By Augustine Octavius
Six employees at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection have been suspended and handed over to the Liberia Anti Corruption Commission, pending the outcome of an investigation on alleged corruption, the Minister has announced in Monrovia.
Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Will-mina Saydee Tarr, disclosed that six employees’ names were captured in the audit report conducted by the General Auditing Commission,
But some media reports earlier contradicted her account, saying that some civil servants not supporters of the ruling CDC were arbitrarily removed from the Ministry.
But Minister Tarr told a news conference on Monday, that the salaries of those under investigation were being withheld by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
The names of those turned over to the LACC have not been released, the Gender Minister added that they are from the Comptroller, personnel and finance sessions.
She revealed that six others have been returned to the Civil Service Agency for re-assignment , incompetence, undermining and non-cooperation.
Minister Tarr clarified that sending of six employees for re-assignment is no way intended to create openings, as it is being speculated in some quarters.
She confirmed that the ruling CDC’s National Chairman Mulbah Morlu has forwarded a list of CDC supporters (Cdcians) to her Ministry for employment.
Commenting on the issue of security at the ministry, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social protection indicated that the services of the private security agency hired by the previous administration have expired at the end of June.
Minister Tarr explained that it was against this back ground that the security agency was replaced by officers of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) pending the renewal or the hiring of a new security institution.
The Gender Minister made clear that the MCC officers were not hired, but because they are employed in government and are performing their statutory mandate
“We will however appreciate them if we have the funding but that does not necessarily mean that they are on the of the ministry,” she said
She denied report that the security personnel assigned were dismissed and replaced by supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change.
The Minister clarified that the personnel actions she has taken do not constitute witch hunting some employees that were serving the previous administration.