Monrovia – Correspondence obtained by FrontPage Africa reveals a troubling turn of events marked by the resignation of Atty. Emmet Kay, Budget Chair, Department of Gender, Children and Social Protection; Atty. Kaye resigned due to rampant corruption and mismanagement within the ministry.
Written by Edwin Genoway, Edwin.genoway@frontpageafricaonline.
In his resignation letter to Deputy Minister Fredrick S. Cooper, Mr. Kaye said that Mr. Cooper and the Financial Supervisory Board, particularly regarding the handling of funds earmarked for the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Roadmap Project, Mr. Moses Kelm made serious allegations against both parties. . The project, with a total budget of over $6 million, aims to combat gender-based violence in Liberia.
Atty. Mr Kaye’s letter alleges that questionable financial transactions were approved by Deputy Minister Cooper without proper oversight, leading to the misallocation of funds intended for various implementing agencies. He specifically pointed out that Cooper had handled financial matters unilaterally, despite repeated advice from Kaye as budget chair.
“Given your unilateral handling of this matter, disregard for my advice, and approval of questionable and illegal financial transactions, I hereby tender my resignation,” Kaye said in a communication to Cooper. mentioned in.
In light of your unilateral handling of this matter, ignoring my advice as Budget Chair, and instead approving questionable and illegal financial transactions, I hereby tender my resignation.
Atty. Emmett Kaye, former Budget Chair, Department of Gender, Children and Social Protection
The resignation letter also outlines a series of events that Kaye claims demonstrate a blatant disregard for financial regulation and transparency. He stressed that despite multiple requests for expenditure reports regarding the US$40,000 previously disbursed, the Comptroller had not provided any documents. Instead, an additional US$60,000 implementation plan was created and approved without proper justification, raising concerns about possible misappropriation of funds.
One of the specific expenditures Kaye questioned was a payment of US$6,888 for “overdue fees to the garage,” which he said was a duplication of the previous US$40,000 without proper reporting or justification. claims. The letter also criticized Cooper for supporting a fiscal plan that lacked accountability and ignored the Budget Committee’s recommendations.
The memo in question was withdrawn by Atty. Kay. Furthermore, although the auditor fled and was subsequently dismissed, an internal audit was conducted by the Internal Audit Agency over a period of one year. The audit report revealed several questionable transactions made by the former auditor.
D. Webster Cassel, Communications Department
Atty. Mr Kaye also expressed frustration at the lack of co-operation from both Deputy Minister Cooper and Auditor General Calm, saying professional advice had been continually ignored. He also raised legal concerns about Deputy Cooper signing checks as “A” during the minister’s stay, which he claimed violated the Public Finance Management Act (PFM).
ask for an audit
In light of these allegations, Atty. Mr Kaye called for an audit of the Anti-SGBV Roadmap Fund, particularly the last tranche of US$140,000, to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of public resources.
His resignation shocked the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and raised serious questions about the soundness of financial management within the ministry. As the situation evolves, calls for an independent investigation into the corruption allegations have grown, with many calling for accountability to restore public confidence in the ministry’s work.
In response to inquiries from FrontPage Africa, the Ministry of Gender said that Atty. Mr. Kaye’s resignation letter was retracted, but no written correspondence was provided to support this claim. The ministry also confirmed the dismissal of the auditor and the completion of a year-long internal audit by the Internal Audit Agency (IAA). The audit report revealed questionable transactions carried out by the previous auditor.
“The memo in question has been withdrawn by Atty. Kay,” the ministry’s press office said. Nevertheless, the ministry did not provide a clear explanation as to why the letter was withdrawn, nor did it elaborate on the auditor’s dismissal.
Meanwhile, Front Page Africa has attempted to contact Deputy Minister Cooper, but he has not issued an official statement regarding the allegations.
Growing suspicions of mismanagement
The incident adds to a growing list of allegations surrounding the Boakai Kun administration, which has faced criticism for mismanagement of public funds. Recently, former commerce minister Amin Modad resigned following anger over the controversial use of government funds to purchase luxury cars. Additionally, the Ministry of Public Works has been criticized for awarding several contracts for laterite road improvements, a decision that caused widespread public disapproval.
As the nation waits for further developments, observers note the impact of Atty. Kaye’s resignation could have far-reaching implications for the department’s efforts to combat gender-based violence, as well as broader governance issues regarding the management of Liberia’s public funds.
