Liberia 🇱🇷: Tweah, McGill and Diggs Allegedly Convert US$14 Million…

I

MONROVIA – Smart News Liberia has unearthed within Mr. Weah’s administration Ministers of Finance Samuel Tweah, Commerce Marwein Diggs, and State, Nathaniel McGill may have allegedly converted US$14 million intended to subsidize the importation of rice.

The US$14 million was approved by President Weah after importers requested an incrMarwinn the price of rice on the local market and for the continued availability of the country’s staple food in wake of the high cost of freight for shipment of goods worldwide.

Howbeit, between 2020 and 2021, there was a large swing in containerized trade flows which was met with supply-side capacity constraints, including container ship carrying capacity, container shortages, labor shortages, continued on and off COVID-19 restrictions across port regions, and congestion at ports.

This mismatch between surging demand and de facto reduced supply capacity then led to record container freight rates on practically all container trade routes.

This prompted Liberian rice importers to request an increment in the price of the commodity on the local market. They claimed the high cost of freight was hurting their businesses.

They expressed fears that there would have been a shortage of rice on the market if there was no increment in the price.

This prompted the Liberian leader to hold a meeting with the Rice Importers Association couple of months ago.

In the meeting which was attended by UCI, SWAT, Fouta, K and K, and Fouani, President Weah insisted Government would not allow an increase in the price of the country’s staple food and therefore pledged the government’s commitment to underwrite the extra cost in the freight.

At the time, he requested the ministries of Commerce and Finance to work with importers and experts in government to find out how much it would cost the government to cover the additional charges to ensure the unhindered supply of rice to Liberia.

However, the investigation found out that without dealing with the experts and not doing a proper analysis of the issue, the Ministers of Finance Samuel Tweah, Commerce Marwein Diggs, and State, Nathaniel McGill unilaterally imagined the US$14 Million figure.

Sources within Mr. Weah’s administration further confirmed that the three ministers did not consult the relevant experts on Marwinue but put together an imaginary figure which they forwarded to President Weah for approval.

Tweah, Diggs, and McGill did not do any realistic analysis of the situation they did not consult us, one expert revealed, alleging that the US$14 Million, is an imaginary figure they gave the Liberian president for approval.

Sources within in the CDC-led administration who spoke with Smart News Liberia have challenged the US$14 Million figure, claimed that the figure is inflated and unrealistic.

They called on President Weah to authorize the General Ating Commission (GAC) to do a comprehensive audit on how the money was expanded.

Meanwhile, some of the importers that were thought to have received the subsidy have confidentially informed Investigative Journalists that they have not received a dime from the government.

As a result of the situation, investigators have gathered that rice importers are defaulting on meeting their importation quota.

According to documents seen by Journalists, rice importers are defaulting on meeting the one million bags reserved in their warehouses as required by government regulation; while some have not even imported any consignment.

Efforts made by this medium to speak to the Government on the usage of the US$14 million failed.

Information Minister Lergerhood Rennie when contacted said he could not get the relevant information on the rice subsidy issue as those who were involved are not responding to his inquiry.

When further pressed to provide a comprehensive report on those who actually benefited and how much each importer received, Rennie added: “Those who were involved with the subsidy issue refused to cooperate with me on this.” Investigation continues.

Credit: smart news Liberia 1/28/2022