MONROVIA – The ECOWAS Commission in Liberia has clarified statements attributed to its Special Representative to the country, Amb. Babatunde Olanrewaju Ajisomo, that ECOWAS is watching Liberia keenly over the reported misuse of donor funds.
FrontPageAfrica had reported that Amb. Ajisomo warned the government to be careful as to how it manages funds provided by the country’s development partners.
Below is the verbatim quote of Amb. Ajisomo’s remarks at the Training Workshop to Enhance DRM Capacity of National and Local Actors on May 6 in Monrovia:
I want to endorse, very wholeheartedly the highlights of the remarks of Senator Milton Teahjay whereby he talks about fiscal discipline accountability and transparency, equity in training for all amongst others and also copy by saying that the International community, the international agencies here, the embassies, there are watching, they are not only watching, they are doing their appraiser as they are giving you funding, and providing you support, they are doing monitoring and evaluation and they are making comparison. They are comparing you to what happen in Sierra Leone because we are supporting other members states, if Sierra Leone is doing and you are not doing well, it will raise a red flag
The Office of the Special Representative in a statement noted, amongst other things that, “It must be underscored here that, at no time has the Government or any of its officials denied him of or his Office this unfettered access at all levels of Government, even at the shortest notice, of which he is highly appreciative. It would therefore be unwise and unethical to criticize publicly an ECOWAS Member-State that has granted listening ears to issues raised through this communication channel”.