Monrovia – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has released its fourth report highlighting financial irregularities in seven government Agencies and Ministries, thus recommending a number of government officials to restitute funds misapplied.
Report by Al-Varney Rogers, [email protected]
The PAC report recommended that former officials of the Liberia National Investment Commission jointly and severally restitute the variances of US$686,985.47 and US$719,796.00 respectively which represents payments without supporting documentations for the fiscal years 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 respectively.
The officials named in the report to restitute funds allocated for National Investment Commission are O. Natty B. Davis, Chairman US$12,308.33; Ciata A. Bishop, Executive Director US$12,308.33; James Boker, Director of Finance and Administration US$12,308.33; Grisper G. Garteh, Adm. Officer US$12,308.33; Nathaniel Kohn, former Comptroller US$12,308.33; Quinton A. Tunis, Comptroller US$12,308.33; summing up to US$73,850.
On the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PAC resolved that Mr. Thomas Kaydor, former Deputy Foreign Minister and Mr. B. Elias Shoniyin, Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs, be reprimanded for administrative lapses as they failed to exert due diligence in the discharge of their duties.
“Said act was in violation of section C.9 (3) of the PFM Regulations of 2009 delegation of authority to perform functions or duties under these regulations does not diminish the accountability of the head of Government agency or relieve him or her of responsibilities provided in these regulations”.
The report recommends that Mr. Augustine N. Nyanplu, who directly managed the project and was seen as per the audit report, constantly writing checks to himself and withdrawing same from the project account be made to restitute the amount of L$20,195,625, which constitutes the variance of transactions without supporting documentations adding that said amount should be deposited in the Government of Liberia’s Recovery Account at the Central Bank of Liberia.
“The Committee further recommended that the IECI Project Management having failed to provide proof of the repayment should be made to restitute the amount of L$104,875, which represents monies disbursed to employees of MoFA as loan, allowance, salary advance etc.”
PAC also stated in its report that the IECI project management be held accountable for the misapplication of the project funds on activities that were not earmarked by the project utilization plan.
“The management should recover all funds disbursed outside the scope of the project or otherwise be made to jointly and severally restitute the amount of L$6,612,640.”
“The Committee insisted that Mr. Augustine N. Nyanplu be held to restitute the amount of LD$8,402,480, which constitutes the total value of checks signed by single signatory and the Committee also requests the Government of Liberia file an extradition for Mr. Nyanplu from the United States of America so as to be prosecuted for his criminal conduct.”
“Therefore the Committee recommends that the IECI project Management be held accountable for the misapplication of the project funds on activities that were not earmarked by the project utilization plan.”
Thus, the management should recover all funds disbursed outside the scope of the project or otherwise be made to jointly and severally restitute the amount of L$6,612,640.
He further disclosed that L$795,880 got approval and could not be accounted for by Mr. Monie Momolu as indicated from the supporting documents attached to his response, while L$105,600.00 was authorized for media coverage and paid out to Mr. Horatio Bobby Willie, who has not provided any expenditure breakdown and receipts after several verbal requests from management. With regards to L$26,400 paid to Mr. David K.B. Akoi for media coverage, Mr. Akoi provided receipt /signature list to account for said amount.
The report named the following officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to restitute funds outside the scope of the project, B. Elias Shoniyin, Deputy Minister for IECI Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs LD$1,653,160; Thomas Kaydor, former Deputy Minister for IECI Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs LD$1,653,160; Elizabeth Sirleaf, Assistant Minister for Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, L$1,653,160; Augustine N. Nyanplu, IECI Project Manager, LD$1,653,160. The total amount to be restituted by present and former Foreign Ministry officials is LD$6,612,640.
The report recommended that the Ministry of Commerce’s Medium Small Micro Enterprise Project restitutes the variance of US$27,199 constituting payment made without adequate supporting documentations.
“The Committee recommends that the management of the MSME Project should restitute the amount of US$25,310, which represents payment made in the names of employees.”
The Committee recommended that the MSME Management restitute the amount of US$1,683.70, which represents amount exceeded over the petty cash threshold established by the PFM Regulation.
The Committee further stated that the management of the MOCI/MSME project restitute US$55,656.88, which represents payments not related to project activities and the amount of US$8,630.35 representing taxes withheld from various vendors for the procurement of goods, services, and works be remitted to the GoL revenue account and submit copies of the flag receipts to the office of the Auditor General and the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
The report recommended that the MSME Project management restitute the amount of US$25,310, which represents amount paid to third parties.
They, however, suggested that these former and present Ministry of Commerce officials, including Miata Beysolow, Minister US$4218.33; Axel M. Addy, Minister US$4218.33; Andrew G. Paygar, Deputy Minister, Small Business Adm. US$4218.33; Daniel Dean, Asst. Minister, Adm. US$4218.33; Filiman S. Sanyon, Comptroller US$4218.33; Steve Flahn Paye, Coordinator for Japanese Funding Project US$4218.33.