By Hogkins Tokpah and G. Watson Richards
This paper has obtained all twenty-six (26) audit reports on various government entities, as recently released by The General Auditing Commission (GAC).
The Editorial Board of Verity News has begun reviewing and analyzing the various audit reports. This is our second review, and it captures Grand Bassa County from 2018 to 2023:
Key Findings of Grand Bassa audit report:
1) Management made payments amounting to US$577,340.04 and L$58,905,000.00 for projects without evidence of implementation or deliverables on those projects.
2) Management expended in excess of its approved budget for two fiscal periods amounting to US$1,795,050.00 without evidence of supplementary or recast budgets.
3) Management did not account for cash and kind contributions amounting to US$167,389.64 confirmed by and received from Arcelor Mittal Liberia as required.
4) No evidence of adequate supporting documents such as; payment vouchers, invoices, delivery notes, etc. for various expenditures amounting to US$304,448.11 and L$3,014,100.00.
5) No evidence of generators and vehicles fuel consumption logs, purchase orders, delivery notes etc. of fuel expenditures amounting to US$11,492.00 and L$241,380.00.
6) Irregularities associated with procurement amounting to US$251,800 and L$7,650,000.
7) Management made payments to several companies amounting to US$320,540.04 and L$38,250,000.00 without evidence of approved procurement plans and for which “No Objections” were obtained as required.
8)Management entered into a lease agreement for a residential building costing US$30,000.00 without any evidence of GSA authorization.
9) Management made payment amounting to L$1,530,000.00 to Vansig Construction to survey County lands without evidence of any surveys conducted and titled deeds.
10) Management disbursed phase two payments per contracts to contractors amounting to L$39,780,000.00 without evidence of phase two services provided.
11) Management entered into contracts to construct Gben River Bridge in Electoral District #5, and Diahnn Bridge and St. John Bridge in Electoral District #2 amounting to US$1,928,868.76 without evidence of approval from Finance Minister and Justice Minister as required by law.
12) Management did not receive approved budgetary allotments for several fiscal years amounting to US$4,343,020.00.
Click this link to read our first review on LAA: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid023MjNqDgr9m1bki6UdnGqEFoD4d3CDWDTwgjf5S5Czbr46iWYeuBNBdZvo4hvoyNZl&id=61558522477978.
