The National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) has termed as deceptive, bias and troubling, the compliance audit report released by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) on the consulting service contract between the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) and Hydroconseil for the period August 2019—April 2020.
NACSUL’s Secretary General, Alexander H.M. Kromah, disappointed with the report, said the GAC only took into consideration the US$99,000 contract entered into between the LWSC and Hydroconseil, but failed to audit other financial malpractices and discrepancies at the entity under Kamara’s administration, which perhaps amounted to President George M. Weah’s decision to suspend the MD for an indefinite period of time.
Kromah, in a NACSUL press release dated August 29, 2021, accused Duannah Kamara of selling 26 roadworthy cars without Board approval and claimed that all the cars were worth $10,000 in total, and that he sold 59,000 gallons of World Bank fuel for his personal enrichment that LWSC is still paying back.
According to the release, the only issue investigated by the GAC is the allegation that Kamara transferred $99,000 to a company for consulting work supposedly done for the LWSC which no one knows about. However, because the GAC has exonerated him from wrongdoing in this matter, Kamara and his team of crooks are jumping here and there, claiming that the GAC has purged them from all wrongdoings at the LWSC, which is far from being true.
In addition to the many discrepancies mentioned, NACSUL said, “LWSC has 400 kiosks in the communities, of which 245 are active and generating US$30,000 every week. None of that money however comes to LWSC. Only Duannah Kamara knows what happens to that money.
“Kamara refused to pay staff salaries and board fees, but he’s able to buy with cash a house for $300,000 in White Flower community, Congo Town, and lavishly maintain 4 wives in America and a host of girlfriends here in Liberia.
“Kamara single-handedly dissolved the workers’ union because he didn’t want to be questioned by the workers. Because of him, workers of LWSC grew angry with President Weah and the CDC government—thinking that it was a mandate that Kamara was implementing from his bosses.”
NACSUL emphasized that, these alarming outbursts, coupled with many more allegations, were disingenuously swept under the carpet by the GAC during its audit of the suspended MD, bringing to question, for the first time in recent years, the independence of the Auditor General, P. Garswa Jackson, who was recently appointed by the President.
“This is apparently the first major investigation carried out by the new Auditor General since his ascendency to the position of integrity, but the outcome of his audit only brings to mind more questions about his integrity and independence than answers. There are many others who served the position before Jackson, including Yusador Gaye, Robert Kilby, John Morlu, etc., but none of them ever brought the image of the GAC to public questioning. But Garswa Jackson may just break that unparallel record of that graft institution,” NACSUL noted in the press release.
Meanwhile, the National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) has maintained that the GAC report is deceptive, bias and troubling, and does not represent the reality at the LWSC. The group said it will be a mistake to think about taking Duannah Kamara back to head the LWSC, as he does not have the moral rectitude and the pedigree to move the LWSC forward, evident by this poor working relationship with many workers at the entity.
The group accused the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah, of firmly supporting Duannah Kamara and allegedly influencing the GAC report. They also accused Minister Tweah of hindering investigations commissioned by President Weah into Duannah Kamara’s alleged selling of the 59,000 gallons of World Bank fuel. “Let Minister Tweah be warned that he is not above the law; as such, he should stop shielding corrupt officials of government because of cronyism and friendship,” NACSUL warned.
The civil society group wondered why an Auditor General, who has total independence and does not work to the will and pleasure of anyone, including the President, would allow himself to be used by Minister Tweah and other politicians who want to derail the gains made by the GAC over the years.
However, NACSUL has vowed to join disenchanted LWSC employees and other interested parties in resisting Duannah Kamara’s return to LWSC, as his reinstatement may instigate a popular uprising at the LWSC, which could affect the image of the CDC government.
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