Liberia-The Acting Director of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) is under pressure in light of resurfaced report about previous suspension for his involvement in a COVID-19 certificate scandal.
Amos F. Gborie, was appointed by President Joseph Boakai as the Acting NPHIL Director, but the appointment is backing fire in the wake of what happened during the plague of the Corona Virus when he worked at the Entity as the Deputy Director for the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health.
It is recalled that Gborie and two other officials were suspended in 2020 by then NPHIL Director General Dr. Masoka Fallah, who himself was dismissed for impropriety, for their roles in issuing a fraudulent COVID-19 certificate to Skeeter T. Wilson, a Liberian-born American.
The scandal came about when Wilson, who was trying to return to the US, was stopped at Roberts International Airport (RIA) by Liberian Immigration Service officials and discovered that her COVID-19 certificate that declared her negative, was forged.
Alongside Gborie, Fahn Taweh, Deputy Director of the National Public Health and Reference Laboratory, and Jonathan G. Ender, Chief of Office Staff to Dr. Fallah, were implicated. The New Dawn newspaper, in a 2020 article titled “Test scandal busted at NPHIL-three officials suspended,” detailed how the officials reportedly accepted $3,000 from Wilson for the falsified certificate.
Wilson had tested positive for COVID-19 and was informed of her status under the Incident Management System (IMS) protocol. However, within a week, she received a certificate signed with a forged signature of Dr. Fallah, declaring her negative, Smartnews Liberia, an online platform reported.
Dr. Fallah later claimed that his signature was electronically affixed by Ender without his knowledge. An internal investigation revealed that Gborie had altered Wilson’s positive result to negative and facilitated the issuance of the fraudulent certificate.
The scandal threatened to undermine Liberia’s efforts to contain COVID-19, with Dr. Fallah emphasizing the danger of allowing confirmed positive cases to be falsely declared negative.
He stressed that only verified negative results should be issued travel certificates, warning that such breaches could severely impede containment efforts. This incident cast a long shadow over NPHIL’s credibility, shaking public confidence in its ability to manage the health crisis effectively.
Despite his central role in the scandal, Gborie has now assumed the position of Acting Director General of NPHIL, sparking outrage and bewilderment among many who question the decision of the Boakai administration elected on promises of transparency and accountability.
Critics argue that appointing someone with a tarnished record undermines the credibility of Liberia’s public health leadership.
Gborie reported application for the permanent Director General role has further intensified scrutiny and criticism from various quarters, with many calling for a thorough review of his past conduct before any permanent appointment is made.
The silence of several Board Members regarding the decision to appoint Gborie as Acting Director only fuels the controversy.
But Public health experts and civil society organizations are demanding transparency in the selection process and accountability for past actions. They argue that maintaining public trust in health institutions is paramount, especially in the wake of a global pandemic.
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