By MARK B. DUMBAR
Monrovia-Jan-16-TNR: The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Wilson K. Tarpeh has disclosed that as early as 9:00 am several persons appeared at the building of the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the non-payment of rent.
According to him, over several years, government has been using the building but has not been able to meet with the owner, Abraham Quayatta on how to initiate the payment of the rent something that prompted him to lock the entire building.
Commenting on the issue in an interview Monday, January 15, the Director of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Wilson Tarpeh admitted that government is indebted to the landlord but added that the payment had not been fully coming from the Ministry of Finance, and GSA.
Prof. Tarpeh furthered that the owner of the building has engaged the authority of the EPA to meet with the Ministry of Finance, and GSA to pay the full rent of the building. He said government leased the building to be used by the building to enable the agency work effectively.
Prof. Tarpeh added that since the founding of the EPA it has been operating in the building. He disclosed that in the last two to three years the owner of the building has been knocking on the doors of the government to pay his rent but to no avail.
According to Prof. Tarpeh, the Environmental Protection Agency has been working with the Ministry of Finance, and the General Service Agency (GSA) to make payment to Abraham Quayatta for the use of his property adding that they have been meeting with the landlord.
Prof. Tarpeh furthered that the payment is not done through the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) saying that only allocation is done by the EPA. He said EPA usually allocates and send same to the Ministry of Finance for implementation.
He amended that the offices of the EPA have been locked by the owner of the building; and that we should pay before using.
Prof. Tarpeh disclosed that a bank check was delivered from the Ministry of Finance, but they were lately informed that the check belongs to another debtor that the Government of Liberia needed to pay; and not Abraham.
Tarpeh added that the main problem facing the EPA is working with GSA as quickly as possible through the Ministry of Finance to get the payment done.
