While commending the U.S. Government for imposing the recent sanctions on senior Liberian Government Officials, through its Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), an investigative media expert and executive- Regional Director of Africa News Alert ANA Limited, based in the United States, is calling for further sanctions and appropriate human rights actions on corrupt government officials and rights violators in Liberia, particularly against judges and justices of the Judiciaries, Presidents and “executives/ heads of ‘so-called’ integrity institutions, as LACC, GAC, MOJ, etc. ”
Making the statement in a September 30, 2022 press release from the United States, F. Hawanatu Frank of ANA welcomed the new comprehensive strategy by its partners and regional offices to petition global stakeholders, alongside human rights, and notable integrity building institutions in strengthening laws and policies to combat the alarming rate of poverty across West Africa, especially in Liberia.
“I encourage the Government of Ghana, through its President, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, and members of the Ghanaian Parliament, to continue to review and hopefully consider policies/ law that would ensure that the rights of media professionals and those of the LGTBQ community are respected and preserved. It’s now time that the leaders of West Africa, especially Liberia and Ghana, put into practice a holistic human rights approach for all its citizens by aptly combatting corruption, and holding public officials, particularly Supreme Court Justices fully accountable,” spoke the uncompromising media Executive, F. Hawanatu Frank of ANA- West Africa.
“Above all, I commend the U.S. Government for imposing the recent sanctions on senior Liberian Government Officials, through its Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). However, on behalf of my institution, and certainly, most Liberians, I strongly believe that there is urgent need to impose more sanctions on some of those within the Liberian Judiciary, includes judges and justices, who have consistently failed to fairly dispense justice, receive bribes, and, thereby, humiliating and violating the rights the poorer and vulnerable populations, illegally seizing and demolishing homes and properties of innocent and poverty stricken citizens of Liberia, legitimizing corruptions, rape and abuses against women and children, etc. I strongly believe OFAC’s mandates come with no biases, and, in my professional opinion, by sanctioning a few folks, while leaving out the vast majority, sends a message or precedent that may be counterproductive in the fight against corruption and rights violations,” Frank said.
“The Government of Liberia must intensify its efforts to address what seem to be structural biases in the justice/ judiciary system and to ensure that the laws are Liberia equally and equitably dispense, irrespective of social, economic and/or political statuses. Today, there are countless of cases before the Supreme Court of Liberia pending legal redress, but it is clear that those who are ‘poor or less influential,’ seem to have no hope for justice, as justice now belongs to the wealthy and powerful folks in Liberia,” she stressed.
