IPNews-Monrovia: It has been three years since the George Weah administration came to being through a election that was popularly won by the Coalition for Democratic Change-CDC.

Since than, Liberians both at home and abroad have longed to see the skills and tenacity of the government with its overwhelming support of the grassroots.

Fiscal Governance formation:
It took nearly three months for the formation of the cabinet, and heads of public autonomous enterprises and Commissions, for a government which has actively participated in three consecutive elections. Yet, the government is now in full swing, including the accreditation of Ambassadors to foreign missions.

The Webster dictionary critically review a Workplace politics as the process and behavior in human interactions involving power and authority. … It is also known as office politics and organizational politics. It involves the use of power and social networking within a workplace to achieve changes that benefit the organization or individuals. While power is the capacity of an individual to influence the actions, beliefs, or conduct (behaviour) of others. The term authority is often used for power that is perceived as legitimate by the social structure.

With this been said, the Independent Probe takes a closer look at the performance, and firm control internal control of the George Manneh Weah government and it determining factors which may lead to answering the hard question of whether the ‘  Is Weah’s Government in Office or is the Government in Power?’

Missing 16 Billion Saga:

Barley nine months into the Government of President George Weah, the government was slapped with allegation of the  mysterious disappearance of L$16 billion from the vault of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL).

The Government moved quickly to established a Special President Investigative Team (PIT)  and the Monrovia City Court subsequently restricted the movement of 35 employees of the bank pending the outcome of the investigation.

The involvement of the court was triggered by a Writ of Ne-Exeat Republica prayed for by authorities at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to restrain persons of interest from leaving the jurisdiction of the court pending an action.

The PIT was headed by Alex Cuffy. The PIT comprises of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), National Security Agency (NSA), Liberia National Police (LNP), and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

On February 8, 2019, the PIT submitted it report capturing major issues such as reviewing the fiscal monitoring system; withdrawal of the mutilated banknotes and establishing the total amount of LRD in circulation; the robust monitoring of commercial banks income and vault balances, among others.

Subsequently, on November 2019, the CBL announced a number of monetary policies to stabilize prices and revive the economy, after many false starts by the Economic Management Team. Among these was a reduction in the Liberian Dollar reserve requirement (RR) from 25% to 15% , and an increase in the US Dollar RR from 10% to 15%. Contrary to this an additional LD$4 billion was printed for injection into the economy.

Unfortunately, those measures were meant to make the LD more accessible in the market, but this have not served the purpose. A political observer told IPNews.

The question still remain to be ask: where is the Liberian Banknotes? Why can’t depositors access their money when they visit at various commercial banks?

A professional Bank tells IPNews that within the banking system, there is only a fraction of customers cash deposits that are stocked in at various commercial Bank  vaults and ATMs.

The 25 years experienced Banker says there is percentage placed on each  LRD and USD assets in reserve at the CBL -which is the reserve requirement or RR. While the rest of deposits are kept  to serve account withdrawals or disburse as loans and other types of investments.

“The CBL (like other central banks) keeps each bank’s reserves, in case of an emergency. Like when a bank needs to pay a high volume of panicking account holders trying to get their money out, based on fears that the institution will become insolvent – what they call a “bank run.” The RR creates a buffer so that if commercial banks run out of cash – and they shouldn’t – they will call on their reserves so that depositors may access their monies when they want it.” The Banker narrates.

The RR is also a principal tool central banks use to increase or decrease money supply in the economy and influence interest rates. Depending on the money supply in the economy, the central bank board can increase or decrease the RR. An increase in the reserve requirement takes more money out of the commercial banks and puts it into the central bank. A decrease does the opposite. So the CBL has to be vigilant about what is needed at any given time, so they can adjust the RR and either pull currency from circulation or release it. Another Banking expert explained.

“The July 26th and Christmas/New Year seasons are when LRD most urgently need to be released. That’s now. So where’s the money that should have been held in reserve. Are they at risk? Nonexistent? Either way, that would be a big problem.” The Banker wonders.

As this lingering question of ‘Is the Weah’s government in office or in Power?’, Liberians continued to plunder over the active performance of government  functionaries.

Observers tell IPNews that many of the line Ministries and Agencies are virtually doing nothing, except portion of the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute, that are involved with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The Monrovia city Hall, the Liberia Revenue Authority, NPA, LPRC and the Ministry of Finance Development Planning.

National Security:

Crimes and violent demonstrations are taking shape with limited resolve to bringing an end to these unfortunate happenings.

Recently four auditors mysteriously died and the government is yet to bring to book Perpetrators of the alleged murderers.

The families of two of the deceased will on today begin funeral rites over the remains of their love once.

A private citizens has announced a five million Liberia dollars reward for vital information leading to the death of the four auditors.

Last week, another Journalist mysteriously died with bullet wounds, but Police later announced that it has arrest the doer alleging that the Journalist was shot while attempting to steal his goat from his farm.

Diplomatic Relations:

Recently, the government of Liberia was engulfed into an unprecedented Diplomatic scandal after the United States Department of State, issued public Designation on the former Passport and Visas of the Republic of Liberia.

Untied States official stated that they have rejected former Passport Director, Andrew Wonplo, from entry into America for criminal changes of Corruption committed in Liberia, while serving as Director, Bureau of Visa and Passport, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

U.S. Secretary Michael Pompeo, stated that the Public Designation of Andrew Wonplo is due to involvement in acts of significant Corruption.

“Today, I am announcing the public designation of the former Director of Passport and Visas at the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrew Wonplo, due to his involvement in significant corruption.”

The U.S. department of State stated that Mr. Wonplo in his official capacity at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2019, was involved in passport fraud that undermined the rule of law, reduced the Liberian public’s faith in their government’s management of identification and travel documents, and compromised the integrity and security of immigration processes.

“This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94). Under Section 7031(c), once the Secretary of State designates officials of foreign governments for their involvement, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.”

Hours after the public designation the government of Liberia through criminal court ordered the rearrest of Wonplo but later fled into hiding.

Days after fleeing, Andrew Wonplo began leaking huge list of none Liberian individuals to which Foreign Ministry officials allegedly provided Liberian Passport to. This is since been lingering, placing a dark cloud on the diplomatic image of Liberians across the World, even though Foreign Affairs officials have repeatedly stated that the Liberian Passport reputation in preserved.

Fourth night ago, rights activist and staffer of the Judiciary at the Supreme Court of Liberia set himself ablaze over an allegedly refusal by the government to pay him one year of salary.

The self immolation has brought mixed reactions across Liberia, especially the ordinary people.

Watch out for Part II in this series of: ” Is Weah’s Government in office or in Power?”