-Nominates head of Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority
President George Manneh Weah departed the Country today, Tuesday, October 30, 2018 for Dakar, Senegal to attend the Africa Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Conference on Beneficial Ownership Transparency, the Executive Mansion says.
A press release says the Government of Senegal is facilitating the Conference, which runs from October 30 to November 2, 2018.
Relations between the Liberian government and the EITI has gone sour, since President Weah replaced the Head of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) at the annoyance of the EITI, which is a part of the Multi Stakeholders Steering Group (MSG) responsible to hire the Head of Secretariat according to the Act establishing the LEITI.
After former Liberian Lawmaker, Gabriel Nyenkan moved in at the LEITI offices to take over as Head of Secretariat, the EITI condemned the move by President Weah in a statement release few months ago. But the Liberian leader defended his action, saying he had broken no law.
President George Manneh Weah
Last September, the EITI suspended Liberia for the “country’s failure to publish the EITI report for the fiscal period ending June 2016 within the first week of the July 1, 2018 deadline.”
“It is unfortunate that Liberia missed its reporting deadline. We are hoping that this is a temporary setback,” Rich said, adding that EITI encourages the government to consult all the relevant stakeholders and ensure that they are adequately represented in Liberia’s EITI multi-stakeholders group, in accordance with the EITI Standard,” the EITI said in its statement announcing Liberia’s suspension.
The Executive Mansion said in its press release on Tuesday that this week’s EITI Conference in Senegal is intended to discuss and find answers to burning issues arising from the use of Africa’s lucrative extractive industries, including how ownership transparency can be key to preventing tax evasion, mitigating illicit financial flows and raising revenues from extractives.
The conference will also discuss how governments, industries and civil society can work together towards beneficial ownership disclosure in extractives to help mobilize domestic resources.
Additionally, it will also afford leaders of EITI nations, who are driving extractive sector reforms, to improve availability of ownership information, opportunity to share their experiences, progress and challenges.
Topics also expected to be discussed at different Sessions of the Conference include improving revenue mobilization with beneficial ownership data, reduce risks in extractives licensing, legal approaches to ownership transparency, and making the ownership register public.
While the President is away, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Chief of Office Staff, Hon. Nathaniel Falo McGill will chair the Cabinet in close consultation with the Vice President via telephone contact with the President.
Meanwhile, President Weah has nominated Archie Dumoe as Director General of the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
This nomination may be subject to confirmation by the Honorable Liberian Senate if applicable, an Executive Mansion press release said on Tuesday.