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LEITI Launches 6th  Reconciliation and Other Reports

12/18/2015

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Monrovia, Liberia; Tuesday, December 15, 2015: The Multi-stakeholders Steering Group (MSG) of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) on December 14, 2015, endorsed and launched the LEITI 6th Reconciliation Report and reports of few other studies focused on the extractive sectors.
 
The 6th EITI Report for Liberia, commissioned by the MSG in March 2015 and prepared by Moore Stephens (UK) in collaboration with Parker and Associates LLC, contains reconciled accounts of payments made to, and revenues received by the Government of Liberia from the oil, mining, forestry and agricultural companies during the Fiscal Year July 1, 2012 up to and including June 30, 2013.
 
The Report shows that the total amount received by the Government of Liberia from the extractive sectors for the reviewed period amounted to US$185, 960m, while payment data supplied by eighty (80) companies amounted to US$179,983,000.00, resulting to a net difference of US$5,361,000.00.

The 6th Report also shows that the extractive sectors contributed to 4.11% of the total employment in Liberia during the reporting period and as well recorded payment data of In-kind Contributions made by extractive companies to the local communities and public institutions and tracked revenues from earmarked payments in various concessions agreements.  
 
Alongside the 6th LEITI Report, the LEITI also launched reports from various studies/exercises recently commissioned by the MSG, including Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Exercise, Scoping Study in the Mining Sector and the simplified version of contracts in the extractive sectors.
 
The Beneficial Ownership Disclosure exercise, conducted by the firm Baker Tilly Liberia in collaboration with Hart Nurse UK, is aimed at disclosing the beneficial owners of at least 5% of companies involved in the extraction and exploitation of Liberia’s oil, mining, forestry and agricultural resources. The report of the audit exercise, which involved 90 companies, details ownership rights of those companies including natural persons having shares in them, the number and values of their shares and information on Shareholders of those establishments.
 
The Scoping Study in the Mining Sector was conducted in considering the possibilities of including all payments and revenue from the solid mineral sector in the LEITI reporting processes. The solid mineral sector is believed to be dominated by large scale and artisanal and small-scale mining and quarry operations, but revenues from this sector have not been fully included in the LEITI annual reconciliation reports. Specifically, the study, among other things, examined the scale of operations surrounding artisanal and small scale-mining including the licensing procedures, registration and revenue payments as well as identified key players or available networks, locations of their operations and strategic opportunities available for the full inclusion of the sector in the implementation of the EITI. 
 
The LEITI also published a matrix containing the abridged versions of 26 contracts and agreements in the extractive sectors. The effort is gears towards increasing public understanding of and access to contracts that the Government of Liberia signed with extractive companies, which, in their original versions, are voluminous and complex.   
 
During a press conference marking the launch of the reports at the LEITI Secretariat in Monrovia, Proxy for the Chair of the LEITI Multi-stakeholders Steering Group, Hon. Stephen B. Dorbor, Deputy Minister for Planning, Research and Human Resource Development at the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy said, the occasion presents yet, another significant set of gains made by Liberia in implementing the EITI and promoting increased transparency and accountability in the governance of the country’s natural resource wealth.
 
Hon. Dorbor said the launch exercise was not the end of the campaign, disclosing that the LEITI intends to discuss findings of these reports with the citizens and solicit their views on the recommendations through a massive outreach exercise. He also noted that the MSG was committed to further reviewing the findings and recommendations of the reports with the aim of identifying areas for policy design, implementation and evaluation.
 
The Deputy Lands, Mines and Energy Minister also called on all stakeholders to fully commit to the process, noting that the EITI cannot fully achieve its objectives without the participation of all stakeholders. He then expressed appreciation to various LEITI partners including the USAID that USAID that funded the 6th Report and Scoping Study; the UNDP that funded the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Exercise and the GIZ that supported the Contract Matrix Project.   

LEITI LAUNCHES 10TH AND 11TH AND OTHER REPORTS
​  January 2, 2020
For Immediate Release
 
