MONROVIA – Ms. Gbeme Horace Kollie, President Joseph Boakai’s nominee for the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, is facing scrutiny due to allegations raised by the late former lawmaker Julius Berrian in 2016. Berrian had expressed concerns about the financial reputation of Ms. Kollie in connection with the disappearance of US$1.6 million from the Montserrado County dedicated account, intended for various projects in the county.
According to Berrian, who was a Montserrado County District 10 lawmaker at the time, the account managed by Gbemie Horace Kollie, who was then Deputy Minister for Operation at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, had an initial balance of US$1.8 million. Subsequently, US$200,000 was reportedly withdrawn for the project implementation unit (PIU) for Montserrado County.
In response to the allegations, Berrian called on the plenary to invite the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Deputy Minister for Operation Gbemie Horace Kollie, as well as the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, the Minister of Finance, and the Montserrado County Superintendent. He requested their presence along with the bank statement to provide explanations for the depleted account, emphasizing that the disappearance of US$1.6 million was hindering the progress of projects and the developmental agenda in Montserrado County.
Berrian emphasized the significance of the amount, stating, “US$1.6 million is not joking money. It is a sum that could contribute significantly to the development of our county. They must tell us what happened to our county’s money.” He expressed concern over the impact of the missing funds on the community’s development initiatives.
Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy, when contacted, distanced herself from the allegations, stating that the missing money did not occur under her administration. She clarified that the financial discrepancies were not linked to her tenure.
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