{"id":386208,"date":"2011-04-21T15:26:54","date_gmt":"2011-04-21T15:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/21\/defense-minister-auditors-dig-heels-in-bitter-duel\/"},"modified":"2011-04-21T15:26:54","modified_gmt":"2011-04-21T15:26:54","slug":"defense-minister-auditors-dig-heels-in-bitter-duel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/21\/defense-minister-auditors-dig-heels-in-bitter-duel\/","title":{"rendered":"Defense Minister, Auditors, Dig Heels in Bitter Duel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New Democrat<\/a> (Monrovia)<\/p>\n

21 April 2011<\/p>\n

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An acrimonious exchange has broken out between the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and Defence Minister Brownie Samukai over the alleged squandering of US564,00 worth of rice meant for soldiers, with the GAC concluding that the Defense Minister should face criminal prosecution for allegedly falsifying records.<\/p>\n

In an angry radio interview Wednesday, Minister Samukai referred to some GAC auditors as ‘criminals” and ‘rascals,’ saying the GAC should also account for money it has allegedly received from the European Union.<\/p>\n

But contacted, outgoing Auditor General John Morlu said while the GAC is prepared to account for any money it has received, the onus is on Minister Samukai to account for the rice, and that his defense cannot be alleged corruption in the GAC.<\/p>\n

GAC auditors told this paper Wednesday that they first contacted the Ministry of Defense on the delivery of 9,800 bags of rice meant for soldiers.<\/p>\n

At first, officials said the rice had been delivered, auditors said. But when the officials were informed that their information would be counter-checked with the soldiers, they changed their story, admitting that the rice had in fact not been delivered, auditors also revealed.<\/p>\n

Auditors also said that Defence Ministry officials failed to produce a ‘utilization report’ indicating how the rice was distributed.<\/p>\n

When the rice supplier was contacted, auditors said, he admitted that the delivery note he gave Defense officials was an idea from the Ministry.<\/p>\n

He said the officials told him to prepare the delivery note although he had delivered no rice to them, a consignment whose cost amounts to US564,000.<\/p>\n

When this paper approached the Lebanese supplier with his prepared delivery note for comments and verification on Wednesday, he refused to make comments.<\/p>\n

In his radio interview, Minister Samukai, one of the longest serving Ministers, said, “You got an individual who was a criminal that was disrobed by the Finance Ministry, now hired by reckless GAC individuals.<\/p>\n

“I was contacted by some Executive Secretary and I replied; I say look, let the Auditor General write me back, then we will respond”.<\/p>\n

Mr. Samukai said then a lawyer immediately wrote back from the GAC, “threatening me that he had the authority to tell the Ministry of Finance to hold my allowances and salary. What kind of reckless letter was that?”<\/p>\n

Samukai continued: “I wrote the GAC back. I told them I will not deal with any of these low-level (individuals) until the Auditor General writes me.<\/p>\n

“We told the GAC to go to EBK Barrack, go to Camp Ware, go to Camp Tubman Barrack, go to the Coast Guard Base, and ask soldiers whether they got their rice or not.<\/p>\n

“That is the same GAC that said the government is 3 times corrupt; that is the same GAC that says the Ministry of Finance ate US$5m; that is the same GAC that goes around accusing individuals… Where the guys got their experience from? Where? You tell me!<\/p>\n

“I think it’s about time that this government began to audit this GAC. They have to tell how they used all the EU money. They are making accusations that are completely baseless.”<\/p>\n

Auditor General Morlu, in response to the Minister’s protest of communication from ‘low level’ GAC staff, said that they are empowered by law to write any government or other officials, including the President.<\/p>\n

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New Democrat (Monrovia) 21 April 2011 An acrimonious exchange has broken out between the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and Defence Minister Brownie Samukai over the alleged squandering of US564,00 worth of rice meant for soldiers, with the GAC concluding that the Defense Minister should face criminal prosecution for allegedly falsifying records. In an angry radio interview Wednesday, Minister Samukai referred to some GAC auditors as ‘criminals” and ‘rascals,’ saying the GAC should also account for money it has allegedly received from the European Union<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-386208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nDefense Minister, Auditors, Dig Heels in Bitter Duel - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/21\/defense-minister-auditors-dig-heels-in-bitter-duel\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Defense Minister, Auditors, Dig Heels in Bitter Duel - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"New Democrat (Monrovia) 21 April 2011 An acrimonious exchange has broken out between the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and Defence Minister Brownie Samukai over the alleged squandering of US564,00 worth of rice meant for soldiers, with the GAC concluding that the Defense Minister should face criminal prosecution for allegedly falsifying records. 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