PHOTO: Georgia A. Wallen
The World Bank takes very seriously our obligation to ensure that Bank funds are used for clearly defined activities for the benefit of the people and communities we serve.
Monrovia, Liberia- A day after media outlets published a leaked letter from the World Bank Country Office in Liberia raising concerns about accountability of funds at NaFAA, an official statement has been issued by the Bank saying that, “the World Bank takes very seriously our obligation to ensure that Bank funds are used for clearly defined activities for the benefit of the people and communities we serve”.
NaFAA is the National Aquaculture Authority in Liberia.
The letter dated August 16, 2024 raises issues of lack of accountability and “value for money” for a major fisheries project, the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP) which the Bank said is intended to benefit the ordinary fisherfolks and fish mongers, something that has reportedly not been seen in the project progress report.
But reacting the leaked letter addressed to fisheries Agency’s Director General, Emma M. Glassco, NaFAA said: “The management of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, NaFAA says it has not received any communication from the World Bank that is now circulating in the media.” HOT LETTER IN CIRCULATION: World Bank Raised Concerns About Accountability At NaFAA, But NaFAA Denies Receiving It – News Public Trust
In its brief statement sent to News Public Trust today, Thursday, August 22, 2024, the World Bank’s Liberia Country Office said:
“The World Bank takes very seriously our obligation to ensure that Bank funds are used for clearly defined activities for the benefit of the people and communities we serve. World Bank-funded projects are implemented by recipient Governments and are governed by policies and legal agreements meant to ensure that project funds are used for the purposes intended. As part of this, the World Bank conducts regular missions to monitor project implementation, assesses projects’ ability to meet their development goals, and proposes appropriate corrective actions if needed. The World Bank is working with the Liberian Government to assess progress on the Liberia Sustainable Management Fishery Project – implemented by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NAFAA) – and address any issues with the overall goal of improving fisheries management and enhancing the livelihoods and incomes for beneficiary communities.”