Monrovia – Pressure is mounting on Rep. Thomas Fallah to step down from his position as chairman of the legislative joint Public Account Committee.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah – [email protected]
Fallah has been linked to a GAC audit report which alleged that he and many lawmakers set up private institutions of learning to funnel cash surreptitiously from the county development funds, a breach of the public financial management laws. See vouchers
One person who has raised such grave concern over the revelation of the lawmaker’s public finance discrepancy is his rival, Atty. Norris Tweah, a resident of Montserrado County District Five.
Tweah expressed doubt over the credibility of the Public Account Committee to properly investigate cases that will appear before them when Representative Fallah, as head of the committee, is also named in an audit report for financial malpractice.
“It is a serious violation for resources intended to benefit our citizens to be diverted to his personal school and a check of US$20, 000 written in his name. That signifies corruption and it is a shame and disgrace,” Tweah said
He registered his disenchantment over the lawmaker action to receive US$20,000 in his name for his personal institution, terming it as dishonest.
Tweah said he believes Representative Fallah’s involvement in ‘financial malpractice’ as indicated in the 2012-2014 GAC report, gives him no moral grounds to serve as chair of the Public Account Committee at the House of Representative, calling for his recusal from the committee for the sake of expediency.
He referenced a latest publication of FrontPageAfrica Newspaper, Wednesday February 22, 2017 under the Caption, “Lawmaker Sets Up School to Funnel County Funds Surreptitiously” where it was indicated that there was no written and approved policy on the awarding of scholarships that will clearly spell out how students from the county are to obtain scholarship.
Tweah said in order for the GAC to have some independence in proper investigation, there is a need for House Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay to ensure that the report is investigated by prevailing on Representative Fallah to recuse himself from the Public Account Committee.
“If the chairperson who has already been indicted by the GAC audit report for failing to provide document for how he spent US$20,000, and for why he allowed his school to benefit at the extortion of other schools in the district, is the same person who is calling other government officials to give account on expenditure, it questions his credibility.”
According to Atty. Tweah, Fallah’s indictment in the audit report, linking him to allege financial malpractice gives him no moral grounds to call other line ministries and agencies to give account on expenditure, saying : “He whose preaches equity must come with clean hands.”
Also adding to Atty Tweah’s call, a member of the Public Account Committee at the House of Representatives, Rep. Sekou Kanneh, said he believes it would be prudent for Representative Thomas Fallah to recuse himself from the committee if his name is associated with financial malpractice in the 2012-2014 GAC audit report.
“I have not seen that document yet, that audit report that indicted him; it should be in my office but I think Honorable Fallah is a veteran lawmaker and if for any reason as being indicated, no one has to tell him that,” Kanneh said.
“I think when it comes to Legislative Politics, he’s one of the seniors and he should recuse himself, no one has to tell him that.”
“I’m very sure of that because that’s someone I know, I work with and I think too have respect, moral and integrity. Let the co-chair on the joint Public Account Committee, Senator Alphanso Gaye, handle the matter in case it should come on the floor.”