MONROVIA: Margibi County Senator Emmanuel Nuquay is been heard exposing a manipulation of appropriation of Liberia Free Zone Authority Fiscal Year 2024.
In a leaked voice recording in the possession of ERA NEWS uncovers an alleged dubious deal implicating the House’s Committee Co-Chair on Ways Means and Finance Ellen Attoh, revealing details of a budget manipulation strategy amounting to hundreds of thousands of United States dollars.
In the recording, Senator Nuquay reveals how a budgeted amount originally put at US $20,000 was increased to US$800,000 by Rep. Attoh-Wreh but was later reduced to U.S 600,000.00 for the Liberia Free Zone Authority (LFZA).
According to the Senator, the funds were used to hire over 70 individuals at the LFZA, 90% of whom are reportedly hail from Margibi County, where the entity’s Director Prince Wreh is from.
The increase was allegedly used for hiring beyond the institution’s personals needs, with new servicepersons becoming vocal defenders of specific leaders of the County online, mostly targeting he, 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 is 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 endeavor.
The recording also divulges pressure from former President George Weah, who advised Senator Nuquay to cease opposing Speaker Koffa.
Weah reportedly asked Nuquay to convince Represent Clarence Gahr of Margibi County District 5 to “forgo his resistance” against the Speaker’s leadership of the 55th National Legislature.
Regardless, Nuquay argued his stance, stressing that he would not compromise this to protect his political convenience.
He repeated his conversation, expressing dismay that money were being used to promote the political plans of Representative Wreh while he faced backlash.
The recording also incriminates Representative Clarence Gahr, who, according to Nuquay, has long opposed Speaker Koffa’s leadership.
He insinuates that Gahr’s resistance stems from Speaker Koffa’s previous role in advocating for the removal of Kabineh Ja’neh as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
The Senator further pointed out the resentful relation between the current Speaker and Representative Gahr, is backed by Bomi County Senator Alex Tyler who share a contentious political history.
Nuquay alleged that Representative Wreh’s husband is using funds passed through the budget, staging 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 revelation has the proneness of igniting widespread outrage, with citizens questioning the integrity of Liberia’s lawmakers.
The alleged misuse of public funds to puff up budgets and secure unauthorized employment puts up concerns about the transparency of the nation’s legislative processes.