Monrovia Dec. 17 (LINA) – The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has called on the Front Page Africa (FPA) Newspaper to retract a story titled: « Kickback Suspected in US$180k Taylor-Era Debt Paid to ‘Inclusive’ New York Company, » as published on Monday December 17.
Addressing a news conference in Monrovia on Monday, Deputy Finance Minister Augustine Flomo said it has come to the attention of the Ministry of Finance that the FPA is in the habit of releasing « false information » into the public space with the intent of bringing the Government of Liberia to public ridicule.
« This is evident by the Monday, December 17, 2018 edition of the FPA newspaper, which indicates that the Minister of State, Nathaniel McGill, wrote the Minister of Finance Samuel D.Tweah authorizing him to make payment in favor of Rock Town Tools and Equipment Corporation of New York, » Flomo added.
FPA in its December 17 edition accused Minister Tweah of approving a payment of US$182,000 to a purported US-based construction company which the FPA claimed has been inactive since 2003 when the country had just emerged from civil war and was then led by former Liberian leader Charles Taylor.
Flomo told journalists attending the press conference that the publication by FPA is unfortunate, citing that the current government cannot take an appeal in a case that was adjudicated in 2016 and final judgment made thereto.
« According to our records, after the rendition of the judgment, no further action was taken by then government to perfect the appeal, » Flomo said.
He noted that as such the claim automatically became a legal debt of the government.
According to him, to have made an appeal that the current government is not responsible and did not take the necessary due diligence in effecting the payment process is not only preposterous, but malicious, noting that government is continuity.
Flomo pointed out that because government is continuity, this government is under legal obligation to honor legitimate debts once she has the financial capacity to do so and as such payment would not only improve the individual businesses but would also improve the general well being of the economy.
He disclosed that there has been absolutely no payment made to Rock Town up to date, but the payment is still being processed through the internal system at the ministry.
