The government has announced that it will not renew the contract of the auditor-general, John Morlu, ostensibly on the basis that he failed to respect the office of the president and that the controversies that he has generated during his tenure present a needless distraction from the task of fighting corruption. This follows the publication of an email from Mr Morlu to the president accusing her of orchestrating a campaign against him in the media, after articles that were published by known close associates of Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf made various claims against him. His use of inflammatory language in the email was then seized upon as evidence of his supposed lack of respect for the office of the president, and this then formed the basis of the decision not to reappoint him.

Critics claim that the underlying reason for his sacking was that his thorough and independent way of carrying out the job presented a significant challenge to the government and to some of its officials who have been targeted by his audits, and who have lobbied for his replacement as a result. There appears to be little foundation for his sacking on the basis of any failure to do the job effectively, and his strong performance was acknowledged by many international observers, as well as nationally. The early publication of audit reports has also been criticised by those within the government who claim that those affected should have a chance to respond to any accusations against them before reports are placed in the public domain. This aspect has been welcomed, however, by many in civil society who view it as further evidence of the independence of the auditor-general's office under Mr Morlu. Activists have criticised the reduction in the tenure of the auditor-general from an original 15-year term to only four years, which is far less than the life tenure allocated to the position in many countries; this, they suggest, has contributed to the politicisation of the office.

The deputy auditor-general, Winsley Nanka, will act in the capacity of auditor-general until a new appointment is made. He and his staff have pledged to uphold the high standards that Mr Morlu brought to the office, including integrity and independence. Despite international reservations about the failure to reappoint Mr Morlu, the EU is expected to continue its support by funding the salary of the auditor-general, as well as some costs associated with the office.