Liberia: FDA U.S-Based Board Member Resigns

By James Harding Giahyue

MONROVIA — A member of the Forestry Development Authority's board of directors has resigned, following a DayLight investigation that established he received board-sitting fees through a proxy while residing in the United States of America.

"Yes, [Mr. Grigsby has resigned]," Loretta Pope-Kai, an FDA board director, told The DayLight.

"The board is yet to receive his replacement, and his proxy no longer attends meetings," Mrs. Pope-Kai added.

The FDA did not immediately respond to queries for comment. However, two other persons, familiar with the board's activities, confirmed the information.

Gabriel Sarkpa Flaboe, a project coordinator with the Ministry of Public Works, who served as Mr. Grigsby's proxy, did not return questions on the matter. Efforts to contact Mr. Grigsby did materialize.

Per DayLight estimates, the New Jersey resident's resignation saves over half a million Liberian dollars (US$2,925) for the FDA, which barely has money for fieldwork.

Before his resignation, Mr. Grigsby received L$131,625 periodically through Mr. Flaboe, who, board minutes show, made no contributions.

The amount was equivalent to US$500 for the board-sitting fee, US$50 for communication, and 25 gallons of fuel for transportation. The FDA Managing Director, Rudolph Merab, had approved Grigsby's payment in May last year, according to official documents.

This was a production of the Community of Forest and Environmental Journalists of Liberia (CoFEJ). It first appeared in The DayLight, and has been published here under an editorial collaboration.

Read the original article on Liberian Observer.

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