Rédaction Africa Links 24 with New Dawn
Published on 2024-03-21 01:42:00
President Joseph Nyumah Boakai has recently implemented financial restrictions on the outgoing chairperson of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Madam Edwina Crump Zackpah. These restrictions, effective immediately and until further notice, limit various activities within the LTA, including foreign travel, hiring new staff, contractors, or consultants, and purchasing capital assets or projects.
As a result of these financial restrictions, the LTA was notably absent from the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) held in Sierra Leone from March 19 to 22, 2024. Liberia, along with Cape Verde, did not participate in the assembly, which aims to promote collaboration and development in the telecommunications sector across West Africa. It is worth mentioning that LTA hosted and chaired the WATRA meeting in Monrovia in 2017, showcasing the country’s commitment to regional telecommunications development.
The directive to Madam Zackpah, signed by Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Mr. Sylvester Grigsby on March 8, 2024, instructs her to adhere strictly to the approved budget and refrain from any expenditure outside of allocated funds for essential daily operations. This directive aligns with the ongoing legal challenge filed by Madam Zackpah at the Supreme Court of Liberia against her replacement by President Boakai.
The communication from the Presidency emphasizes the need for compliance with the financial restrictions, citing the pending legal proceedings as the rationale behind the directive. It states, “… You are hereby instructed effective immediately, to desist from any spending outside of approved budget except allocations for daily essential operations that are already budgeted and approved.” Additionally, the communication imposes restrictions on foreign travel, hiring practices, and procurement of capital assets or projects within the LTA.
It is essential to note the historical significance of Liberia’s participation in WATRA, with former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf being the first head of state to attend a meeting during Madam Angelique Weeks’ tenure as LTA chairperson. The absence of Liberia at the recent assembly underscores the current challenges faced by the LTA due to the financial restrictions imposed by President Boakai.
In conclusion, the ongoing legal battle between Madam Zackpah and the President, coupled with the financial constraints placed on the LTA, has implications for the operations and participation of the authority in regional telecommunications initiatives. The outcome of the legal proceedings and the resolution of the financial restrictions will likely impact the future direction of the LTA and its role in promoting telecommunications development in Liberia and the wider West African region.
Read the original article on The Newdawn Liberia
