By William Selmah wselmah@gmail.com
The Democracy Frontline International (DFI) has welcomed concrete steps being taken by the United States Government to help ascertain facts surrounding the reported disappearance of around 16 billion (over 100 million USD) minted Liberian banknotes.
DFI’s Executive Director Amish Amara expressed the hope that international forensic investigators will be given the needed cooperation to probe the matter.
He said “every well-meaning Liberian should view this response by the country’s long standing traditional ally in good faith”.
The United States Government through its embassy in Monrovia, last week issued announced that it was soliciting the involvement of independent, internationally recognized firms specialized in forensic investigations to conduct a scoping mission that could ascertain the basic facts surrounding the alleged missing currency matter. In a statement, the US Embassy said the mission would determine to what extent a broader mission would be needed.
“It is the assessment of the U.S. Embassy in Liberia that such a report would be the most credible and effective means to quickly determine the scale of the problem, and would be an appropriate means for the United States to support the Liberian government and citizens’ desire to understand the allegations and facts,” the US Embassy added.
The Executive Director of DFI Mr. Amara, who is currently residing in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, said that the probe into the missing billions is needed as it affords the current and immediate past governments a glaring opportunity to exonerate themselves and remove the cloud of suspicion hovering over them.
“While it is true that we have local experts that can ably handle this kind of investigation, it is only prudent that we accept outside help for the sake of transparency and credibility,” Mr. Amara advised.
He further said that everything relating to this money is crucial to the survival of the state and the advancement of its long term development goals, saying therefore it should not be handled lightly.