By: S. Winston Blyden Sr.
Two long-awaited reports on Liberia’s alleged missing sixteen billions is expected to be release tomorrow, Thursday February 28, 2018.
Multiple sources has confirmed to the Independent Probe Newspaper that the USAID-funded report is expected to be officially turned over to the Liberian government on
tomorrow, Thursday, February 28, 2019 during a Press conference, while the Special Presidential Task Force formulated by
the Liberian government and headed by Mr. Charles Gibson,now Officer-in-Charge, of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission is expected to officially make known its findings to the
Liberian people hours before USAID makes it report to the public.
Report reaching this paper says that the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Him. Nathaniel McGill, acting in the absence of President George Manneh Weah, reportedly requested Cllr. Charles Gibson to return to Liberia at once in anticipation for the pronouncement.
According to a high-placed sources,Cllr. Gibson was expected to arrived in Monrovia on Monday from the US, where he was on a working visit in anticipation for the press conference which was initially scheduled for this evening Wednesday, February 27, but the date has since been changed after a reported engine failure by SN Brussels which led to the postponement of the flight bringing Gibson to Monrovia and rescheduled for tomorrow Thursday, February 28, hours ahead of the USAID schedule press briefing.
This paper is also been informed that the special presidential Task Force head has since arrived vial SN Brussels on yesterday night, Tuesday, February 26, in anticipation for the press conference on tomorrow Thursday, February 28 at the Ministry Of information at 4pm.
Unconfirmed reports gathered further says,USAID report, has identified major lapses in the operations of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) operations. However, it is not clear to the
extent to which it will point to what actually happened to the alleged missing LD16 billion or whether or not it would offer any findings on
the US$25 million that was infusion in the
economy to mop up excess liquidity of theLiberian dollars, as reported by Finance and Development Planning officials.
It may be recalled, President George Manneh Weah mandated the CBL to infuse US$25 million into the economy to mop up the excess liquidity of Liberian dollars.
The bank was also mandated to provide more effective supervision and regulation of money-changers or foreign exchange bureau provide a more robust oversight of banks under its supervision conduct a comprehensive review of regulations on the hoarding of both Liberian dollars and U.S. dollars outside the banking system and provide incentives and safeguards to encourage the utilization of the banking system, including financial instruments.
To the surprise of many, the money was not processed through the banking system but outside of it.President Weah’s Economic Management Team, headed by Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah told a legislative public hearing last November that
although the infusion of a US$25 million stimulus package, helped to thwart what was gradually becoming a looming financial crisis, the transaction, unlike others during the past government, was done.
All eyes will be on the ministry of Information tomorrow when the special Investigative Team (PIT) headed by Charles Gibson is expected to provide an Executive Summary report on the alleged missing 16 billion saga.
