Senators Want Transparency In COVID-19 Funds

By Reuben Sei Waylaun

Members of the Liberian Senate want full transparency and accountability for resources given to the country in the fight against the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The government headed by former soccer star, George Weah has revealed that it has received series of financial and logistical assistances from local and international partners since the confirmation of the virus in the country.
Due to the rapid spread of the virus in the country, President George Manneh Weah has since declared state of emergency as part of efforts in eradicating the virus from the country.
This decision has lots of economic and social implications on the lives of the Liberian people and as such, President Weah has proposed lots of assistances to the Liberian people.
However, Senators on Capitol Hill are calling for full transparency and accountability for whatever funding the country has received since the inception and there should be an immediate audit following eradication.
Montserrado County Abraham Darius Dillon wants debt packages as proposed by the President to be properly looked at and the Liberia Electricity Corporation should appear before members of the Senate to explain whether it is well prepared to handle the free electricity as proposed by the President.
” The Ministry of Finance should submit list of amount and financial assistance the country has received for the COVID-19 fight. The General Auditing Commission, Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission should be added to ensure transparency and accountability, ” he said.
For her part, Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence of Grand Bassa County is urging the government to be very careful to avoid the recurrence of the US$25million Mop-Up Exercise which she said didn’t meet its objectives.
“Payments of loans during this SOE should be abandoned and money given directly to the beneficiaries or creditors to help they and their families instead,” she said.
Senator Milton Teahjay said he is terribly scared that if they don’t work with the Executive Branch of Government, they will create additional millionaires like they allegedly did during the Ebola outbreak when there was no accountability of funds received.
“We depend on the GAC and not on the other weak institutions. We need accountability,” he added.
Also speaking, Senator Henry Yallah of Bong County said there should be immediate audit following the eradication of the virus from the country.
“This should be audit three months after the elimination of the virus from the country. We don’t want a repeat of the Ebola outbreak,” he added.
Senator Sando Johnson wants the Minister of Finance to explain the position of the country financially during this crisis.