[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]

GeneralLiberia newsPolitics News

NEC Floyd unleashes “dogs” (Pt1)

-Drags electoral body into deeper mud

Mr. Floyd O. Sayor, the National Elections Commission (NEC) Commissioner who has been reprimanded for allegedly inserting about US$2.8 million in the 2022-23 elections budget unknown to other Commissioners has unleashed his “dogs” dragging the electoral body further into the mud.

His hired guns, the Civil Society Network of Liberia reputed for writing press releases in defense of alleged corrupt government officials for hangouts did not only try to pull the NEC down further but also attempts to discredit the New Dawn.

The New Dawn newspaper on Tuesday, December 28, 2021, published an article entitled “Revealed” in which the paper quoted a leaked internal memo from the NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah to Commissioner Floyd not only accusing him of sexing up the Commission’s budget by US$2.8 million but also to an extend of ineptitude.

Although Floyd Sayor declined to speak to this paper following multiple calls and messages on both his mobile number and WhatsApp, on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, the so-called civil society group which has little or no legal existence and business registration were allegedly hired to do for him a damage control and while at the same time defaming the paper and NEC.

Prior to Floyd’s US$2.8 Million allegations, NEC had been embroiled with a conflict of interest saga with its chair Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah at the center, as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) bashes on the electoral body in what appears to be a selective corruption fight.

In their write-up in defense of Floyd Sayor, the so-called hire civil society group describe the New Dawn publication as false and misleading but yet went ahead to admit the existence of the internal memo.

The group though lacks credible individuals claimed it conducted an investigation that cleared Floyd of any allegation level against him by the chairperson of the Elections Commission and therefore rendered the publication false and misleading.

What New Dawn wrote

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]

The paper published that according to the memo from the embattled Chairman of NEC Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, aout US$2. Million was allegedly placed in the NEC 2022-2023 election budget by Commissioner Floyd O. Sayor, Chairman of the 2023 Elections Steering Committee without prior discussion.

Commissioner Floyd O. Sayor is alleged to have manipulated the NEC’s 2022-2023 electorial budget inserting the said amount without actually saying exactly what the amount would be expended for.

“During the current and most recent (1-8 December 2021) Review of the 2022 budget for defense, it was observed an insertion of some 2,809,510.00 was made for live monitoring and tracking systems, for vehicles, bikes, casual laborers, canoes carrying Election materials with no reference to my office, let alone other sections, including operations and logistics, etc,” said Madam Browne-Lansanah.

“Besides,” she continued “there was no prior discussion or agreement / decision by the board to undertake such an extensive venture in 2022-23, which increased the budget by 2.8 million.”

Madam Browne-Lansanah argued that not having knowledge of such line item in the budget would have made her appear irresponsible before the budget committee had she been grilled on it.

“Not having knowledge about this 4 line item and going into defense of the 2022 budget would have been a disaster on my part as chair of the NEC. This would have been irresponsible on my part not having knowledge of this budget. Note that my office takes exception to this event,” the NEC boss added

Her memo also insinuates incompetence on the part of her co-commissioner. 

Excerpts of the memorandum dated December 8, 2021 and addressed to Commissioner Floyd O. Sayor, below:

“I bring to your attention gaps in your handling of the administration of the 2023 Steering Committee.

  1. Apparent lack of or neglect of documentation from your committee meetings, including lack of minutes and attendance and reports to be briefed and to adequately inform the Board of Commissioners (OC) prior to the implementation of proposals which have come by way of the 2023 budget process.
  2. So far there has been no/ limited knowledge or information to my office on whether or not Task Force were constituted or not and what are their specific Terms of Reference (TOR) or tasks.
  3. Generally, a reporting mechanism is lacking with intermittent and ad hoc delivery of some documents on Biometric Voter Registration, etc.
  4. Generally, there is not a systematic call (agenda, date, and time) for meetings as none have reached my office.
  5. I am yet to see a fully researched and documented recruitment plan for temporary electoral workers (Temporary staff)

During the current and most recent (1-8 December 2021) Review of the 2022 budget for defense, it was observed an insertion of some 2,809,510.00 was made for live monitoring and tracking systems, for vehicles, bikes, casual laborers, canoes carrying Election materials with no reference to my office, let alone other sections, including operations and logistics, etc. Besides, there was no prior discussion or agreement/decision by the board to undertake such an extensive venture in 2022-23, which increased the budget by 2.8 million. Not having knowledge about this 4 line item and going into the defense of the 2022 budget would have been a disaster on my part as chair of the NEC. This would have been irresponsible on my part not having knowledge of this budget. Note that my office takes exception to this event.

I believe you as Chairman of the 2023 Steering Committee will bring my office to up to speed on the achievements and documentations as indicated going forward. See full copy of the memo https://thenewdawnliberia.com/revealed/-Writes Othello B. Garblah

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=2] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=3] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=4] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=5] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=6]

NewDawn

The New Dawn is Liberia’s Truly Independent Newspaper Published by Searchlight Communications Inc. Established on November 16, 2009, with its first hard copy publication on January 22, 2010. The office is located on UN Drive in Monrovia Liberia. The New Dawn is bilingual (both English & French).
Back to top button