MONROVIA – A five-page letter written by Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, former Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has shed new light on the internal dispute between the NPHIL Board and its erstwhile head. The letter, dated September 17, 2025, responds point by point to eleven allegations raised by the Board, none of which, according to Dr. Nyan, involve corruption or financial impropriety.
It can be recalled that Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, along with his Deputy Director General, Dr. Adams K. Lincoln, was dismissed on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. The President further directed that Dr. Sia Wata Camanor serve as Interim Director General (Officer-in-Charge) of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).
In the letter obtained by Smart News Liberia, Dr. Nyan acknowledged receiving an official communication from the Minister of State Designate instructing him to respond to the Board’s resolution within 48 hours. He described the allegations as “broad, vague, lacking specifics, lacking evidence, and functionally inaccurate,” asserting that they do not meet the legal threshold for his removal under Section 4.4 (iii) of the NPHIL Act of 2016.
“Dear Mr. President, I returned home to serve my country in a technical, scientific, biomedical, and public health role to help build the scientific capacity of Liberia and not to be involved in unhealthy political theatrics,” Dr. Nyan wrote. He emphasized that over the past year, the institute under his leadership had achieved significant milestones, including being designated as a Regional Center of Excellence by the Africa CDC.
Dr. Nyan noted that the Board’s decision to escalate its grievances to the President rather than engaging him directly undermined institutional integrity. “Had the Board written to me directly with these concerns, I would have provided a response supported by evidence to clarify any concerns,” he stated. He insisted that all major decisions had been communicated to the Board through the Chair in accordance with the law and internal reporting procedures.
Responding to the Board’s claim that it was not involved in “critical decisions,” Dr. Nyan called the allegation “unfortunate and puzzling,” pointing out that formal quarterly reports had been regularly submitted to the Board and even shared with the Executive Mansion. He referenced a specific case involving the theft of government vehicles, which he said was investigated and reported to the Board in writing.
Addressing accusations of poor inter-agency collaboration, Dr. Nyan presented a list of documented partnerships and memoranda of understanding with various government agencies and international partners. “NPHIL has done everything possible to work with every agency it has business with,” he wrote, citing collaborations with the Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Liberia, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Defense, among others.
He strongly rejected claims that he traveled without the Board’s knowledge, explaining that all his trips were official, scientifically focused, and funded by partners such as Africa CDC and ECOWAS-WAHO. “There exist exchanges between the Chair and me relative to his knowledge of my travel,” he clarified. He further referenced sections of the NPHIL Act that automatically delegate authority to his deputies during his absence, emphasizing that he always informed the Board Chair before departing the country.
On allegations of bypassing the Board to communicate with the President and Legislature, Dr. Nyan argued that such communication is not prohibited by law and, in fact, is often required in emergencies. “As an entity responsible for emergency outbreak responses in the sector, will it not constitute disrespect should I refuse a call from the President’s office on short notice to present on outbreak status at a cabinet meeting?” he asked, referencing a recent cabinet briefing he delivered.
Dr. Nyan also addressed what he described as “vague and unsubstantiated” claims of statutory violations. He accused the Board of violating the NPHIL Act by holding meetings without his knowledge, despite his role as Secretary to the Board. He revealed that some of these ad hoc meetings, including the one that led to the Board’s resolution against him, were later billed to NPHIL for “sitting fees,” which he argued contravenes the law.
In responding to concerns supposedly raised by development partners, Dr. Nyan dismissed them as “baseless,” pointing out that the Incident Management System (IMS), which he chaired, provided a regular bi-weekly platform for all partners and government stakeholders to raise and address issues. “There exists a harmonious collaboration with partners, and no one has raised any problems,” he wrote. “Why are they fighting me?”
The former NPHIL boss further clarified budget submission timelines, noting that he assumed office in August 2024 after the fiscal year had passed. He stated that the 2025 budget was prepared, submitted to the Board on January 24, 2025, and approved. “For the Board to claim that it was unaware of the budget submission is inaccurate and misleading to the office of the President,” he stated.
He also dismissed allegations about NPHIL’s media activities, explaining that public communications are handled by the Division of Communications and Government Relations, a department created and approved by the Board itself in 2022. He maintained that this unit has been effectively executing its mandate, particularly in disseminating accurate information during public health emergencies.
Throughout the letter, Dr. Nyan portrayed the Board’s allegations as politically motivated efforts to tarnish his reputation and disrupt NPHIL’s progress. “Mr. President, these and many of the counts demonstrate that the allegations against me are fabricated to damage my reputation and hinder the organization’s progress,” he wrote.
Dr. Nyan ended his letter by appealing to President Boakai to review the evidence carefully. “Mr. President, I only wish to serve my country with transparency, accountability, sincerity and integrity; without those qualities, systemic failure may occur, reflecting poorly on your administration,” he concluded.
The detailed response now puts pressure on both the NPHIL Board and the Presidency to clarify the legal and administrative basis for the Board’s complaints and any subsequent action taken. For many observers in Liberia’s health sector, the letter raises deeper questions about governance, internal power struggles, and the independence of critical public health institutions.
