Monrovia, Liberia – The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is urging President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to take decisive administrative action against top officials of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) amid serious corruption allegations.
During a press conference held in Monrovia, CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen called for the immediate suspension of MCSS officials, including Superintendent James A.S. Momoh, pending the outcome of an independent investigation. The organization emphasized that such actions are essential to maintaining public trust and protecting Liberia’s struggling education sector.
Over the past few days, both traditional and social media in Liberia have been flooded with troubling reports of alleged corruption within the MCSS. Based on findings by the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), the scandal involves possible insurance fraud and the misappropriation of scholarship funds intended to support Liberian teachers.
According to a report by FIA Officer-in-Charge Mohammed A. Nasser, one MCSS employee, Sonita Dangan Dangan, received checks totaling 8.1 million Liberian dollars from Kabineh Keita, a suspected employee of Sky Insurance, which provides insurance services to the institution. Investigators found no legitimate business relationship between the two individuals to justify such transactions.
Additional allegations reveal that MCSS administrators reportedly charged teachers US$920 each for participation in a government-funded study abroad program in India — a cost that had already been fully covered by the government.
CENTAL emphasized that while these claims remain allegations until formally proven, they are particularly disturbing given the ongoing struggles of Liberia’s education system.
“Our schools are in desperate need of financial and non-financial resources,” Miamen stated.
“The sector is grappling with poor infrastructure, inadequate staffing, and limited capacity-building opportunities. These allegations, if left unaddressed, risk further eroding public trust and undermining efforts to improve education for all — especially for persons with disabilities and marginalized groups.”
CENTAL pointed to recent student protests and teacher strikes as signs of a system already on the brink and warned that failure to address these allegations convincingly could reinforce the culture of impunity that has long plagued Liberia.
“We call on President Boakai to suspend the officials implicated in this alleged scandal while the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) carries out its independent investigation,” CENTAL stated. “This is crucial to demonstrate the government’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law.”
CENTAL’s call adds to the growing pressure on the Boakai administration to act swiftly in rooting out corruption and restoring integrity to Liberia’s public institutions.
