-Says “Doing right brings honor to a nation…” Proverbs 14:34
Monrovia, Liberia – The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) welcomes the release of the LD16B missing money reports by the Government of Liberia and the United States Embassy through USAID last week.
The nation and people have anxiously anticipated the release of these investigative reports in order to know the truth concerning the explosive media reports of missing money and the conduct of the US$25 million Mop-up exercise intended by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Liberia, to buy excess legacy banknotes from the market, a press release signedby LCC’s President Bishop Kortu Brown said on Sunday.
The LCC commends the Presidential Investigation Team (PIT) set up by the President of Liberia and the USAID-sponsored Kroll international financial firm for the tireless efforts put into compiling and releasing these investigative reports simultaneously on Thursday, February 28, 2019 in Monrovia
The LCC acknowledges several outstanding and concerning issues presented by the investigative reports to include the whereabouts of the reported LD2.6 Billion excess printed materials reflecting a strong difference between new banknotes reportedly received at the CBL to the tune of LD15.506 billion and documented printed volumes of LD18.1 billion, the extremely troubling US$25 Million Mop-up exercise transactions, poor documentation of financial transactions at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), the differences in three (3) CBL operational vaults balances, and the lack of full Legislative approval for printing the approximately LD18.1 billion banknotes to replace the legacy or old bank notes from the market, amongst others.
The Liberia Council of Churches calls on the Government of Liberia to ensure that the fight against impunity and/or sleaze is profound and comprehensive by ensuring that everything is done to bring to justice ALL implicated in the two investigative reports. The LCC calls on Liberians and the public in general to remain calm and engage in orderly manners as this financial drama of enormous consequence unfolds before our eyes. We assume that all accused are innocent until proven guilty.
Meanwhile the Liberia Council of Churches will convene a Special meeting of Heads of Churches on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 to fully consider our reaction to the two reports.