The Government of Liberia risks losing the confidence of the UN system in the country in the wake of reported delays in accounting for funds received and implemented on specific projects in the public sector under the National Implementation Modality (NIM), according to UN Resident Coordinator, Yacoub El Hillo.
The UN is warning the Weah administration of financial malfeasance and mismanagement of funds provided in the wake of failure to account for UN-funded projects and activities.
This is serious and should claim government’s attention immediately, for Liberia cannot afford to get in bad book with the UN and yet expect direct funding from UN agencies, which this country badly needs at the moment.
Resident Coordinator El Hillo has made this know to the government thru a letter written to Liberia’s Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel McGill, dated April 25, 2019.
“Several [UN] agencies have experienced challenges in getting timely and accurate reports from their Government counterparts thereby delaying implementation of essential services and advisory support to the people of Liberia”, he complains in the letter.
The complaint comes with warning of withholding fund and other adverse consequences in the long-run.
It is about time government listens and acts accordingly, to advert a possible worst case scenario that could leave devastating consequences, for government needs partners’ intervention for some life-saving programs, especially, when the national economy is not promising.
In a dismally performing economy as Liberia currently exists, such negative posture from the international community as a result of government’s apparent lack of accountability and transparency could plunge this country to further stagnation and hardship.
We call on President Weah to intervene immediately by ensuring that all government ministries and agencies concerned comply accordingly in order to continuously enjoy the confidence of our international partners.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
From all indications, the writing on the wall is not encouraging all, and government must do something about it without delay.
