Margibi County District Two Representative, Ivar K. Jones, was denied from questioning Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah about a leaked audio of some health officials in the county plotting to steal donors’ funds.
Henry karmo[email protected]
The situation occured on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 during the appearance of Health authorities before the House’s Ways, Means and Finance Committee.
Authorities at the Ministry of Health had appeared before the committee to justify while allotment made in the 2023 draft budget for the Ministry of Health should be maintained or increased.
Rep. Jones saw the opportunity as the best time to hear from the minister and her officials about their position on the leaked audio of officials of Margibi County plotting to share money intended for the County Health Team.
The motion to deny Rep. Jones’ question was filed by Nimba County District 6 Representative, Dorhwon Tiawain- Gleekia, seconded by River Gee County Representative, Francis Dopoe.
Rep. Jones said: “Madam Minister, what is the Ministry of Health’s position on the leaked audio on few of your officials plotting to share money given by donors to the county health sector?’
Rep. Gleekia: “Order, Mr. Presiding, this matter is not before us so I request that we deal with what is before us.
“Order sustained, said Rep. Francis Dopoe (UP- River Gee County).” Sustaining the ‘order’ by the presiding officer prevented the Minister of Health from speaking on the matter
FrontPageAfrica last week obtained leaked audio on Margibi County Health Officer (CHO) Dr. Augustine Nyankun Fannieh and other senior staff of the County Health Team discussing their involvement in financial corruption surrounding fraudulent billings and collection of kickbacks from vendors.
The leaked audio embroiling the Margibi County Health Team administrators in financial impropriety surfaced at the time the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Ministry of Health (MOH) Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement (FARA) Program is providing annual financial support of US$801,693.00 to the Margibi Health System.
The FARA program supports the cost of implementing components of the Essential Package of Health Services that support family planning, maternal and child health and malaria prevention and treatment at 24 health Facilities across Margibi.
The five-minute-long audio recording emanated from a conversation between the Margibi County Health Officer Dr. Fannieh and others including the County Health Services Administrator, Leroy Darworzia, County Health Services Department Director, James Tamba Varney, Compliance Officer, George Y. Gaykpua, Finance Officer, Roland M. Reeves, Assistant Finance Officer, Kusie E. David and Procurement Officer, Dornuu Horace.
The leaked audio, which dates back more than five months ago, was recorded during a senior-managerial meeting, triggered by a growing rift amongst the county health team officials over the unfair distributions of kickbacks from corrupt dealings.
Meanwhile, the US embassy near Monrovia has since responded to the leaked audio with grave concerns.
The Embassy Statement:
The United States Mission to Liberia expresses serious concerns about the report in the February 2, 2023 edition of Frontpage Africa Newspaper regarding the misuse of funds provided by the United States Government to support health care for the people of Margibi County.
We have a special responsibility to ensure that money provided by United States taxpayers for the benefit of the people of Liberia, including the people of Margibi, is used for its intended purpose. We commend the investigative journalism that brought this story to light and appreciate the swift action by the Ministry of Health to make immediate changes while investigating the matter.
The USAID Mission to Liberia will decide whether to retain Margibi as part of USAID’s government-to-government agreement pending a transparent investigation and associated actions to hold accountable anyone involved in the misuse of any U.S. government funds.