LIBERIA – Credible sources have revealed that several lobbying firms in the United States are terminating their contracts with the George Weah Government. Liberia is a small poor West African nation that has been spending Millions of United States Dollars annually on lobbying fees, at the time the country’s poor masses are struggling to have a daily meal.
Carbon Thread (CT), Strom Partners, and Ice Miller are allegedly said to be among firms that have already severed ties with the Government of President Weah.
There have been no official reasons for this new wave of what opponents of the Weah regime in Monrovia called “Contrition” by these United States-based lobbying firms. Some Liberians have been crying about the use of their taxes by their government to splash the cash on firms to polish the image of President Weah and his government to the United States Government.
One political analyst in Monrovia conjectured that there may be two reasons for the firms’ action: either because it’s very difficult polishing President Weah’s image or because they feel for the starving masses of the poverty-stricken nation.
It can be recalled that Globe Afrique also reported that U.S. Lobbyists were terminating their agreements with the Government of Liberia which Totals $600,000 Per Year
Globe Afrique had exposed an alleged money laundering scheme under the pretext of foreign lobbying allegedly by former Minister of State, Nathaniel McGill, Liberia’s Min. of Finance, Samuel Tweah, and the head of Liberia’s maritime, Lenn Eugene Nagbe.
Globe Afrique quoting the U.S. Department of Justice, said on August 19, 2022, the Carbon Thread (CT) Agency terminated its agreement with the Government of Liberia. Under the agreement, CT was expected to be paid $240,000 annually.
It reported that what’s more astonishing is that the agreement was to promote the President of Liberia, George Weah, mainly through an effort to allow him to meet the President of the United States, President Joseph Biden.
The agreement was to remain active for three years – into 2024 – a full year after Liberia’s presidential election. However, under the alleged laundering scheme, the Ministry of Finance made an initial payment and reneged on future payments while withdrawing the funds from the CBL for personal enrichment.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice website, on August 22, 2022, Strom Partners terminated its agreement with the Government of Liberia. In this agreement, on behalf of Bakari Sellers, Strom Partners would also be compensated $120,000 per year for three years.
The medium also quoted the U.S. Department of Justice’s website, on August 22, 2022, that Ice Miller also terminated its $300,000 per year agreement with the Government of Liberia. Again, this agreement was expected to run three years into 2024.
It said on July 20, 2022, amid a food crisis, the Government of Liberia, through the Minister of Finance, paid $474,950 thousand to Ballard Partners in one of the most outrageous lobbying contracts by a poor developing country handcuffed to an IMF program.
