MONROVIA- On Tuesday, April 15, 2025 when the Office of the OMBUDSMAN, headed by Cllr. Findley Y. Karngar participated in a One-Day Stakeholders’ Dialogue/Review of Anti-Corruption laws and the Code of Conduct for public officials and employees of the Government of Liberia, held by the Law Reform Commission (LRC) at the European Embassy in Mamba Point, Monrovia, one of the key points iterated by Cllr. Findley was, if the was the Code of Conduct (COC) is to be enforced there must be laws to effectuate compliance as well as penalties for failing to comply.
The head of the Office of the OMBUDSMAN noted that the COC is a very important instrument that compels public officials and employees of the government to exhibit good conduct, etiquette in office, accountability, transparency, among other good behavior in their daily activities in the discharge of their duties. Cllr. Findley noted that there should be a timely submission of “Assets Declaration Forms” to LACC by incoming and outgoing government officials. Providing information to the public about declared assets is a “weapon of openness”. Citizens need to know, in keeping with law, those that are being entrusted with state power. Corruption is a betrayer of public trust; therefore, the COC was enacted to guide public officials and employees of the government of Liberia in the discharge of their duties.
The April, 15, 2025 Dialogue/Review was an outcome of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s letter requesting the LRC to review the laws on corruption, inter alia, the anti-corruption laws and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees of the Government (COC). The objective of the workshop was to discuss the provisions of the law that are hindering the fight against corruption.
President Boakai had indicated in letter to the Law Reform Commission that: “In light of my continued commitment of fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law, it has become evident that further steps must be taken to enhance our legal framework for anti-corruption efforts. As such, I am writing to request that the Liberia Law Reform Commission take necessary actions to review and amend key anti-corruption legal instruments to ensure their effectiveness in the ongoing fight against corruption in Liberia”.
And so, consistent with its mandate to review all laws of Liberia taking into account, international best practices, the Law Reform Commission (LRC) on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 held a successful one-day anti-corruption stakeholders’ review and the Code of Conduct for public officials and employees of the government of Liberia.
The Law Reform Commission (LRC) said the review will implicate the amendment or repeal of several sections of the Penal law, Criminal Procedure Law, Civil Procedure Law, among others.
Several anti-corruption stakeholders, including the Office of the Ombudsman, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), Center for Transparency and Accountability Liberia (CENTAL), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Asset Recovery Task Force, Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court, Legal Advisor to the President of the Republic of Liberia and development partners to include the European Union (EU), the Swedish Embassy, UNDP, Government of Liberia’s Ministries and Agencies responsible for corruption issues, and civil society organizations, including the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), among others participated in the anti-corruption laws review and Code of Conduct for public officials and employees of the government on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
The LRC and the stakeholders discussed anti-corruption laws and Code of Conduct for public officials and employees of the government with the objective of identifying the laws that should be amended.
The Chair, Cllr. Boakai N. Kanneh stated the sole purpose of the establishment of Law Reform Commission and its mediate is to keep under review the laws of Liberia and to codify the laws. He informed the body that most of the codified laws of Liberia were promulgated between 1972 and 1976, which have been taken over by time and circumstances.
At the April 15, 2025 One-Day Stakeholders’ Dialogue/Review of Anti-Corruption laws and the Code of Conduct for public officials and employees of the Government of Liberia, the Office of the OMBUDSMAN, through its head Cllr. Findley Y. Karngar made several recommendations which they think can effectuate the Code of Conduct in order to ensure integrity in public offices and the government as a whole.
The Office of the OMBUDSMAN recommended the following: Assets that are declared should be available; There should be an establishment of a Claims Court; Political participation, once the individual is a civil servant they should not participate in political activities; Nepotism. The head of an institution should not employ his or her relative according to the Code of Conduct; All anti-graft institutions should have a uniformed tenure; Include not just nepotism, also tribalism; Using the Administrative Procedure Law, is key in doing the work of the ombudsman; Everything in the Code of Conduct means all branches of government; The role of the Ombudsman is not clearly defined under the Code of Conduct; Recommend a charter of lobbying but in a clearer and more defined manner; There must be a process not just taking resources from the country but job creation should be key for citizens.
The Code of Conduct has empowered the Ombudsman to enact and/or establishes its rules. It is based on this COC empowerment, the head of the Office of the OMBUDSMAN, Cllr. Findley Y. Karngar addressed the regularly Ministry of Information, Cultural & Tourism (MICAT) press briefing on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, where he disclosed the OMBUDSMAN is currently teaming up and collaborating with the Law Reform Commission (LRC) of Liberia, chaired by Cllr. Boakai N. Kanneh, to effectuate Code of Conduct laws in order to achieve government’s objective of ensuring integrity, transparency, accountability, among others in public office.
Cllr. Karngar told journalists since the operation and implementation of the Code of Conduct by the Office of the OMBUDSMAN, they have noticed a number of challenges to the law itself, citing instances where the COC law does not have anything that deals with sectionalism, tribalism, extortion, among others. “What we are trying to do is that we are working with the Law Reform Commission in seeking a framework that will enhance work on the definition and penalties the COC will enforce.”
Cllr. Karngar disclosed once the collaboration with the Law Reform Commission is fruitful and required legal documents are written, his Office will share with the Office of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for onward submission to the Legislature for lobbying of the passage to begin.
The OMBUDSMAN Office boss said the Code of Conduct cannot effectively be implemented when the required laws that are needed to enforce it are not on the books. “The is why the Office of the OMBUDSMAN is closely working with the Law Reform Commission to review and hold discussions on the current laws on the books as far as the COC is concerned,” Cllr. Karngar noted.
Meanwhile, legal luminaries have lauded the OMBUDSMAN and the Law Reform Commission for their farsightedness in collaborating to effectuate the Code of Conduct laws of Liberia, noting, “without the proper laws to ensure integrity, accountability and transparency in public office and the government as a whole will not yield the desired results.”