MSG Approves 10th & 11th EITI Reports for Liberia
 
Monrovia, Liberia Tuesday, December 31, 2019: The Multi-stakeholder Steering Group (MSG) of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) on December 31, 2019, endorsed and approved the 10th & 11th EITI Reports for Liberia covering the periods 2016/17 and 2017/18.
LEITI MSG at the start of October 2019 commissioned BDO-UK in collaboration with Parker & Associates Liberia, two reputable auditing firms to prepare the 10th &11th EITI Reports for Liberia.
The reports reveal that the total revenue received by the government from the oil, mining, forestry and agriculture sectors for the period July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 amounted to USD53.84m, whilst the total amount received for the period July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 amounted to USD68.9m. This represents a 28% increase in revenues collected from the sectors covered under Liberia’s EITI scope.
 The 2017/18 report shows a difference of $490,521 government receipts over what was reportedly paid by companies. LEITI will investigate further these discrepancies. The report also reveals challenges in sectorial oversights, data collection and licensing processes, among others. LEITI will begin to work with relevant government ministries and agencies to address these concerns.
With today’s approval and launch, the report is now set to be disseminated across the country to discuss the findings with the citizens and solicit feedback on how to improve governance of the extractive sector. 
In addition to the 10th and 11th EITI Reports, the LEITI MSG has also approved and published the 2017 and 2018 Annual Progress Reports, and the 2019/20 fully costed Workplan in keeping with EITI Requirements.
The Chairperson thanked all stakeholders and expressed government’s commitment to transparency in the extractive sector. He assured all stakeholders that LEITI will continue to play its role in ensuring that Liberians benefit from their abundant extractive resources. Whilst the publishing of these reports is a significant step forward, the Chairperson highlighted the challenges for Liberia’s third EITI Validation which will commence shortly. He encouraged the entire MSG and other stakeholders to continue their good support towards the EITI implementation so that Liberia passes EITI Validation. LEITI has lifted in its 2019/2020 Workplan key activities including a Beneficial Ownership Registry and Mainstreaming the EITI reporting process. The Chairperson also called on the government and development partners to ensure these key initiatives are funded.
 
About LEITI
The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) is a part of the global Standard-the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)-that promotes revenue transparency in the extractive sectors in resource rich countries. It strives to ensure transparency over payments made to and revenues received by the Government from companies in the concerned sectors.
 
Signed: ____________________________________
LEITI Secretariat
 

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LEITI Launches 6th Reconciliation and Other Reports

12/15/2015

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Ladies and Gentlemen of the Fourth Estate!
 
We called you here today to witness the launch of reports from four major exercises/studies recently commissioned by the Multi-stakeholders Steering Group (MSG) of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI). The launch of the 6th EITI Report for Liberia, Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Report, Mining Sector Scoping Study Report as well as the abridged version of contracts in the extractive sectors, represents yet, another significant set of gains made by Liberia in implementing the EITI and promoting increased transparency and accountability in the governance of the country’s natural resource wealth.

The 6th EITI Report for Liberia
The 6th EITI Report for Liberia, commissioned by the MSG in March 2015 and prepared by Moore Stephens (UK) in collaboration with Parker and Associates LLC, contains reconciled accounts of payments made to, and revenues received by the Government of Liberia from the oil, mining, forestry and agricultural companies during the Fiscal Year July 1, 2012 up to and including June 30, 2013.
 
The Report shows that the total amount received by the Government of Liberia from the oil, mining, forestry and agriculture sectors for the period under review amounted to One Hundred Eighty-five Million, Nine Hundred Sixty Thousand United States Dollars (US$185, 960m), while payment data supplied by eighty (80) companies amounted to One Hundred Seventy-Nine Million, Nine Hundred Eighty-three Thousand United States Dollars (US$179,983,000.00), resulting to a net difference of Five Million Three Hundred and Sixty-one Thousand Dollars (US$5,361,000.00). This means that the Government of Liberia acknowledged receiving Five Million Three Hundred and Sixty-one Thousand Dollars more in revenue than what the companies reported as taxes paid. Also, the data shows that direct government revenue from the extractive sectors increased by nearly sixty-nine percent (69%) from US$110.14m for the Fiscal Year 2011/2012 to US$185.96m in Fiscal Year 2012/2013.
 
The 6th Report also shows that the extractive sectors contributed to 4.11% of the total employment in Liberia during the reporting period and as well recorded payment data of In-kind Contributions made by extractive companies to the local communities and public institutions and tracked revenues from earmarked payments in various concessions agreements.

The Beneficial Ownership Disclosure
In March 2014, the MSG also commissioned the conduct of an audit exercise intended to disclose the beneficial owners of at least 5% of companies involved in the extraction and exploitation of Liberia’s oil, mining, forestry and agricultural resources.  Liberia is one of eleven (11) EITI implementing countries that took the courage to pilot this project. The audit exercise was conducted by the firm Baker Tilly Liberia in collaboration with Hart Nurse UK and involved 90 companies in total. The report being launched today details ownership rights of those companies including natural persons having shares in them, the number and values of their shares and information on Shareholders of those establishments. We are committed to make these findings accessible to the public and hope that these efforts will enhance public confidence in the resource governance process and further strengthen contract transparency.

Mining Sector Scoping Study Report
The third of the reports being launched today contains findings of a study conducted in considering the possibilities of including all payments and revenue from the solid mineral sector. The solid mineral sector is believed to be dominated by large scale and artisanal and small-scale mining and quarry operations, but revenues from this sector have not been fully included in the LEITI annual reconciliation reports. Specifically, the study, among other things, examined the scale of operations surrounding artisanal and small scale-mining including the licensing procedures, registration and revenue payments as well as identified key players or available networks, locations of their operations and strategic opportunities available for the full inclusion of the sector in the implementation of the EITI.  The exercise is crucial to promoting full disclosure of taxes and revenue data from the extractive industries.
 
