The Consortium of Anti-Corruption Advocates has described as malicious and fake propaganda allegations being made against the Management of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) that the agency used US$675,000.00 just to facilitate a project assessment tour of six counties.
The group further sees the allegation as not only false and misleading, but a misrepresentation of the facts intended to undermine the hard efforts of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment in the provision of basic services to the Liberian people, especially in rural communities.
Having followed the activities of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment, the Consortium of Anti-Corruption Advocates established that the agency did not use US$675,000 just on assessment of 6 counties as claimed by detractors, but the funds are intended to support the agency's oversight implementation role on the 2024 district projects across the country.
Apart from assessment tours, LACE has to handle matters relating to other administrative and technical works.
"Our investigation also shows that the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment conducted a consultative assessment process to the site of every proposed project from lawmakers to meet and discuss with local community leaders, including superintendent, district commissioners, town chiefs, etc, who are direct beneficiaries of these projects."
During the 2024 Budget Year, 103 lawmakers submitted proposed projects under the legislative projects Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment. Based on this, the LACE Management has to dispatch a team of assessment officers to ascertain the validity of these projects. Based on this robust monitoring and evaluation exercise, the LACE successfully vetted and verified these legislative projects in the 73 districts in Liberia. In fact, as falsely claimed that the assessment was carried out in 6 counties, the assessment tours are currently ongoing as this is a continuous process.
The Consortium of Anti-Corruption Advocates also intimated that the unwarranted allegations against the Management of LACE are highly insincere and ridiculous. It is greatly unfair and blackmailing for social and traditional media to be flooded with misinformation to the public that the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment used US$675K on just mere assessment tour.
This is totally farfetched and misleading. As part of the agency's continuous assessments of over 220 ongoing legislative projects across the country, the LACE Management will conduct on-site inspection and assessment of these projects. Project assessments are not one shot events, a periodic activity.
The Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment has three established assessment periods: Before Implementation, Doing Implementation and After Implementation. No wonder why the LACE has commenced another nation-wide assessment tour of the country to visit the project sites of payments made to contractors. Therefore, the use of US$675K for assessments of theses hundreds of projects across Liberia is reasonable, and should not be incorrectly interpreted to be corrupted by the LACE Management. Also, allegations that local media practitioners and local officials did not receive funds allotted for them is just a propaganda tool being used to wrongly indict the LACE Management.
The Consortium of Anti-Corruption Advocates expresses belief that the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment is effectively implementing its responsibilities, through different community empowerment programs, including the construction of roads, bridges, market halls, community and town halls, youth and women centers, clinics, schools, amongst others. Since the creation of LACE, the agency has been leading the government's community empowerment programs throughout the country.
The agency has received millions of dollars both from donors and the Government of Liberia to implement several impactful projects. LACE projects can be seen in every community of Liberia's 15 counties. LACE is currently implementing a 3.5 million Hospital construction project in Buchanan, Grand BassaCounty; Construction of a Double Box Culvert Project in Todee, Montserrado County; construction of 32 by 16 feet ferry in Gbarpolu County, in addition to the over 213 Legislative Support Projects (LSP).
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Meanwhile, the Consortium of Anti-Corruption Advocates calls on those manufacturing lies and falsehoods the LACE Management to immediately desist, as our investigations and analysis on the workings of LACE indicates that the US$675k is being properly used for upkeep activities, including assessments purposes.
"In as much as we abhor all forms of corruption and mal-practices, especially in the public sector, we will blindly indict people of corruption, especially Mr. Sele who is exploring opportunities to strengthen infrastructure development and youth employment in Liberia. Hence, we urge the LACE Management not to be distracted by fake propagandas and unfounded allegations, but continue to work in the interest of Liberia and its People," the release concluded.
