Monrovia – A FrontPage Africa investigation has uncovered inconsistencies within the tutorial claims made by Deputy Minister for City Affairs–designate, Madam Fatima Bintu Sirleaf, throughout her affirmation listening to earlier than the Liberian Senate Committee on Inner Affairs and Native Authorities on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
Through the listening to, Madam Sirleaf informed senators that she holds a Grasp’s Diploma in Social Work with emphasis in Psychological Well being and Substance Abuse and a Minor in City Improvement—a declare that has since stirred public debate and scrutiny over its accuracy.
Senator J. Gblehbo Brown, Co-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Native Authorities, questioned whether or not her tutorial background aligned with the duties of Deputy Minister for City Affairs, given her robust basis in social work and psychological well being.
“In accordance with your CV, you’ve got a powerful background in social work and psychological well being, contemplating the issues we’ve got in Liberia immediately—medicine killing our younger individuals, individuals going loopy and mad. Along with your experience, do you suppose you’re higher positioned or misplaced serving as Deputy Minister for City Affairs?” Senator Brown requested.
In response, Madam Sirleaf stated her “minor in city growth” ready her to handle challenges related to city progress and rehabilitation.
“I consider that with city growth as my minor, it helped me change lives. I used to be capable of assist rich individuals in the USA who suffered dependancy. With the way in which Liberia is rising, with overpopulation in cities together with Monrovia, I can educate individuals about constructing rehab facilities in our cities,” she said.
College Data Contradict Declare
Nevertheless, a FrontPage Africa inquiry discovered that Kean College, the U.S.-based establishment the place Madam Sirleaf reportedly obtained her Grasp’s Diploma, doesn’t provide any course or program titled “City Improvement” inside its Social Work curriculum.
This revelation has fueled widespread dialogue each in Liberia and amongst members of the Liberian diaspora, lots of whom questioned whether or not the establishment even supplies a tutorial “minor” on the graduate stage.
Training professional Emmanuel Wilson, a veteran college administrator primarily based in the USA, described Madam Sirleaf’s assertion as “academically inaccurate.”
“It isn’t academically correct for a grasp’s diploma scholar to ‘minor’ in one other course,” Wilson defined. “The idea of a minor applies primarily to undergraduate research. Graduate packages are specialised and targeted on a single discipline. Whereas college students could select concentrations or specializations, these don’t represent a ‘minor.’ Due to this fact, the declare of getting a minor in a grasp’s program is inconsistent with normal tutorial constructions.”
“I’ve adopted Fatima for typically now. I love her for being daring and outspoken. I believe she will serve nicely in that capability, however she doesn’t have to present deceptive assertion about her {qualifications}, stated Abel Thomas, a staunch supporter of the Unity Celebration. “We consider it is crucial that every one public officers exhibit transparency and accountability relating to their {qualifications} when referred to as to serve.”
Sirleaf Clarifies Her Assertion
When contacted for clarification, Madam Sirleaf informed FrontPage Africa that whereas her diploma is in social work, her research included psychological well being, substance abuse, and concrete growth by means of internship packages.
“In my third and fourth semesters, I did psychological well being and substance abuse as a result of I knew there was a problem of psychological well being in Liberia, and I wished to contribute,” she stated.
“As senior college students, we suggested builders to create low-income housing. My diploma received’t present that I did psychological well being and substance abuse, however I specialised and did an entire 12 months emphasizing these areas, which included wraparound providers referring to city growth,” she added.
She maintained that her work and coaching lined points related to group growth and rehabilitation, although not formally designated as a “minor.”
Sirleaf was appointed as Deputy Minister for City Affairs-designate on September 1 by President Joseph Boakai alongside Mr. Dedeh Harper – Assistant Minister for Administration pending affirmation.
Senate Reconsidering Misplaced Nominations
In the meantime, FrontPage Africa has realized that the Senate Committee is reconsidering the rejection of a number of presidential nominees over what lawmakers describe as “misplacement” — nominees assigned to positions not aligned with their {qualifications} or experience.
Amongst these below scrutiny is Madam Cytrius Ok. Kerbay, nominated to function a Commissioner on the Governance Fee (GC).
Lawmakers say Madam Kerbay’s background—spanning public well being coordination, challenge administration, and humanitarian response with PSI Liberia, Serving to Hand Liberia, and the Liberian Nationwide Crimson Cross Society—is “sector-specific to well being and humanitarian programming,” with restricted publicity to governance reform, coverage growth, or institutional restructuring.
Like in Madam Sirleaf’s case, senators expressed concern that Liberia continues to face a scarcity of certified public well being professionals, warning that her reassignment might undermine the well being sector’s capability.
“Her reassignment from the well being sector to a governance oversight physique might weaken the Ministry of Well being’s implementation and coaching capability, cut back mentorship and technical management in service supply, and contradict ongoing efforts to strengthen the nationwide well being workforce,” one committee member stated.
The Committee is predicted to make its ultimate suggestions to the Senate plenary within the coming days as affirmation hearings proceed for a number of presidential nominees.
