Consistent with its policy of openness, the Government has caused the audit report to be placed online either on the website of the GAC or the Ministry of Information.
The Ministry draws attention to two important issues about this audit. The first is that the report is a result of an internal audit by the Liberian Government of its own monies and grants from international donors. The Government of Liberia will continue to engage in continuous financial and procedural audits of its expenditures and operations to improve the governance system as well as enable its ongoing fight against waste and corruption. Ongoing programs of continuous audits of public institutions intended to mitigate risks and minimize fraud actually enable our commitment to openness, transparency and accountability to which the Liberian Government is fully committed.
Secondly, the Liberian Government intends to treat this and other audit reports seriously. Where immediate corrective measures are to be taken based on the findings and recommendations of the audits, we will take them. And either through public hearings at the Legislature or ultimately through prosecution of accused persons in courts of law, the Liberian Government is determined to institutionalize ongoing programs of probity as well as demonstrated respect, by all, for the trust of the public.
However, let it also be noted that where an audit report indicates that the auditors have yet to see sufficient supporting documentation for expenditure; it ought not to necessarily mean that such documentation is not available or that it does not exist.
Once again, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia, the Ministry of Information extends thanks to the various integrity institutions of the Government including the GAC for their work which have continued to confirm the overall commitment of the Liberian Government and people to fight corruption and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the resources of the country even during extreme emergencies.