MONROVIA, June 17 (LINA) –The Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) has said that it is unable to take receipt of the US$15,000 check from Senator Abraham Darius Dillon to implement his proposed library project.
Senator Dillon has been at the center of controversy in recent days, having received, along with the rest of parliamentarians on Capitol Hill, US$15, 000 purportedly for Legislative engagements and projects.
Amidst the debate, however, and public outcry that the money signed-for by individual lawmakers be returned, while the leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander B. Cummings, claimed that the disbursement of the funds is a violation of the Public Financial Management Law of Liberia.
Now, Senator Dillon has said at a press conference that he will transfer his portion of the fund to LACE so that the entity can implement a project on his behalf.
In a release issued on Wednesday, LACE clarified that the regulations governing the operations of the entity and the statute creating the agency, do not allow it to carry out individual projects for legislators outside the structures of an MOU signed between LACE and the Legislature and in line with budgetary appropriations.
“LACE would carry out such project as part of the budget law and once such appropriation is made to LACE through the budget process,” said the entity.
It noted that receipt of individual project monies from legislators would be contrary to governance norms to which LACE subscribes and would be a marked departure from LACE’s best practice.