Monrovia – A special audit of the payroll and payment process of presidential appointees conducted by the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) has established that dismissed and resigned presidential appointees received their regular salaries for months after their dismissal and resignation.
Report by Lennart Dodoo – [email protected]
The IAA special audit established that an accumulated amount of US$167,009.87 and LD$2,980,331.70 from January 2015 – February 2016 were paid in salaries to presidential appointees who were either dismissed or resigned.
The purpose of this special audit was to appraise the system of payment for presidential appointees and highlight anomalies and its attending cost to the Government.
The audit intends to support the various departments and entities involved to develop and institute the appropriate internal control mechanisms to curtail any problems that may arise.
The audit covered the payroll of all presidential appointees from July 2014 – February 2016.
It was sanctioned by Dr. James Kollie at the time he served as acting Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
“We reviewed the payrolls to verify that names of all dismissed appointees or those who resigned were deleted.
Presidential appointees usually receive 80 percent of their salaries in US dollars and 20 percent in Liberian dollars.
“From July 2014 – February 2016, a total of 34 persons were dismissed or resigned.
However, 14 names remained on the payrolls for at least one month after their dismissal, or resignation,” the IAA special report stated.
An amount of US$40,890.88 and LD$1,109,046.97 paid to Mr. Ousman S. Tall who served as assistant minister at the Ministry of Agriculture but resigned/dismissed on June 18, 2015 allegedly received salary until November 2015, amounting to US$9,662.48 and L$236,230.80 .
This amount was, however, recovered by the MFDP.
US$31,228.40 and L$872,816 were recovered from Amos B. Tweh who served as Deputy Minister at the Internal Affairs Ministry.
He was replaced on April 1, 2015, however, monthly salary payment was made to his accounts until January 2016.
The alleged failure on the part of line ministries/agencies to notify the Comptroller and Accountant General’s office about the dismissal or resignation of some presidential appointees led to the payment of US$126,118.99 and LD$1,871,284.73.
These amounts were, however, not recovered.
Kau Kidor, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport resigned/dismissed January 2015 but allegedly received her monthly salary from February 2015 to February 2016 totaling US$45,699.14.
Former Assistant at the Minister of Commerce, Sieh Gahn, who was replaced in July 2014 according to the report, received the total amount of US$32,970.83 and L$$889,069.64 from January 2015 – February 2016.
Hawa Goll-Kotchi who served as Deputy Minister Ministry Of Education was replaced on April 7, 2015 received US$3,619.28 and L$82,473.60.
Tokunboh Lawrence, former Assistant Minister at the Ministry Of Education was also replaced on April 7, 2015 but received salary for May 2015 in the tone of US$ 2,419.28 and L$57,093.41.
Blokonjay Jackson, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Education replaced on April 7, 2015 allegedly received US$2,419.28.
Mr. Mohammed A. Paasewe, Superintendent/Grand Cape Mount who was dismissed on May 2015 allegedly received his monthly salary from June to October 2015 in the sum of US$11,215.96 and L$ 293,980.58.
Former Grand Bassa Superintendent Etweeda A. Cooper who resigned in September 2015 continued to receive her salary until January 2016. She received US$9,660.15 and L$ 237,492.07.
Rixck Barsi-Giah who was dismissed in January 2015 as assistant minister at the Ministry of Information, allegedly received salary from February 2015 to April 2015, totaling US$4,837.95 and L$114,515.01.
Ramses Kumbuya, former Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education was replaced on April 7, 2015 received salary for May 2015 at US$ 3,619.28 and L$82,473.60.
The special audit report concluded that “efficient control mechanisms have not been designed to monitor and manage the payroll and payment process of Presidential appointees so as to ensure that additions and deletions are carried out on a timely basis.”
The lack of control, according to the report, has resulted in significant financial loss of US$126,118.99 and LD$1,871,284.73.
Though US$40,890.88 and LD$1,109,046.97 were recovered, this, according to the report, does not negate the fact that control weakness still exists in the process.
The audit scope was limited to a period of 14 months due to lack of documents.
However, the significant findings, according to the report, indicated the existence of additional appointees who might have benefited from payments beyond their service period which could further increase the financial loss.
The IAA mentioned the need for the MFDP to design effective controls to reduce the risk of wrong payments and ensure that Presidential appointees’ payroll is updated on a timely basis.
“MFDP should not always await notification from the line ministries or agencies.”
“They should take action based on information from the Executive Mansion website in the case of dismissal,” the report recommended.
FrontPage Africa could not reach most of those listed in the report but former Grand Bassa County Superintendent, Etweeda Cooper, said when she resigned as Superintendent, she was asked by the president to act in the stead until a new superintendent could be appointed.