MONROVIA, LIBERIA – To reinforce accountability, the Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan, has taken decisive action against staff implicated in the unauthorized removal and illegal sale of government vehicles. The decision, announced in a press release on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, follows a thorough investigation involving the Liberia National Police, the Internal Audit Agency, senior NPHIL staff, and its management team.
Two employees, George Watson, Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Administration, and Pewee Quaqua, Director of Logistics, were dismissed from their positions. Deputy Director for Logistics Darlington Bah received an indefinite suspension, while three drivers, Alexander Jisay, Jerome Ponney, and Kennedy Gayflor, were suspended for three months without pay. The terminated employees have been handed over to the Ministry of Justice for further action.
The investigation revealed that the culprits had orchestrated the removal and illegal disposal of 11 vehicles from NPHIL’s premises, using falsified General Service Agency (GSA) documents. Dr. Nyan, in his statement, emphasized the institute’s zero-tolerance policy for corruption. “Corruption will have no place at NPHIL under my watch as this may undermine the progress we are making here,” he asserted, adding that the institution is committed to maintaining integrity and transparency.
Dr. Nyan has also called on President Joseph Boakai to terminate Dr. Adams K. Lincoln, NPHIL’s Deputy Director General for Administration, for allegedly masterminding the scheme. According to the findings, Dr. Lincoln was not only involved in the illegal activities but also fabricated fake GSA documents to claim personal ownership of one of the institute’s vehicles.
In a related development, the Director-General of the General Services Agency, Hon. Galakpai Kortimai, confirmed that the documents used in the fraudulent transactions were falsified. In a letter to Dr. Nyan dated January 14, 2025, Kortimai stated that the disposal of the vehicles did not adhere to the GSA’s procedures or the laws governing such actions. He assured the public that the GSA has launched its own internal investigation and will cooperate with law enforcement to ensure those responsible are held accountable.
The scandal came to light after Dr. Nyan received complaints from NPHIL staff members, including testimonies from witnesses under oath. In a separate communication to Dr. Lincoln, Dr. Nyan demanded the immediate return of the vehicles and warned of administrative consequences if the directives were not followed. The letter also outlined concerns raised by staff members whose vehicles were reportedly seized and sold by the Assets Recovery Team.
The National Public Health Institute’s leadership has since reiterated its commitment to upholding the standards of governance and accountability. “We call on the NPHIL Board of Directors and the Ministry of Justice to support these actions in stamping out corruption and protecting the integrity of our institution,” Dr. Nyan stated, emphasising the importance of these measures in advancing Liberia’s development agenda.
