Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Wilson
Published on 2024-03-07 06:46:21
The Director General-designate of the General Service Agency, Galakpai Wozie Kortimai, recently revealed that the Liberian Government owes land and building owners a staggering sum of over US$1.7 million for rental services. This disclosure was made during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Autonomous Agency, chaired by Bong County Senator Johnny Kpehe, in Monrovia.
Mr. Kortimai expressed his commitment to verifying the exact figure provided to him if he is confirmed by the Senate. He highlighted the longstanding issue of the government’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations to land and building owners whose properties have been utilized for public services. This failure has led to a situation where the General Service Agency is facing embarrassment due to the accumulating debt.
In an effort to address this pressing issue, Mr. Kortimai pledged to work with the 55th Legislature to allocate funds in the budget for Fiscal Year 2024 to settle the outstanding debt. He emphasized the critical role of the General Service Agency in managing government-owned and leased properties, including housing and public facilities.
Furthermore, Mr. Kortimai outlined his plans for the first 100 days in office, which include establishing a task force to identify and recover government vehicles and other essential assets that are being misused. He also proposed setting up a technical team to assess properties leased to the government and streamline the renovation process for government-owned and leased buildings to reduce costs.
Additionally, Mr. Kortimai highlighted the importance of implementing a mechanism to prevent the misuse of government properties, particularly vehicles, by public officials. He also mentioned the reintroduction of the Department of National Financial Management (NFM) to monitor and record all purchase vouchers prepared by various government entities, ensuring accountability and minimizing discrepancies in financial transactions.
Overall, Mr. Kortimai’s priorities include addressing the outstanding debt owed to land and building owners, improving asset management practices within the government, and enhancing financial accountability through the NFM. If confirmed by the Senate, he is determined to take proactive measures to address these challenges and ensure effective governance of government properties and resources.
Read the original article on New Republic Liberia
