LIBERIA – Aloysius Howe, Liberia’s Finance Minister Samuel Tweah’s media aide, has called Smart News Liberia to question the truthfulness of a story it published indicating that minister Tweah confirmed he received US$160K from LISGIS.
In a mobile phone communication with one of the editors of Smart News early today, Howe attempted to say that the finance minister did not confirm news reports that he (Howe), took money from LISGIS.
Aloysius Howe said Finance Minister Tweah did not tell Spoon FM that he received the money for public relations on his page.
Smart News recently reported that Liberia’s Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, who is the chairman of the board of directors of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) firmed that his media aide, Aloysius Howe has been paid US$160 thousand by LISGIS.
Minister Tweah told Spoon FM radio that he has been informed that the money was paid to Howe for Public Relations services he allegedly provided to LISGIS.
The Finance Minister claimed the payment to Howe by LISGIS is being investigated, without saying who was investigating the allegation.
Youth Activist, Martin Kollie had earlier accused Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah’s media assistant, Aloysius Howe, of allegedly withdrawing 160k from LISGIS’ account on October 19, 2022, on Cheque– BG CHK330, Ref. J01CQWL222920084.
Activist Martin Kollie, had launched a blistering and sustained attack on the person of the Liberia Finance Minister for allegedly being responsible for the financial crisis at LISGIS.
Martin Kollie had revealed in a series of publications that Liberia’s census for 2023 is in jeopardy for alleged corruption.
He accused officials at LISGIS and the Minister of Finance of allegedly stealing monies intended for the conduct of the census.
Martin Kollie disclosed the Finance Minister who is the chairman of the census board was allegedly manipulating the situation at LISGIS and stealing monies that are intended to fund the holding of the census. Koillie has not been able to show documentary evidence of his allegations.
It was apparently, based on Martin Kollie’s allegations that Spoon FM panelists questioned the finance Minister when he appeared on their talk show. Tweah had informed the Panelists that he heard of such information, but that an investigation into the allegations was launched. The Finance Minister even went further to suggest that he has been told that the money Howe received from LISGIS was for PR services he rendered to the census house on his page.