MONROVIA – Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson Jr. has announced an ambitious plan for 2025, aiming to complete 90 audits, with 70 of them slated for publication. Speaking at the General Auditing Commission (GAC) staff retreat on January 10, 2025, in Thinkers Village, Paynesville, the Auditor General commended the GAC’s exceptional performance in 2024 and set high expectations for the year ahead.

Reflecting on 2024, AG Jackson described it as “unprecedented,” with the GAC completing 89 audits, including two utilizing the Liberia Enhanced Audit Tool (L-SEAT), a customized platform developed by AFROSAI-E to enhance audit efficiency. Of the 89 audits, 62 were published—a historic achievement for the GAC.

The Auditor General emphasized significant system audits conducted in 2024, including reviews of the Liberian Presidency, Ministry of State, Judiciary, Liberian Senate, and Executive Protective Service. Notably, the GAC also completed its first compliance audit of the Central Bank of Liberia. Another milestone was the publication of Liberia’s first Follow-up Report on the Implementation of Audit Recommendations, which received international recognition, particularly from the United States.

Under AG Jackson’s three-year leadership, the GAC has completed 258 audits, publishing 224—a record-breaking accomplishment. He reaffirmed the GAC’s commitment to regularizing audits of government entities and state-owned enterprises, with a system audit of the House of Representatives included in the 2025 agenda.

AG Jackson highlighted that the World Bank rated the GAC’s independence at 8/10, ranking it third in Africa—behind South Africa and Seychelles—and first in West Africa. He pledged to achieve full financial autonomy in line with the GAC’s 2014 Act, aiming for a perfect 10/10 rating.

The retreat also showcased the GAC’s international collaborations. AG Jackson highlighted two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed in 2024: one with the Swedish National Audit Office (SNAO) and another with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). These partnerships provide capacity-building initiatives, including training programs and secondments like the prestigious International Auditor Fellowship Program.

“We extend our gratitude to Comptroller General of the United States, Mr. Gene L. Dodaro, and the U.S. State Department for their invaluable support in facilitating this collaboration,” AG Jackson stated.

During their U.S. visit, AG Jackson and his team held meetings with key organizations, including the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Global Anti-Corruption Office of the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Despite these accomplishments, AG Jackson acknowledged challenges such as funding delays and late submissions of information by auditees. He commended GAC staff for their dedication, emphasizing their role in the successes of 2024.

The Auditor General encouraged staff to redouble their efforts in 2025, reaffirming the GAC’s commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability, and good governance in Liberia.