The report notes a significant drop in citizens witnessing corruption. In 2024, 57% of respondents said they had witnessed corrupt acts–a 17-point decline from 74% in 2023. Among those who did: 50% witnessed bribery, 13% observed extortion and 11% reported abuse of office.
Similarly, only 26% of respondents admitted to paying a bribe in 2024, down from 34% in 2023 and 46% in 2021. Of those who paid bribes, 36% did so to avoid punishment or resolve a problem.
Reforms Underway, But Enforcement Lags
The Boakai administration has introduced several anti-corruption reforms, including implementation of electronic government procurement (e-GP) by the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), reactivation of the Office of the Ombudsman to enforce the Code of Conduct, establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court Office to draft legislation for a specialized anti-corruption court, and strengthening of audit functions through the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC).
Other reforms include the lunch of a digital beneficial ownership registry by LEITI, civil Service Agency-led payroll and workforce reforms and transparency enhancements at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) through ITAS and ASYCUDA systems.
CENTAL said while these reforms are seen as steps in the right direction, enforcement remains weak. For example, the Asset Recovery Task Force has faced legal challenges, and there continues to be low compliance with asset declaration laws–even as President Boakai publicly declared his own assets.
About the Report
The 2024 State of Corruption Report is the fourth edition of CENTAL’s SCORE series. It was developed through desk research and national surveys and offers an independent analysis of corruption trends and dynamics in Liberia. It assesses the effectiveness of public integrity institutions, civil society, the media, and government branches in addressing corruption, and was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia. CENTAL is the Liberia chapter of Transparency International, the global coalition against corruption, with networks in over 120 countries.
By FrontPageAfrica.
