President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has declared that transparency, accountability, and strong oversight institutions remain critical to strengthening investor confidence and promoting sustainable development across Africa, as Liberia hosts the 22nd Governing Board Meeting and Strategic Review of the African Organization of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E) in Monrovia.
Speaking Wednesday at the opening of the regional conference at the E.J.S. Ministerial Complex, President Boakai said Africa’s abundant natural resources and youthful population can only drive economic transformation if governments manage public resources transparently, responsibly, and efficiently.
“Strong and independent audit institutions remain essential to promoting investor confidence, social stability, and inclusive development across the continent,” President Boakai told auditors general and delegates from 26 African member states attending the conference.
The five-day gathering marks the first time Liberia has hosted the high-level AFROSAI-E meeting since the regional organization was established.
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The Liberian leader described Liberia’s hosting of the conference as a reflection of his administration’s commitment to transparency, institutional reform, and public sector accountability.
He commended Liberia’s General Auditing Commission (GAC) and Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson Sr. for securing the hosting rights, describing it as a significant vote of confidence in Liberia’s governance reform agenda.
President Boakai noted that the conference comes at a critical time as member states assess progress under AFROSAI-E’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan and explore strategies to deepen institutional cooperation and strengthen public financial oversight across Africa.
He expressed confidence that deliberations in Monrovia would produce “meaningful resolutions” aimed at enhancing regional audit cooperation, strengthening peer support systems, reinforcing the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions, and improving management of public resources in support of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Reflecting on Liberia’s post-war governance journey, President Boakai said weak institutions and a lack of accountability significantly contributed to the country’s past instability and economic collapse.
He recalled that the establishment of integrity institutions following the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement was intended to address corruption and governance failures that undermined national stability.
“The establishment of integrity institutions, including the General Auditing Commission, was a deliberate step to confront corruption and deficits in transparency,” the President stated.
President Boakai said his administration has taken several actions aimed at restoring public confidence in government institutions and improving accountability systems nationwide.
According to him, the government has introduced performance management systems across public institutions, strengthened operational independence for integrity institutions, and taken disciplinary measures against officials implicated in corruption and financial misconduct.
“We have also demonstrated zero tolerance for misuse of public resources by dismissing and suspending government officials implicated in acts of misappropriation and financial misconduct,” he declared.
The President further highlighted what he described as unprecedented governance reforms under his administration, including the conduct of inaugural audits of the Presidency, Judiciary, Legislature, and the Central Bank of Liberia.
He also referenced the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman, the Asset Recovery Taskforce, and ongoing efforts to establish a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
Additionally, President Boakai said the government has enforced compliance with asset declaration requirements for public officials, with penalties collected from noncompliance redirected toward the purchase of school chairs for students across the country.
“For the first time in recent years, the General Auditing Commission received full budgetary appropriations in Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025,” President Boakai noted, describing the move as “an unprecedented development in our country’s recent history.”
He further disclosed that the government operationalized financial independence provisions contained in the GAC Act of 2014 through the early disbursement of 50 percent of the Commission’s approved budget.
The Liberian leader urged delegates attending the conference to use the Monrovia gathering not only for technical discussions but also to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among African oversight institutions.
“Africa’s abundant natural resources and youthful population can only serve as drivers of sustainable development if they are managed transparently, responsibly, and efficiently,” he emphasized.
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President Boakai concluded by officially declaring the 22nd Governing Board Meeting of AFROSAI-E open and welcomed delegates to Liberia.
For his part, Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson Sr. said the conference will focus on reviewing implementation of AFROSAI-E’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, strengthening cooperation among Supreme Audit Institutions, and adopting resolutions to enhance regional audit collaboration and institutional independence.
Jackson explained that the event includes a two-day closed Governing Board session following earlier virtual subcommittee meetings intended to finalize strategic documents and policy recommendations.
He added that the strategic review sessions, which opened on May 20, will conclude with a cultural excursion hosted by the General Auditing Commission on May 22.
The African Organization of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions is a regional body comprising 26 Supreme Audit Institutions across English-speaking Africa. The organization works to strengthen the institutional capacity and independence of member audit institutions through professional development, peer learning, and regional cooperation aimed at improving public financial management and accountability across the continent.
