Liberias Iron Lady dismisses finance ministry

Posted online: Friday, February 03, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

MONROVIA, FEB 2: Liberias newly installed President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, living up to her reputation as an Iron Lady, has dismissed all finance ministry employees in a bid to curb the rampant corruption crippling her country.

Facing a herculean task of rebuilding a nation shattered by 14-years of civil war, Africas first elected female leader said her victory in Novembers presidential runoff gave her a mandate to clean up Liberias finances.

All employees are sacked from their positions until a screening exercise that is expected to commence at the ministry is completed, and those qualified will remain, Johnson-Sirleaf said during a surprise visit to the ministry on Wednesday. Those who are part of financial malpractices and scandals must give way for those who are prepared to do the will of the Liberian people, she told employees.

Endemic corruption was a key cause of Liberias civil war, which killed 250,000 people and devastated Africas oldest republic, founded by freed American slaves in 1847.

Reuters