By Augustine Octavius
Liberia’s leading anti-corruption civil society organization has released a book on its assessment on the CDC–led government on transparency, accountability and integrity in all of its dealings.
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, which is also the local chapter of the Transparency International released its assessment in a book titled: “CENTAL: 100 Days-Plus Anti Corruption Monitoring Report of the Earliest Days of Weah’s Administration.”
The research and publication of the 12-page book by CENTAL was done with funding from the Legal Professional Department and Anti-Corruption program of the United States Agency for International Development.
In its executive summary, CENTAL reveals that during the 100 days, the government announced that its development agenda would be hinged pro-poor interventions at the time it was not developed.
The anti-graft group adds that soon afterwards, the national budget was recast with allocation of 9.6 million United States Dollars for the pro-poor interventions.
Based on this recast, an allotment of 500 United States Dollars was made to the Office of the First Lady without providing the role of the first lady in the government.
On appointments, confirmation and hearings, CENTAL pointed out that President George Weah appointed well-meaning persons in various positions in government but some of these high level officials have poor track records of integrity.
“One of these is the appointment and revocation of Counselor Charles Gibson as Justice Minister after details of unethical behavior was made known by the Supreme Court; but was later transferred as Chairman of the board of National Oil Company of Liberia.”
According to CENTAL, there are still other officials with poor integrity records who have been retained.
They are Emmanuel Shaw, Presidential Advisor; Elias Shoniyin, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister; Israel Akinsanya, Commissioner , Liberia Telecommunication Authority.
Others are Moseray Momoh , Deputy Managing Director at the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation; Geslar Murray, at the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Sebastian Gibson, Deputy Director at the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, but was recalled.
The civil society anti-graft watchdog group also makes mention of the appointment of heads of integrity institutions outside of the due process of law.
These institutions are the Liberia Extractive Transparency Industries and the Internal Auditing Agency.
On the law violated by the appointment of individuals without the legal credentials, CENTAL noted the appointment of J Emmanuel Nuquay, as Director General at the Liberia Aviation Authority.
As for the absence of institution heads, CENTAL said the absence of heads at institutions such as the National Bureau for Veteran Affairs, Governance Commission and other agencies have the propensity slow down the progress at these entities.
On the issue of favoritism, the anti corruption civil society organization pointed out that the favoritism was seen in the appointment of Rebecca McGill as Deputy Minister for Administration at the Finance and Development Planning Ministry, who is a sister Nathaniel McGill; Norwu Howard-Wesson, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Health, who is a sister to Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor; Alice Johnson Howard, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Gender and Social protection, who is a sister-in-law to the Vice President.
Gurley Gibson appointed Ambassador to the United States who is a sister to House Speaker Bhofal Chambers; and the hiring of Prince Weah, Wallow Weah and Moses Weah, all who are brothers of the president, as consultants at the National Port Authority with attractive salaries.
Almost six months after taking office, CENTER went on, only one junior official has declared his/her assets. President Weah and the rest of his officials are yet to declare their.
A significant number of those concerned in the judiciary have declared but the Clerk of the Supreme Court is yet to notify the Liberia Anti Corruption Commission..In the legislature, there has been no declaration made so far.
CENTER’s investigation reveals that government has not been procurement compliance on its pro poor projects. Four out of the thirteen projects identified as pro poor are non-procurement related.
Moreover, only two out of the nine have proceeded with the procurement law by contacting the Public Procurement and Concession Commission .
They are the repair of the buses at the National Transit authority and the 14 Military Hospital. But seven others are been implemented in violation of the law of the PPCC.
They are the Humanitarian Outreach of the First lady, the Street Lights Project, the University of Liberia Digitization and Wi-Fi project and the JFK Equipment and Facilities Upgrade Project
Others are the National ID for Payroll Cleanup, the PSL Teachers and the Maintenance of Ganta -Zwedru Road.
CENTAL indicated that government’s commitment to transparency initiatives such as Open Budget Initiative and Open Government Partnership have suffered setback.
An example, the organization said, was involving of Alfred Cheecks, an employee of the Central Bank of Liberia who was dismissed for revealing the traveling expenses of President George Weah to Senegal, Morocco and France and indefinite suspension of Deputy Commence Minister , Jemima Wolokollie who have accused her boss of conniving with foreign investors.
Another example cited by CENTAL is the agreement signed between the Liberian government and Eton Finance Limited for 536 million United States Dollars yet to be made public.
On the report of audit, the Public Account Committee at the 54th National Legislature has only conducted hearings for about 28 out of the 163 audit reports submitted to that body.
As for the Sable Mining case, CENTAL expressed pessimism on the resumption of case since the Supreme Court suspended it due to the cases of elections that overcrowded the docket of the court.
The entire report can be found on www.tiliberia.org.