A leaked audio recording obtained by this newspaper has exposed an alleged clandestine deal involving Margibi County Representative Ellen Attoh, revealing details of a budget manipulation scheme amounting to hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars.
In the leaked recording, Senator Nuquay reveals how a budgeted amount initially set at US$20,000 was increased to US$800,000 by Rep. Attoh and later reduced to $600,000 amid allegations of unauthorized and ethnic hiring at the Liberia Free Zone Authority (LFZA).
According to the recording, the funds were used to hire over 70 individuals at the LFZA, 90% of whom reportedly hail from Margibi County, where LFZA Director Mr. Prince Wreh is from.
The increase was allegedly used as a “yardstick” for hiring beyond the institution’s needs, with new recruits becoming vocal defenders of certain lawmakers online, mainly targeting and criticizing Senator Nuquay.
“So, you want me to put my chest on the line for Fonati while Ellen Attoh uses this money to hire people to attack me?” Senator Nuquay can be heard in the recording, expressing his frustration over the orchestrated recruitment allegedly meant to bolster support for Speaker Koffa’s leadership and Rep. Ellen Attoh Wreh’s husband as he’s accused of harboring political ambition.
The recording also reveals pressure from former President George Weah, who urged Senator Nuquay to cease opposing Speaker Koffa. Weah reportedly asked Nuquay to convince Represent Clarence Garr of Margibi County to “forgo his resistance” against the Speaker’s leadership of the 55th National Legislature.
However, Nuquay asserted his stance, stressing that he would not compromise this to protect his political convenience.
He recounted his conversation, expressing dismay that funds were being used to promote the political agendas of individuals like Representative Attoh while he faced backlash.
The leaked recording also implicates Margibi County Representative Clarence Garr, who, according to Nuquay, has long opposed Speaker Koffa’s leadership.
The recording implies that Garr’s resistance stems from Koffa’s previous role in advocating for the removal of Kabineh Ja’neh as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia. Nuquay further noted the strained relations between Koffa and Representative Garr, backed by Senator Alex Tyler of Bomi County, who share a controversial political history.
Nuquay alleged that Representative Attoh’s husband is using funds passed through the clandestine budget, orchestrating the employment of supporters who have since launched social media attacks against him. “You want me to support a system where Ellen Attoh funnels money to her husband to recruit people to attack me online?” he remarked in the recording.
The disclosure has the proclivity of igniting widespread outrage, with citizens questioning the integrity of Liberia’s lawmakers.
The alleged misuse of public funds to inflate budgets and secure unauthorized hires raises concerns about the transparency of the nation’s legislative processes.
With the allegations now public, citizens and advocacy groups could demand a thorough investigation to hold accountable those involved in what is being viewed as a gross abuse of power.
Calls for accountability could also intensify, with the implications of this revelation extending far beyond the House of Representatives, potentially affecting political alliances and trust within Liberia’s Legislature.
