The Board of Directors of the Phebe Hospital has issued clearances to four of its employees who were suspended in 2019 due to alleged financial malpractices.
The Administration of the Phebe Hospital and School of Nursing through its Board of Directors suspended the Administrator, Mr. KersonSaykor; the Chief Financial Officer, Patrick Jackson; Resource Manager Jonathan Pewu; and the Senior Accountant Jeremiah Akoi two years ago as ahead of a pending audit to ensure transparency.
Following their suspension, the Liberian government through the Internal Audit Agency conducted an independent audit to establish facts about the usage of government and other partners’ funds.
The audit report indicated payroll padding, financial irregularities and misapplication.
According to the IAA findings, funds were diverted to purchase other materials for the hospital and to pay a hired security guard.
The report also States that the four Staff were not found guilty and their actions were done in good faith for the betterment of the hospital.
The four employees have been issued clearances and are currently on the Phebe payroll.
Mr. Patrick Y. Jackson, Controller and Jeremiah F. Akoi have been recalled to work, while Mr. Kerson K. Saykor, Administrator and Johnathan Pewu, Human Resource Manager are expected to be transferred to the Ministry of Health for fear of the employees at Phebe on grounds that they are in key position and might hunt them (Workers who were supporting the IAA audit).
Currently, Mr. Saykor and his family are still housing at the Phebe Hospital’s Compound.
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According to the Board Chair Mr. Tonorliah Varpilah, the move was intended to restore calm between the staffs and the accused pesons.
Mr. Varpilah told journalists that since those individuals were not caught in the web of corruption, it was quite necessary for them to be given clearances, which according to him will pave the way for future job opportunities.
“We wouldn’t have given them these documents if they were indicted for corruption. But now that the IAA has reported that they misapplied some of the money and not in their own interest but for the institution, we think it is very much appreciated for them to be given these papers that will serve as evidence anywhere they go” the Phebe Board Chair adds.
Phebe Hospital was built by the Lutheran Church in Liberia, in partnership with the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church in 1921. For years, government has been funding the hospital through the national budget.
