MFDP Clarifies Rumor on the Freezing of Account of the Liberia National Lotteries

Monrovia, Liberia - The attention of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) is drawn to erroneous reports being circulated in certain quarters that the Ministry has disrespected the Honourable Supreme Court of Liberia by ignoring its orders to lift the recent access restriction placed on the accounts of the Liberia National Lotteries (LNL) by the ministry.

The Ministry says the information is not only baseless and malicious but noted that same represents the true characters of those who want to spread lies about the operations of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning under the current government.

However, the Ministry wishes to clarify that it did not freeze the account of the Liberia National Lotteries but rather placed a restricted access management orders on the account to avert any possible capital flight, and the ministry took such action as part of its oversight responsibility to ensure that the account is strictlyused for now to pay salaries for employees, and the exercise has been ongoing.

The Ministry further clarifies that if the account was frozen as it is being alleged, it would have been difficult if not impossible to pay employees’ salaries.

The Ministry calls on people at the Supreme Court of Liberia who have taken to the Liberian media in falsely amplifying and propagating the alleged disrespect campaign, to reflect on the principle of coordination as enshrined in Article 3, of the 1986 Constitution by developing the courage to engage other branches of the Liberian government, not least, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to peacefully resolve misunderstanding short media publicity.

The MFDP release frowns on what it calls on those who are spreading the such malicious propaganda against the ministry to understand that there is a difference between “restricted access mismanagement order” and the freezing of a bank account, noting that the account in question has not been frozen but rather restricted specifically to control the inflow and outflow of funds.

The release denies that there is a disagreement between the MFDP and the Supreme Court of Liberia and noted that the Supreme Court’s order has further strengthened and justified the restricted access management order imposed by the ministry which is simply the exercise its oversight responsibility.

Concluding, the release said the fact that neither the Supreme Court of Liberia nor the Liberia National Lotteries disagrees with the restricted access management order, as demonstrably shown by the ongoing payment of employees’ salaries, the Ministry has not and will not disobey any order from the Honourable Supreme Court of Liberia.