The Liberia Council of Churches welcomes the release of the LD16 billion missing money reports by the Government of Liberia and the United States Embassy through USAID last week, calling on the Government of Liberia to ensure that the fight against impunity and/or sleaze is profound and comprehensive by ensuring that everything is done to bring to justice ALL implicated in the two investigative reports.
A press release on March 3, 2019 by the Liberia Council of Churches in reaction to recent investigative reports by USAID and the Presidential Investigation Team (PIT) said the nation and people have anxiously anticipated the release of these investigative reports in order to know the truth concerning the explosive media reports of missing money and the conduct of the US$25 million Mop-up exercise intended by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Liberia, to buy excess legacy banknotes from the market
The LCC press release which contains a biblical quotation “Doing right brings honor to a nation…” Proverbs 14:34, noted that the Council commends the Presidential Investigation Team set up by the President of Liberia and the USAID-sponsored Kroll international financial firm for the tireless efforts put into compiling and releasing these investigative reports simultaneously on Thursday, February 28, 2019 in Monrovia
“The LCC acknowledges several outstanding and concerning issues presented by the investigative reports to include the whereabouts of the reported LD2.6 Billion excess printed materials reflecting a strong difference between new banknotes reportedly received at the CBL to the tune of LD15.506 billion and documented printed volumes of LD18.1 billion,” the release asserted, and noted the extremely troubling US$25 Million Mop-up exercise transactions and poor documentation of financial transactions at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL).
The Liberia Council of churches also acknowledged the differences in three (3) CBL operational vaults balances, and the lack of full Legislative approval for printing the approximately LD18.1 billion banknotes to replace the legacy or old bank notes from the market, amongst others.
In the wake of these discrepancies, the Liberia Council of Churches calls on the Government of Liberia to ensure that the fight against impunity and/or sleaze is profound and comprehensive by ensuring that everything is done to bring to justice ALL implicated in the two investigative reports.
The Council also calls on Liberians the public in general to remain calm and engage in orderly manners as this financial drama of enormous consequence unfolds. “We assume that all accused are innocent until proven guilty,” the LCC added.
Meanwhile the Liberia Council of Churches will convene a Special meeting of Heads of Churches on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 to fully consider our reaction to the two reports, the release signed by the President, Liberia Council of Churches, Dr. Bishop Kortu K. Brown concluded
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