Asset Declaration ‘Clears’ LRA
In an effort to reinforce integrity and protect public revenue, 100 percent of the workforce at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) are said to have completed the mandated declaration of assets.
This makes the LRA the first government institution to reach the ‘compliance milestone.’
At a joint press conference on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, with Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) Executive Chairperson, Counselor Alexandra Zoe in Paynesville, LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah, described the achievement not just as a regulatory success, but a ‘powerful institutional statement.’
“This milestone is not just a statistical accomplishment, adding: “it is a clear demonstration of our institutional commitment to transparency, accountability, and integrity in public service, Jallah said.
Jallah: “At the LRA, we understand that protecting the country’s revenue begins with protecting our values.”
He said, the next phase of this initiative is just as crucial to include verification and accountability.
Jallah announced that the LRA, in collaboration with the LACC, will galvanize resources to begin a thorough process of verifying all asset declarations to be followed by “lifestyle audits.”
“If any LRA staff is found to be living beyond their lawful means, especially through questionable property acquisition, they will be made to account in line with the law,” Mr. Jallah said, adding: “Our integrity safeguards revenue. That is why we will continue working with the LACC to ensure that every declaration is not only filed, but also credible.”
LACC Executive Chairperson, Counselor Alexandra Zoe, commended the LRA’s bold leadership for mandating and achieving full asset declaration compliance with all the staff members.
“This proactive action underscores the entity’s resolve to set the standard in integrity, not just as an enforcement institution, but as an example of ethical leadership in the public sector,” Madam Zoe noted.
“Integrity,” she said, “is not a slogan, but a behavior; a deliberate and consistent action that must begin within the walls of our institutions.”
Madam Zoe said, the LRA’s compliance is not just about enforcement, but a cultural shift in governance.
She said the entity’s action sends a clear message that public service is a public trust, ethical leadership is possible, and that the LRA is proving just that.
The LRA, Madam Zoe added: “demonstrates that its commitment to good governance is more than rhetoric, but leadership by example.”
She said, the move aligns with section 10 of the national code of conduct, which mandates public officials and employees to declare their assets and interests; a provision meant to uphold integrity across government operations.
Although the LACC Act does not mandate every employee in a government entity, such as the LRA to declare their assets, the entity board in 2016 took a proactive decision to require all employees, regardless of rank or status, to declare their assets with the LACC.
This decision, a decade ago, was a clear reflection of the entity’s deep commitment to transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity characterized with values essential to the credibility of its tax and revenue functions.
The agreement authorizes the LACC to investigate and prosecute corruption involving LRA officials, staff, contractors, and or affiliates; access all asset declarations made by the employees; verify and conduct due diligence on declarations made by both appointed and non-appointed LRA personnel. This structured partnership ensures that the entity’s ethical obligations are not only policy-based, but subject to external verification and legal scrutiny.
Despite being adopted over eight years ago, the full implementation of this policy has taken effect, demonstrating the LRA’s persistence, and resolve to institutionalize ethics from top to bottom.
“By aligning with the LACC and adhering to this framework,” Mr. Jallah said, “the entity is not only enforcing the law, but also modeling integrity as a revenue protection strategy.”
Jallah meanwhile, called on other public institutions, especially those involved in governance and service delivery, to emulate the LRA’s example.
The joint press conference signaled a renewed national commitment to building a culture of integrity, ethics, and accountability, principles critical to safeguarding public finance and strengthening democratic governance.