Liberian News: ‘Audit The Legislature Now’

Monrovia– In a rare and bold public statement that has sparked immediate political ripples, Representative Musa Hassan Bility of NimbaCounty District #7 has issued a powerful open letter to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., calling for an unprecedented audit of the Liberian Legislature. His message, though respectful, is an unflinching indictment of what he describes as selective justice and entrenched corruption within Liberia’s highest lawmaking body.

Rep. Bility’s letter comes on the heels of the much-publicized trial of several lawmakers implicated in the alleged arson attack on the Capitol. While he welcomes the prosecution and calls for a fair and transparent judicial process, Bility argues that this trial is just one piece of a much larger—and more dangerous—problem.

“The alleged arson may cost this country one or two million dollars to repair,” he writes, “but what of the millions, perhaps hundreds of millions, lost through abuse and misappropriation within the Legislature itself?”

In what reads as both a political wake-up call and a public challenge, Bility accuses the government of pursuing the arson case with vigor while showing little interest in investigating financial crimes that may have cost the nation far more.

He cites repeated failed attempts by some lawmakers to trigger an internal audit of the House of Representatives. These motions, according to Bility, were systematically blocked, proving that the Legislature “will never muster the courage to audit itself.”

Now, he turns to President Boakai, reminding him of the powers vested in him by the Revised Act that established the General Auditing Commission (GAC). According to Bility, the President has both the legal authority and moral duty to order a full forensic audit of the House and Senate—particularly covering the period from 2011 to the present.

“This is your moment,” Bility declares. “If you truly believe in accountability… let it begin at the very heart of our democracy.”

He suggests that the President’s credibility and legacy now hinge not only on his administration’s pursuit of arson suspects, but on his willingness to confront deep-rooted legislative corruption—even at the risk of exposing political allies.

The letter appeals emotionally and politically to the President’s sense of legacy. Bility frames the audit as a moral imperative, not just a governance issue.

“History will honor you not for your silence, but for your courage,” he writes. “Audit the House. Audit the Legislature. History is watching.”

Bility’s call is resonating with many ordinary Liberians who feel alienated from a political class long accused of enriching itself while the country remains mired in poverty and underdevelopment.

This letter is more than a political opinion—it’s a direct challenge to Liberia’s executive leadership to live up to its rhetoric on anti-corruption. It strikes at the heart of public cynicism, where citizens have often watched selective prosecutions serve political ends, while systemic financial crimes go unchecked.

By putting his name and position behind this letter, Rep. Bilityhas potentially opened a new chapter in Liberia’s accountability discourse, one that could either prompt action or deepen distrust depending on the response it receives.

Well, as it stands now, all eyes are on President Boakai—will he rise to the occasion, or retreat behind the comfort of political caution?

New Republic Liberia

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.