Claim: “LRA Director General Dorbor Jallah Resigns.”
Source: Garmah Lomo, Journalist
Verdict: Misleading, LRA Boss has not resigned
Full Text: On October 16, 2024, Garmah Lomo, a Liberian journalist who writes for an online platform called News Public Trust, posted on her Facebook handle that Dorbor Jallah, the director general of the Liberian Revenue Authority (LRA), had resigned.
As we commenced the research, the journalist’s post generated 16 comments, a reaction, and a share.
Screenshot of Lomo’s post
The LRA was established by the National Legislature in 2013 and began operations on July 1, 2014, as a semi-autonomous government agency. Its core mission is to administer and enforce Liberia’s Revenue Code of 2000, as amended in 2011, and other related laws.
The LRA plays a vital role in assessing, collecting, auditing, and accounting for national revenues, while also facilitating legitimate international trade through effective border management.
James Dorbor Jallah, Commissioner General of the LRA before his tenure at the LRA, Jallah served as the Country Representative for Liberia at the Carter Center and Emory University. He has also held key roles, including Executive Director and CEO of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC).
There have been many calls from the public requesting the resignation of Jallah after the Commerce Minister, Amin Modad resigned following a luxury vehicle conservatory.
Atty. Isaac Jackson, former Liberia’s Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), strongly believes that Jallah should consider stepping down to uphold the integrity of the LRA.
Jackson expressed concerns about the actions of Modad, particularly regarding the US$96K transaction, suggesting that Jallah’s justification for said behavior undermines accountability within an integrity organization like the LRA.
He emphasized that Jallah is responsible for failing to exercise due diligence in this matter.
Jackson also pointed out that the incident reflects a broader issue, involving President Boakai’s perceived violations of Article 5 of the Liberian Constitution, which condemns tribalism.
He argued that Jallah’s defense of Modad may stem from a desire to protect a kinsman, calling for his resignation as well.
In a related discussion, Liberian citizen Khalifa B. Kamara took to social media to advocate for a unified approach to combating corruption.
He asserted that with Modad’s resigning, Boakai should also ask Jallah to step down as Commissioner of the LRA.
Kamara stressed the importance of not allowing tribal affiliations to dictate accountability, stating that both the giver and recipient of the Medtech funds share responsibility.
Verification: To authenticate the information, the official LRA Facebook page dispelled the claims circulating on social media about Jallah’s resignation.
Jallah stated, “I’ve not resigned. I’m still the Commissioner General. We’re working to expand the revenue envelope of Liberia.”
LAR Facebook’s response
When contacted, Presidential Press Secretary, Kula Fofana said such information is “Untrue.”
In response to The Stage Media inquiry, Fofana forwarded messages from Jallah that President Boakai had not requested him to resign.
“I have no knowledge of the President requesting this of me,” the message forwarded by Fofana from Jallah reads.
Conclusion: Our research has established that even though there are calls from the public requesting the resignation of Jallah, the claim about his resignation is misleading.
