MONROVIA: The Plenary of the House of Representatives has mandated its relevant Committees to investigate authorities of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) and its partner, United Nations Found for Population Activities (UNFPA), over alleged financial malpractices.
Plenary’s decision came as a result of a communication from Montserrado County District#11 Representative, Richard Koon seeking the indulgence of his Colleagues to have LISGIS invited in line with the Legislature oversight responsibilities contained in Article 29 to 49 of the 1986 Constitution.
In Rep. Koon’s communication, he told plenary that over the past weeks, while the Legislature was on its break, an information containing fraud was circulating from one media institution to another about the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-information Services (LISGIS); something he said if not investigated properly, has the propensity to derail and hamper the upcoming Census already legislated by that august body.
He said the aforementioned Census, having been postponed twice by (LISGIS) and with the looming fraud allegations, if care is not taken, the pending census slated for this year will be a fiasco.
According to the Montserrado County District#11 Lawmaker, the National Census Project Coordinator at LISGIS, G. Alex M. Williams, told the public that some senior Administrators of LISGIS tampered with Government funds responsible to incorporate donors support for the upcoming census.
He informed his colleagues that it was alleged by Coordinator Williams that out of US$1.8 million deposited into the account of LISGIS by GOL, Management could only account for US$700, 000 to UNFPA, prompting international partners to withhold their support for the upcoming census.
Following the reading of the Communication, a motion was made by River Gee County Representative, Alexander Poure, to turn over the communication to the Committees on Executive and Judiciary to report in two weeks.
The decision was made on Thursday, May 26, 2022 during the 25th Day. Courtesy: HOR/PRESS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
