The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission’s (LACC’s) dithering posture on continued investigative news reports linking Finance Minister Samuel D, Tweah, and others to allege financial malpractices in the country, has been criticized and condemned.
Several Monrovians, who spoke with Smart news recently in a random interview, believed the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), is giving the Liberian Finance Minister and others too much respect when it comes to exercising its statutory function.
Recently, the Supreme Court of Liberia ordered the detention of former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai for stealing over US$1 Million belonging to soldiers.
During a random interview with some Liberians in the streets of Monrovia to sample their views on the court’s action, a large proportion of the interviewees commanded the Liberian government for what they considered a “big catch” in the corruption fight. The convicted Brownie Samukai was the defense minister in the erstwhile government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
However, the citizens called on the George Weah government to look deep inside its own closet and investigate its officials who are directly linked to or accused of corruption practices.
“The LACC has continued to pay blind eyes to the Finance Minister, Samuel D. Tweah who is one official who has been continually linked to corruption activities in the media.”
They specifically accused the Liberia Anti-Corruption of being selective in its fight against corruption. For instance, according to the interviewees, the LACC has either tried to cover up or showed inaction on all corruption reports linking the Liberian Finance Minister and cohorts.
Specific reference was made to the US$25 Million which was intended to mop up excess liquidity in the country. The money was controversially expended three years ago and allegedly misapplied, under the supervision of the Liberian Finance Minister.
“It’s over three years since the US$25 Million mop-up funds allegedly linking Samuel Tweah and others to misapplication of the funds were forwarded to the LACC by the Ministry of Justice on the orders of President Weah. No report, no culprits”, said one of the interviewees.
The Finance Minister had publicly announced the funds were taken to street corners to buy out excess Liberian Dollars. The LACC for three years has shoved the case under the carpet.
Our interviewees also spoke about the alleged disappearance of US$4 Million which was placed in the 2018/2019 National Budget; intended to renovate public schools.
Even though Finance Minister Samuel Tweah had admitted using the funds as per succeeding national budget reports, the work for which the money was intended was never carried out.
They say the LACC has not even commented on nor investigated the misapplication of the US$4 Million; even though River Gee County District Two Representative, Duopo had spoken publicly on the case and demanded a thorough investigation on the issue, yet LACC remains motionless.
The funds were placed in the national budget to renovate public schools, purchase chairs and build science laboratories for the schools.
A team of investigative Journalists who toured several public schools in the country saw nothing to justify the use of the funds. The schools remain in tartar with no laboratories and unpainted under those budget periods.
The Education Ministry which should have been the custodian of the US$4 Million denied ever using the funds. One official at the ministry who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press said, “We are aware the funds were allocated, but we never had access to them. If the schools were renovated and laboratories were built at the time, they would have been visible.” He pointed out.
Another issue that was raised by the Liberians during the interview is the alleged swindle of US$14 Million intended to subsidize the importation of rice.
Even though Tweah said the government spent the money on the intended purpose, some rice importers have raised concern to Journalists that they have not benefited from the so-called subsidy. They even asked that the Finance Ministry published the full list of the importers that benefited.
President George Weah approved the amount to abort a potential increase in the local price of rice which is Liberia’s staple food.
A few months ago, Rice imports demanded an increase in the local price of rice due to the high cost of freight worldwide which was caused by the pandemic.
However, it appears that in the distribution of the funds amongst the six major rice importers, a few were left out.
Questions are also being asked as to how Minister Samuel Tweah and others came out with the US$14 Million figure, which experts say is too exorbitant.
Liberian Information Minister, Largerhood Rennie, when quizzed to give details on how the money was expended, replied: “I am not getting the cooperation of the agencies that spearheaded the subsidies funds, so I am not able to speak on it.”
It is alleged LACC’s inaction on cases linking Tweah and other government officials, is due to its close connection to Minister Samuel Tweah and other Weah officials.
One interviewee alleged that the LACC in recent times has been reconfigured to include relatives of top Weah government officials; a situation he says makes it difficult for the LACC to investigate or deliver reliable reports on corruption cases involving their relatives in government.
For instance, he alleged that the new Executive Director of the LACC, Moses Kowo, is a brother of the Comptroller General of Liberia, Janga Kowo.
He also alleged that the Chairman of the LACC, Cllr. Klah Martin is allegedly a cousin or some kind of relative of Finance Minister Samuel Tweah. He further revealed that the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) which is another integrity public institution is chaired by Roseline Nagbe Kowo, the wife of the same Comptroller General Janga Kowo, adding, “This kind of situation is undermining the sincere fight against corruption in the country.”
