LEITI Risks Sanction If ….

The Coalition for Transparency and Accountability in Education (COTAE) has expressed fear that Liberia might be sanctioned from the EITI process if Government through the multi-stakeholders group mandated by the LEITI Act of 2009 again fails to act within the stipulated time firm.

As you may be aware, Liberia is to allegedly be delisted from the EITI process this December should it fail to meet up with her outstanding obligations.

At the moment, the Country is serving a suspension from the EITI process due to her  failure on the part of National Government to meet up with key requirements.

According to the National Coordinator, Anderson Miameh ,when this happens, it will show that Liberia is unable to properly manage her extractive sector and as well prevent companies from coming to invest in the nation saying; “We are already struggling for company to come if such a thing happens, it is going to have more negative impact or effects on us as a Country.”

Miameh explained that the current issue at LEITI is not about just the change in leadership, but rather institutional brain dream since all of the key people responsible for producing the report to save the country of this suspension were either dismissed or made to leave because of the tough nature of the environment at the time.

He mentioned that the situation halted the processes at LEITI noting that “The institution is out of order and everything is basically out of control in term of how to proceed”, he said.

Miameh indicated the need for those newly appointed to be people with the needed skills and expertise in order for donor and stakeholder confidence to be reposed in LEITI as the institution had not been operating only on Government’s support.

According to him, Government’s partner, like the EU, EIZ and other provided resources to compliment what government was providing to LEITI but, said support was withheld by many donors due to their illegal appointment of Gabriel Nyenkan at the LEITI.

To this end, he wants the multi-stakeholder group including the head of secretariat and other officials appointed to steers the affairs of LEITI should act fast as this is a matter of urgency and emergency. TNR