Monrovia – In a system with corruption, there is no quality of service to the people. To demand quality, one needs to pay for it.
Report by Edwin Genoway, [email protected]
This is seen in many areas of
Many Liberian companies and NGOs protest of not being recognized by the donors in awarding grants and contracts. Some of the few lucky ones that receive supports usually frustrate the efforts of the donors and Liberians who advocate that Liberian-own companies and or NGOs be awarded these contracts. They either perform poorly on projects or mismanage the funds.
As the result, supporting partners get skeptical of awarding contracts or funding Liberian companies to implement projects on donors’ behalf.
FrontPageAfrica has obtained several reports from assessments done by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) at the Ministry of Agriculture pointing out the mismanagement of US$1 million donor funding by a Liberian rice NGO, Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP).
The reports highlight the implementation of the Japanese Rice Grant Project called the Economic Recovery of Liberia Farmers in Ebola-Affected Counties.
The Grant Number is 2000001610. The project is being implemented in five counties—Lofa, Bassa, Bomi, Cape Mount, and Montserrado Counties.
The grant was prompted by the hit of the Ebola virus that badly affected the Liberian economy including the agriculture sector.
At the end of the Ebola disease emergency, there was the challenge of restoring Liberia’s pre-Ebola progress to ensure peace, stability, food security, economic growth and growth in exports that favor all segments of Liberia’s society.
The “Economic Recovery of Liberian Rice Farmers in Ebola-Affected Counties” project was financed by a grant from the Government of Japan for an amount of US$2.1 million.
Of this amount, US$2 million was given to the Government of Liberia and US$0.1 million to IFAD to implement through a Note Verbal from the Embassy of Japan in Ghana on 9 February 2016.
IFAD hired CHAP as one of its local implementing partners to carryout this project.
The report states that a balance of US$0.064 needs to be returned to IFAD at project closure and CHAP is yet to refund.
The project aimed to address the restoration of productive capacity for Ebola-affected households that are beneficiaries of IFAD’s five-county program for rice.
The project targeted rice producing households, which had been affected by Ebola either as actual victims of the disease or as economic victims, whose livelihoods were devastated by imposed stoppages of markets, businesses and transport.
The project aimed to reach 1,800 rural poor rice farmers (with at least 60% women) in the five counties.
Household size was assumed to average 5.1 in Liberia resulting in 9,180 targeted beneficiaries.
CHAP has support from the World Bank, CNS-Riz (Mali), SRI-Rice (Cornell University, USA) and the government of Japan through IFAD and the Liberian Government to carry on the Japanese Rice Grant project implementation.
Leaked assessment report in the possession of this paper seems to prove the mismanagement of funds and materials provided to CHAP by the donors.
According to preliminary findings in the report, on August 29, 2018, a team of two embarked on a three-day assessment mission to five counties where the IFAD PIU is implementing the Japanese Rice Grant Project through CHAP.
During the assessment, the teams employed interviewing the implementing partner (CHAP), the farmers – physical verification, obtaining and reviewing all relevant documents relating to the projects, obtaining and reviewing documents relating to the project operations.
In order to adequately verify all inputs procured and distributed by CHAP to farmers, the team according to the report requested all procurement documents and distribution reports evidencing farmers’ receipt of inputs.
CHAP submitted to the team several documents including delivery notes and good note between CHAP and the vendors, the report reveals.
But the report, however, also revealed that CHAP did not present the project farmer beneficiary listing indicating their respective locations, waybill of items delivered to the field, list of farmer/group signing for items, and distribution reports as the team requested.
The project targeted 1,800 poor rice producing households that were affected by the Ebola Virus Disease, either as actual victims of the disease or economic victims whose livelihoods were devastated by imposed stoppages of markets, business and transport.
According to the report, all the farming groups the team interacted with in Bassa, Bomi, and Cape Mount counties did not confirm receipt of shovels. However, a total of 600 pieces of shovels were delivered on February 19, 2018 to CHAP by GLOBALAGRO INC.
During the meeting and inspection of items procured and still in CHAP’s possession, there was no disclosure of shovels by CHAP at the office or any location.
A total of 240 pieces of twine ropes were noticed purchased and delivered by GLOBALAGRO INC. The delivery note indicates that ropes were delivered on February 19, 2018.
However, all the farming groups the team met admitted that CHAP trained them using twine ropes in 2017 when the ropes were delivered by the vendor.
The report furthered revealed that a total of 1800 pieces of farmer picture books were delivered on June 20, 2017 by J&P Express Printers. All the farming groups met by the team admitted receipt of the manual. However, the team could not confirm that the total 1800 pieces were distributed to farmers.
Dissemination/Communication tools (Budget $56,060)
The purpose of this component was to create awareness of the project among beneficiary communities and other key stakeholders.
According to the reports, CHAP said it achieved this by production and distribution of SRI Technicians Manual and picture books for farmers and technicians (35 SRI Technician Manuals and 1,800 farmers picture books; production of TV and radio jingles in English and local languages on the national radio station (ELBC) and a few newsletters; and production of fact sheets developed to promote rice cultivation (2,000 pieces produced and distributed in meetings and field visits), two (2) banners and a few stands.
But farmers interviewed by the team disclosed that they (farmers) did not hear anything of such on the radio.
Disseminating equipment and labor saving devices (Budget $734,540)
The project concept called for the distribution of 1,800 sets of tools to the 1,800 beneficiaries as well as the supply of sets of equipment to 15 rice centers comprising 60 tillers, 60 threshers, 60 weighing scales, 30 trans-planters and 15 small scale mills (which were later altered to become two large scale mills.
The report revealed that only 33 tillers were distributed, and 600 weeders that were not in the original concept.
A total of 7,200.50 kg bags of fertilizers was reportedly purchased and distributed by CHAP. During the verification, it was noticed that the quantity reported as purchased and distributed by CHAP could not be confirmed.
There was conflicting information as to the quantity claimed to be delivered by CHAP to the communities and the quantity they (communities) received. Additionally, it was noticed that CHAP distributed some Rock Phosphate fertilizer and HERBICIDE which are used mainly for tree crops as opposed to NPK-15-15 and pesticide.
Farmer Result driven Methodology and Demonstration (Budget $139,683)
CHAP SRI Technicians introduced the SRI system to project farmers. This knowledge has appeared to be transferred to non-project farmers in surrounding communities through an approach, usage of picture books, power point presentations, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs).
The project has had the potential to empower the targeted rural poor in the selected counties. Anecdotal yield accounts from the project areas were assessed by a joint monitoring exercise led by the MOA in December 2017.
It was concluded that due to introduction of the SRI methodology involving use of improved short duration rice variety (NERICA L19) increased productivity was realized.
According to many farmers interviewed during the two verification missions, the use of garden weasels (hand weeders) has eased the burden especially on women in weeding plots.
With exception of the categories for Vehicle Equipment and Goods and Incremental Cost which were both 40% overspent, the project disbursed within its original allocations for each category.
The category for consultancies, technical assistance and studies were also disbursed below 50% with an unspent balance of USD 0.45 million. Disbursements by components were at acceptable levels with Component A (Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening) and Component B (Farmer result driven methodology and demonstration) showing 10% overspend which is in an acceptable range.
The Executive Director of the Community of Hope Agriculture Program (CHAP), Robert Bimba, declined speaking on the reports. He, however, said there is an ongoing audit and he described the report as incomplete so he wouldn’t comment on such report until the full report was out.