By Emmanuel M. Kangar, Jr.
Monrovia – The National Youth Chairman of Liberia’s ruling Unity Party, Togar Melvin Cephas, has publicly criticized Justice Minister for what he described as a lack of seriousness in prosecuting corruption cases, warning that such an approach could damage the credibility of the Unity Party-led government.
In a strongly worded statement issued Monday, Cephas said the administration of President Joseph Boakai came to power on a firm commitment to combat corruption and restore accountability in government.
“We came into office on a clear and unambiguous promise, to fight corruption and restore accountability to the Liberian government,” Cephas stated. “That was not just a campaign slogan. It was a covenant with the Liberian people.”
The Unity Party youth leader accused the Justice Minister of being “careless about prosecuting corruption,” adding that such conduct poses a threat to the government’s image and public trust.
“A Minister of Justice who is careless about prosecuting corruption is not just ineffective, he is dangerous to our administration and to the Liberian people,” he declared.
Cephas argued that Liberians did not vote for a government that would fail to prioritize corruption-related prosecutions. He maintained that public expectations for accountability remain high and warned that silence or inaction on corruption could undermine confidence in the administration.
“Let this be clearly stated, a Justice Minister who refuses to aggressively pursue corruption cases is not serving the President. He is not serving the government. And he is certainly not serving the Liberian people,” Cephas said, while calling for the minister to be relieved of his position.
He further stressed that delays in addressing corruption deprive ordinary Liberians of essential public services.
“Every day that those who stole public funds are presented as saints is another day that ordinary Liberians are denied hospitals, schools, and roads that their money should have built,” he said.
Cephas also linked the government’s anti-corruption efforts to President Boakai’s political future, emphasizing that the administration’s legacy and chances for reelection would depend on decisive action.
“The people are watching, and they will remember,” he concluded.
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