“Family Expense Not Taxpayers’ Money” -Kruah Responds To Surgery Allegation

By Bill W. Cooper
Labor Minister Cooper Kruah has sharply responded to recent media reports alleging that he inflated the costs associated with his recent foreign trip.
Recently, it was reported that the expenses incurred during Minister Kruah’s travel were significantly higher than what was necessary; raising questions about the integrity of his office and the use of public funds.
The report further accused Minister Kruah of “cunningly’ extending the duration of an official trip abroad to accommodate his wife in total violation of President Joseph Boakai’s recent directive regarding government officials’ foreign travels.
But in response, the Minister vehemently denied the claim, asserting that all expenses were documented and justified, clarifying that his trip to Europe was by invitation, and primarily for medical reasons, specifically an eye surgery that he had been postponing for several months.
Minister Kruah also emphasized that he had been experiencing severe vision problems, which required immediate attention from specialists abroad, and said, “My trip was not a luxury getaway; it was a necessary medical procedure that I could not afford to delay any longer.”
Reacting to the allegation yesterday, April 28, 2025, Kruah further disclosed that he officially sought a travel permit from President Boakai based on an official invitation extended by the Labour Minister of Luxemburg, Georges Mischo, to join other world labour officials to attend ‘The Global Government Summit’, from April 9 to 11, 2025.
According to him, in addition to his official trip to Europe, he further sought the permission of the President to undergo a private medical diagnosis in which he underwent a successful eye surgery.
“Also, my wife, Bendu Kruah, as a medical doctor, took upon her family initiative to escort me to ensure my medical well being, purely at the cost of family expense, not on ‘ taxpayers money’ as erroneously reported by the Verity Newspaper.
The only official member of my delegation to the Luxemburg Global Government Summit was Assistant Labor Minister, Stanley Barh and my Chief of Office Staff, and all associated costs were done by the Ministry of Luxemburg, not on account of the Liberian government,” he clarified.
Minister Kruah further asserted, “As public officials, I am on the know that we must hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, and I welcome scrutiny, but it must be based on facts and not unfounded allegations.”
The Minister, at the same time, urged the media to exercise caution and responsibility in their reporting, emphasizing the potential harm that misinformation can cause to public trust in government institutions.
The Minister maintained that he remains steadfast in his commitment to serving the citizenry, assuring that his focus will remain on the critical issues facing the labour sector, including job creation and workers’ rights.