"President Boakai Enacts Code of Conduct, Commission Cllr. Findley Karngar as Ombudsman"

Monrovia Liberia: April 5, 2024, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai nominated Cllr. Findley Karngar as Chairman of the Office of the Ombudsman for Liberia. This appointment, the first since the Unity Party's previous government, has raised concerns about partisanship.

Today, August 7, 2024, President Boakai officially commissioned Cllr. Karngar and his team to lead the Ombudsman office. 

Those commission with Cllr. Findley Karngar includes Cllr. lamii kpargoi Member, Atty. Etmonia M. Martin Member, Dr. Augustine T. Larmin

Cllr. Findley Karngar and his scope of officials 

Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry of National Defense and Hon. Spencer G.N. Leeco Deputy Minister for Operations, Ministry of National Defense

President Boakai emphasized that the Ombudsman’s role is to ensure transparency, justice, and accountability in government. He noted that the office is established under Article 90(C) of the Constitution and is tasked with investigating complaints against government agencies and promoting ethical standards.

The President acknowledged past challenges, including funding issues and political support, which have hindered the progress of establishing this office. With its launch, he expressed optimism about enhancing accountability and governance.

In addition, President Boakai signed the Code of Conduct today and urged all officials to adhere to it. He reminded government officials to declare their assets, stressing that this is an expectation of the Liberian people.

Speaking with Executive Mansion reporters, Cllr. Findley Karngar assured President Boakai that he and his team will act with integrity, as previously emphasized.

Cllr. Karngar pledged to lead by example, including publicly disclosing his assets and requesting the Liberia Revenue Authority to fairly assess his property and pay the appropriate value.

"Mr. President, thank you for trusting me and my team to serve the Liberian people with transparency, justice, and accountability. I will take the necessary steps, and my team will follow suit," Cllr. Karngar said.

He added that all members of his team will also disclose their assets.

Below is President Boakai’s full speech.

Today is a pivotal moment in our country's history as we proudly establish the Ombudsman, an essential institution dedicated to ensuring transparency, justice, and accountability within our Government. This also provides a platform to address some of the most pressing governance concerns citizens have.

 With this, we affirm our commitment to executing the mandate given to us by the people of Liberia to provide responsible leadership and effective governance.

 The office of the Ombudsman originates from the prescription in Article 90(C) of the constitution, of a Code of Conduct for all public officials and employees. 

The Ombudsman is an independent official appointed to investigate and address complaints against government agencies or other institutions regarding the violation of the code of conduct.

The Ombudsman is also expected through his work to ensure public officials are held to high ethical standards and accountable for their actions; promote fairness in the resolution of disputes and help to promote good governance.

We have long faced obstacles in establishing the office of the Ombudsman due to insufficient funding and unambiguous political support.

These challenges have slowed our progress in promoting public accountability, improving performance and service delivery, and enhancing state-society relations.

However, with the commissioning of this office, we are now in a better position to complete the process of ensuring public accountability. This milestone allows us to move forward with implementing a code of conduct, which is a crucial step in enhancing accountability and oversight in our institutions.

The Code of Conduct seeks to address excesses in public service across the three branches of government. But because of the problems associated with the appointment of the ombudsman, the code became the most violated legal instrument in the country, becoming as others have put it, a “paper tiger.”

The appointment of the Ombudsman is a significant step in our commitment to a reform agenda and strengthening our democracy. While I agree that certain sections of the Code need to be expanded and amended to address current realities, we should still embrace the Code of Conduct to help us build a society where justice and integrity prevail, and the rule of law serves the people of Liberia with fairness.

Fellow citizens, as we took office, we committed to strive for a fairer and better-governed Liberia. 

Today, I will take that commitment further by being the first President in our nation’s history to publicly sign the Code of Conduct. And in so doing, I challenge and urge all others to sign and uphold the Code of Conduct. 

Again, I want to remind officials in the three branches of government to respect our laws by declaring their assets. The Liberians expect that of us.

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, as we undertake this important exercise, let me remind you about this one-in-a-generation opportunity to reform and transform our country for the good of our people. We do it now or fail generations of Liberians to come.

As I end, I admonish you to always think Liberia, love Liberia, and build Liberia.

May God bless us all and save our country. Thank you.