President Joseph Boakai of Liberia has re-nominated David A. Kemah as Director General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) for a second four-year term. Kemah, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with an MBA from Nichols College, has been leading the IAA since September 2022. His re-nomination was made on September 2, 2026, as part of the President's new government appointments. Kemah's retention reflects the President's confidence in his ability to continue safeguarding public resources and advancing fiscal integrity across state institutions.
During his first term, Kemah led the IAA to achieve significant institutional modernization and strategic alignment. Key milestones include developing the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, which aligns with the Government's ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). He also oversaw major workplace renovations at the IAA headquarters and expanded the agency's workforce to 263 employees and 15 interns. Kemah's leadership has also seen the training of over 177 internal auditors across 97 public entities in international standards.
Kemah's tenure has been marked by historic regulatory and technical breakthroughs in public financial oversight. On June 25, 2026, he launched Liberia's First-Ever Internal Audit Regulations, operationalizing the IAA Act of 2013. He also introduced the embossed IAA Validation Stamp to eliminate duplicate voucher processing and established transitory account reform MOUs with key financial institutions. Furthermore, Kemah launched the ISOFT Audit Management System to automate risk assessments and audit planning.
Under Kemah's leadership, the IAA was named the 3rd Top-Performing Public Sector Entity in Liberia under the Executive's Performance Management and Compliance System (PMCS). The agency received the 2025 Performance Excellence Award from President Boakai in May 2026. This achievement is a testament to Kemah's efforts to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions.
Kemah has also prioritized gender equality in the IAA. He actively promoted the appointment of women to key executive positions, including Executive Director for Administration, Head of HR, and Director for Quality Assurance. This move has established a more inclusive and merit-based organizational culture within the agency.
Looking ahead, Kemah's second tenure will focus on accelerating digital integration and expanding automated audit processes across the government. With solid regulatory frameworks, modern oversight tools, and a trained workforce in place, his continuation promises to reinforce institutional transparency and ensure public institutions fulfill the Agency's core mantra of doing the right thing in the right way.
The re-nomination of Kemah has been welcomed by stakeholders, who see it as a positive move towards sustaining the gains made at the IAA. The agency's personnel are currently deployed across 97 spending entities and seven counties, playing a critical role in promoting accountability and transparency in public financial management.
Key points
- President Boakai's re-nomination of David Kemah as IAA Director General reflects confidence in his ability to continue advancing fiscal integrity and public financial oversight.
- Kemah's leadership has led to significant institutional modernization and strategic alignment at the IAA, including the development of a new strategic plan and expansion of the agency's workforce.
- The IAA's achievement as the 3rd Top-Performing Public Sector Entity in Liberia is a testament to Kemah's efforts to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions.
