By Vaye Abel Lepolu
MONROVIA – The Supreme Court of Liberia has cited the Executive Branch to appear in a hearing over the alleged wrongful termination of Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan, former Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). The hearing is scheduled for November 13, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., before Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard-Wolokollie, sitting as Justice in Chambers.
Dr. Nyan, a renowned biomedical scientist and public health expert, filed a petition challenging his removal by President Joseph Boakai on October 15, 2025. He argues that the action—based on a resolution from the NPHIL Board—violated the NPHIL Act of 2016 and ignored the statutory requirements for removing a tenured official. According to court documents, the Board’s resolution provided “no evidence,” and Dr. Nyan was neither accused nor investigated for any wrongdoing.
Under the NPHIL Act, the Director General can only be removed for cause, including corruption, criminal conviction, incapacity, or conduct inimical to the public interest, and only after due process. Dr. Nyan contends that none of these standards were met, and that his dismissal contravened Article 20(a) of the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Law.
Since taking office in August 2024, Dr. Nyan has been credited with strengthening NPHIL’s technical capacity and leading successful responses to Mpox, Lassa fever, and measles outbreaks. NPHIL also gained international recognition under his leadership, earning designation from the Africa CDC as an Africa Regional Center of Excellence for National Public Health Institute Development.
