Liberia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Professor Wilson Tarpehblames former executive governor of the Central Bank of LiberiaDr. Mills Jones, for the bad state of the economy.
Prof. Tarpehclaims Dr. Jones expended over US$600 million in the name of giving out micro loans to marketers, noting that Jones and his kinds failed to follow up on the loan scheme thereby, creating huge financial gap in the economy of Liberia.
Though he did not directly call the name of Dr. Jones, but references him as the ‘poverty doctor’ and the only poverty doctor during and before the 2017 Presidential and Representatives, who dished out loans to marketers was Dr. Mills Jones. Dr. Jones vied for the Presidency in 2017, but lost. He got the name from motorcyclists and marketers.
Minister Tarpeh continues that the so-called poverty doctor did not give the loans, using best financial practices;noting they were politically-driven.
He also claims the economy got damaged since 2012,citing warning by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that the Liberian economy would experience some tough times.
He explains that other factors responsible for the economic downturn are bad concessions signed by government, adding that the Unity Party-led administration initiated and signed 68 concession agreements; of that figure only two met best international standards.
The Commerce boss notes the remaining 66 agreements negatively impacted the economy and it was at that point the nightmare of the country commenced.
Speaking Saturday, 08 June at headquarters of governing Coalition for Democratic Change in Cong Town, outside Monrovia, Prof. Tarpeh recalls that during the 2017 elections, about US$450 million left the country in thin air with no justification, referencing the International Monetary Fund.
He stresses that it is unfortunate for some Liberians to shift blames on the Weah administration that just took power in less than two years.
According to him, the ‘mess’ was created for decades by past administrations is what the CDC government is cleaning, so it makes no sense for those who worked and benefited from the spoils of the past regimes to cause noise. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Editing by Jonathan Browne
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