Africa-Press – Liberia. The Governance Commission (GC) has officially welcomed its new Executive Director, Jallah Kesselly, at a ceremony held in Monrovia, with senior officials, staff, and partners pledging renewed commitment to strengthening governance in Liberia.
The program, which brought together GC officials, as well as family members, friends, well-wishers, and the media, was presided over by Acting Chairperson Alaric K. Tokpa. In his remarks, Mr. Tokpa described the moment as a turning point for the Commission and urged staff to focus on rebuilding Liberia’s institutions while maintaining neutrality.
“Liberia is a collapsed state. When a state collapses, the government’s ability to apply the rule of law across the land becomes challenging. We are here to remake the broken state,” Tokpa stressed. He reminded staff that the Governance Commission was established under the Accra Peace Accord as part of post-war peacebuilding and must resist any form of partisan influence.
Tokpa further expressed appreciation to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for appointing the new Executive Director and assured Kesselly of the full cooperation of the Board of Commissioners and staff. He also praised outgoing Acting Executive Director Ms. Gebeh M. Doteh for her excellent service over the past year.
The Acting Chair highlighted ongoing efforts to revive relationships with international partners, noting that some had withdrawn support in recent years. He disclosed that the African Peer Review Mechanism’s Continental Secretariat had commenced engagements in Liberia to re-establish the National Governance Council, with the GC leading the process.
“Rather than carrying rumors around, we have work to do,” Tokpa cautioned. “This Commission must continue to serve the Liberian people by strengthening democratic governance and stopping partisanship to attract the support of partners at a time of global uncertainty.”
In his maiden remarks, newly appointed Executive Director Jallah Kesselly expressed gratitude to President Boakai, the Board of Commissioners, and the staff of the Governance Commission for the confidence reposed in him.
“I come here not as a politician, but as a public servant. The elections are over, and now we are all simply Liberians, united in purpose,” Kesselly said.
He lauded his predecessor, Ms. Doteh, for keeping the institution stable and assured staff of his commitment to collaboration and teamwork. “In the coming days, I will meet with the leaders of each department to understand your goals, your challenges, and how I can best support you in achieving our shared mandate,” he pledged.
Kesselly emphasized that his leadership would focus on advancing President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, through strong policy formulation, performance monitoring, and providing impartial advice to the Executive and Legislature.
“Our mandate is clear: to promote good governance and national integrity. With your support, wisdom, and collective effort, I am confident we can meet the lofty expectations of our President, honor the trust of the GC family, and serve our nation and its people with integrity,” he affirmed.
The Governance Commission, established as part of Liberia’s post-war governance reform process, remains a key institution tasked with guiding policy reforms and promoting inclusive governance across the country.
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