APA-Monrovia (Liberia) Joseph Nyuma Boakai appears to bee pulling all the rights stops as he begins his tenure as Liberia’s president, according to observers.
After appointing a ‘no nonsense’ economic adviser in Morley P Kamara, Boakai has directed former officials of the erstwhile George Weah government to, without any delay and hesitation, turn over all state assets in their possession.
The directive issued Friday, February 2, 2024, according to the president, takes immediate effect.
Adding sense of seriousness and urgency to the directives, President Boakai has announced the constitution of a so-called Government Assets Retrieval Team.
GART will be charged with the responsibility, among other duties of identifying, tracing and retrieving all assets of government in and out of Liberia.
Part of the team’s functions will focus on investigating assets, and also working with the relevant agencies of government to prosecute those found criminally liable.
Observers say these moves by Boakai appear well-intentioned but would require consistency to carry any meaningful impact.
During his campaign to become president Boakai 78, promised to place a premium on the highest standards of commitment, integrity and patriotism as hallmark of public service.
In his inaugural speech as president he had urged government officials to exercise and demonstrate these principles at all times.
Boakai’s government inherits an economy troubled by double digit inflation.
He had accused his predecessor George Weah of presiding over rampant corruption and incomptence to deal with the country’s mountng economic woes.
WN/as/APA