MONROVIA — The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has welcomed the Government of Liberia’s recent actions against officials allegedly linked to the country’s record-breaking drug trafficking scandal, while calling for greater transparency and broader participation in the ongoing investigation.
Speaking during a press conference at CENTAL’s headquarters in Monrovia on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, Executive Director Anderson Miamen praised President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s decision to suspend, dismiss, and order the prosecution of several government and security officials implicated in the drug saga. However, he stressed that those actions alone would not be enough to restore public confidence without full disclosure of the investigation’s findings.
CENTAL noted that the seizure of approximately 238 kilograms of narcotics in June, followed by the confiscation of nearly four metric tons of suspected cocaine in July—with a combined estimated street value exceeding US$336 million—exposed significant weaknesses in Liberia’s security and border management systems. The organization described the scandal as a major governance failure rather than simply a criminal case.
The anti-corruption watchdog commended the Joint Security Team for pursuing the investigation and acknowledged the sustained pressure from the Liberian media, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens, which it credited with compelling the government to publicly identify persons of interest. According to CENTAL, these developments demonstrate that public accountability can be achieved when citizens consistently demand transparency.
Despite recognizing the government’s response, CENTAL expressed deep concern that public trust in state institutions has been seriously eroded by the alleged involvement of senior security officials in the trafficking network. The organization warned that delays in providing updates and speculation surrounding unnamed actors risk undermining the credibility of the entire investigation.
To address these concerns, CENTAL urged the government to provide regular public updates, competitively recruit and thoroughly vet officials appointed to key security positions, and introduce periodic rotations of officers to reduce opportunities for corruption and institutional compromise. Furthermore, the organization called for a more inclusive investigative process involving international partners, civil society organizations, and other national stakeholders to ensure the probe remains independent, credible, and comprehensive.
Beyond the drug trafficking investigation, CENTAL congratulated the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) for achieving an 80 percent score in its 2026 validation under the 2023 EITI Standard. The organization described the achievement as an important milestone reflecting progress in transparency, public participation, and access to information within Liberia’s extractive sector.
However, CENTAL cautioned that the favorable validation should not be interpreted as the end of reform efforts, noting that the validation report identified persistent weaknesses in production and revenue reporting, beneficial ownership disclosure, and environmental transparency that require urgent attention before the next assessment.
CENTAL concluded by calling on LEITI to publish a time-bound implementation plan for the report’s recommendations and urged the Legislature and development partners to provide the necessary support. The organization further emphasized the need for greater transparency in negotiating, monitoring, and overseeing extractive sector contracts to ensure Liberia’s natural resources deliver maximum benefits to its citizens.