Supreme Court Reserves Judgement in Dr. Nyan's Wrongful Termination Case
Following a two-day conference last week at the Supreme Court of Liberia over the wrongful termination case of Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan v. Executive Branch of Government, the Justice-in-Chambers, Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard-Wolokolie, has reserved judgement pending consultation between counsels of the petitioner, Dr. Nyan and the respondent, the Executive Branch, for reinstatement or other remedies according to the law. Legal sources have hinted that discussions between the parties could pivot around several options according to the law and among which is the immediate reinstatement of Dr. Nyan to his position as Director General of NPHIL, or compensation for breach of contract and other damages, the latter option which could impose a huge financial cost on government.
Dr. Nyan, a renowned biomedical scientist and public health expert, filed a petition on October 23, 2025 challenging his removal by Liberian President Joseph Boakai on October 15, 2025 as Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). According to the petition, Dr. Nyan was appointed by the President on August 1, 2024, to a five-year tenure as Director General of NPHIL in keeping with Section 4.4 of the NPHIL Act. Since taking office, Dr. Nyan has been credited with strengthening NPHIL’s technical capacities 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.” His petition for prohibition argues that the president’s action which was 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.
Dr. Nyan’s petition further states that the president's acts constitute a flagrant violation of the law and procedure and constitute reasons for prohibition as recognized by the Supreme Court in past tenure cases. Lawyers of Dr. Nyan led by Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe of Gongloe & Associates and Cllr. Kabineh M. Ja’neh, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, have cited prior Supreme Court opinions such as Yealue et al. v. Executive Branch of Government, reinforcing the protection of tenure positions in autonomous agencies.
As the Boakai’s government is under international pressure to conform to the rule of law, the Court’s intervention signals growing judicial scrutiny over the enforcement of tenure laws and the broader implications for good governance and accountability in Liberia’s public sector. Observers note that the outcome of Dr. Nyan’s case could set a significant precedent for the protection of tenure positions across government institutions, reinforcing the rule of law and the separation of powers. Dr. Nyan, an internationally recognized biomedical scientist known for his contributions to infectious disease diagnostics, reiterated his confidence in the judiciary to uphold constitutional order and fairness so that due process is respected in public service.
Author: Zac T. Sherman
