When President Sirleaf was elected in 2005 we were elated because we thought that she would bring her decades of experience in the international system to bear on the numerous problems Liberia faces. And so she has. We would be remiss if we did not laud her administration for the level of development, debt reduction and the transformation that Liberia has undergone in her first term in office. We must also give her credit for the freedoms that Liberians continue to enjoy under her regime such as freedom of speech and of the press.

However, there is one glaring weakness of this government that threatens to overwhelm and indeed may render all of this moot. And that is the issue of corruption. Pundits of all stripes and political persuasions have said that corruption is endemic in Liberia. They are right. It is a societal ill that we must get a handle on if we as a people are to progress and realize the dream of a Liberia that provides an opportunity to all its citizens to pursue their dreams and aspirations while contributing to the nation?s development. We are under no illusions that the entrenched system of corruption that has existed in Liberia from its inception could be eradicated in the space of a two term presidency. And indeed, it is the responsibility of all Liberians to expose and reject corruption wherever it rears its ugly head. But leadership matters. And I am sorry to say that Madam Sirleaf has consistently failed to provide leadership on the issue of corruption.

To fight corruption a leader must have moral clarity and exhibit the highest standards of personal integrity in order to serve as an example to the nation, and in particular, to the officials serving under her as well as to those in the other branches of the government. It is bewildering for Madam Sirleaf who took the Tolbert government to task for nepotism to turn around and practice the same nepotism. Nepotism says nothing about qualification. Nepotism is defined by dictionary.com as ?patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics?? Mr. Robert Sirleaf is Chairman of the Board of NOCAL by virtue of the fact that his mother is president of Liberia. He also runs several charities that have received significant funding from donors who remain anonymous. This has led to allegations that these charities have benefited from his political connections and that there may be a quid pro quo. These are allegations that can only be refuted by opening up the books of these charities to show their sources of funding. Another son is head of the National Security Agency and another is Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia. If this is not nepotism we challenge Madam Sirleaf to tell the Liberian people what her definition of nepotism is.

Beyond her promotion of nepotism Madam Sirleaf has shown a striking reluctance to prosecute government officials who have had serious allegations of financial impropriety leveled against them. Time after time she has shuffled them from one position to another or simply let them go without instituting any proceedings against them. Some people like Mrs. Mary Brownell have attributed this to the president’s “sorry heart”. If that is the case it is indeed unfortunate. What Liberia needs and merits at this point in its history is a leader who will confound the venality of the entrenched interests and a political class concerned mainly with its own enrichment. A leader who will inculcate a proper respect and fear for the swift hand of justice which will fall without fear or favor on all miscreants. Sadly, despite all pronouncements to the contrary, Madam Sirleaf has proved time and time again that she is not willing to be a bold and decisive leader.

Which brings us to the issue du jour; the present imbroglio surrounding fraudulently acquired Private Use Permits. This is a scandal that provides the president with another opportunity to demonstrate her resolve and convince her critics of her bona fides as a corruption fighter. The investigation done by the panel of experts of the United Nations and the GAC audit have revealed that of the 65 PUPs issued and signed by the Agriculture Minister in her official capacity as chairman of the board of directors of the Forestry Development Agency the government can only account for 37.

This is corruption plain and simple. The sordid details of this scandal have been published for all to see in FrontPage Africa; it implicates a lot of people including Mrs. Medina Wesseh, who was the chair of Madam Sirleaf’s reelection campaign in2011. Madam President, this is one issue that cannot be swept under the carpet.

The forests of Liberia are a crucial resource that must be managed with prudence. It is also a legacy that must be bequeathed intact unto the next generation. In an era of global warming and rapid environmental changes the preservation of natural ecosystems is essential. We cannot sit by supinely and allow greedy individuals with political connections to collude with foreigners to bypass the system and wantonly destroy the largest remaining Upper Guinean Forest Ecosystem with little or no benefit accruing to the Liberian people, especially the local communities where these forest products are being extracted. We are urging the president to immediately fire the Agriculture Minister and the Managing Director of the FDA, dissolve the FDA board of directors and revoke all PUPs. We are also urging the president to forward all those involved in the PUP scandal to the Justice Ministry for possible prosecution. PUPs were a bad idea in the first place and need to be done away with. We will not relent and we will continue to voice our disapproval until the president takes the necessary actions to safeguard the forest.

Madam President, with no malice or ill will, do we pen this missive. It is in our interest and the interest of all Liberians that you succeed. But it would be sycophancy if we did not speak truth to power given how the issue of corruption and impunity has the propensity to throw this country back into chaos. And we are by no means absolving the legislature of blame. The legislature has consistently failed to stand up for the interest of the Liberian people and seem to be concerned only with lining their pockets. However, as head of the executive you are tasked with the ultimate responsibility of implementing the laws on the books. Madam President, the American presidents have a saying that the buck stops with them. Madam President the buck stops with you. You can continue with business as usual and tarnish your legacy or you can make a course correction and remove the stain of corruption from your legacy. We and all Liberians stand ready to support you in a renewed drive to fight corruption in the hope of leaving a better Liberia for future generations.

Thanks Mr. Editor for the space and time.