The Contract Matrix (Contract Simplification)
In addition to other reports being launched today, the LEITI has also made great efforts in ensuring increased public understanding of, and access to contracts that the Government of Liberia signed with extractive companies. As you may be aware, concession agreements and contracts are sometimes complex with legal diction and huge volumes. These complexities have made it challenging for the average citizens to understand the terms and conditions of these agreements even though they have stake in them. In this vein, the LEITI has simplified 26 concession agreements, summarizing basic terms in the contracts that are of high relevance to the citizens.  
 
The conduct of these exercises and launch of these reports today is not the end of the campaign. Part of the process is to discuss the findings of these reports with the citizens and solicit their views on the recommendations. Hence, the launch of the reports will be followed by massive dissemination exercises including extensive outreach throughout the fifteen counties of Liberia. Additionally, the MSG is committed to further reviewing the findings and recommendations of the reports with the aim of identifying areas for policy design, implementation and evaluation.
 
These initiatives are very crucial and cannot be achieved without the participation of all stakeholders of the LEITI process including you members of the press. In your traditional role as agenda setters, the LEITI depends on you to raise the platform of the EITI process in Liberia and to create awareness and educate the public on the findings of these reports and other studies conducted to promote transparent resource management in Liberia.
 
Finally, we are grateful to our partners who have generously supported these initiatives—the USAID that funded the 6th Report and Scoping Study; the UNDP that funded the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Exercise and the GIZ that supported the Contract Matrix Project.   
 
We look forward to a collaborative effort that will ensure increased transparency in the management of the country’s vast natural resources.
 
Thanks!
 
 

 
 

 

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EU Ambassador Pledges Support to LEITI

6/10/2015

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Monrovia, Liberia; Friday, June 9, 2015: The Head of the European Union Delegation accredited to Liberia, Ambassador Tiina Intelmann has pledged the Delegation’s commitment to supporting the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) in ensuring that Liberians fully benefit from the extraction of their resources.

Ambassador Intelmann said, a substantial component of the mission’s support to the Liberian Government in the coming years would involve assisting the governance reform process, noting that LEITI in its role as watchdog of the extractive sector would be a strategic partner of the delegation. 
The Head of the EU Delegation also raised concerns on the Government’s existing community entry strategies during the award of concessions. She noted that a special assessment done by the EU in the forest sector recently as part of the processes leading to the signing of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) showed that most of the communities have not been fully involved in the concession award processes.
Ambassador Intelmann was speaking today when she paid a courtesy visit at the LEITI Secretariat, seeking to know the status of the EITI Program in Liberia.
Earlier providing update on the process, LEITI Head of Secretariat Konah D. Karmo said, over the years, the LEITI has consistently published taxes and revenue data disclosed by companies and government, enhancing public debates on the transparent management of the extractive sector.

He mentioned other important undertakings of the Initiative, including the publication of the Post Award Process Audit Report seeking to enhance transparency in the contract award process and the robust youth engagement campaign intended to promote youth understanding of the EITI process and enhance their participation in policy decision making around resource transparency.


The LEITI Head of Secretariat also disclosed that the Initiative is currently conducting a Beneficial Ownership Disclosure exercise which would lead to the compilation of a publicly available registrar that would contain ownership information on the major concession companies in Liberia. He also noted that amongst others things, the LEITI has embarked upon simplifying all contracts in the extractive sectors to ensure that the average citizens understand the terms of these agreements which in their original versions, are voluminous and complex.

The Head of Secretariat however disclosed that amidst these achievements, LEITI is faced with huge logistical and financial challenges. Mr. Karmo said budgetary allocations for the LEITI needs to be augmented to allow the implementation of the planned activities especially given that Liberia will face EITI Validation next January. The LEITI Boss noted that failing validation next year will be an embarrassment for Liberia as the country has been consistently recognized as leader in global EITI implementation.






 

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LEITI Gets Deputy Head of Secretariat

5/1/2015

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Monrovia, Liberia; May 1, 2015: The Multi-stakeholders Steering Group of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) has appointed a new Deputy Head at the LEITI Secretariat.

Mr. Myer W. Saye was appointed by the MSG recently following a competitive recruitment process in which several other Liberians participated.

Mr. Saye is a Policy Economist and assumes this responsibility with considerable experience in research, policy design and analysis. He is knowledgeable about the EITI process in Liberia

The in-coming Deputy Head of the LEITI Secretariat also has other extensive experience in the public sector, having worked protractedly with the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs and the former Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs, supporting reforms and policy developments at both institutions.  He joins the LEITI from the United Nations Development Program where he has been contributing to grant development and management, as well as policy formulation in support of the UNDP’s goal of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development in Liberia.

Responding to his appointment recently, Mr. Saye expressed gratitude to the LEITI Board for the confidence reposed in him. He expressed commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the EITI process in Liberia.

The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is an autonomous agency established through an Act of the Legislature, to promote the transparent management of Liberia’s extractive resources. It is a tripartite arrangement governed by a Multi-stakeholders Steering Group (MSG), consisting of representatives of the Government of Liberia, civil society, the private sector, and Liberia’s development partners.

 

 


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LEITI Supports Research on Extractive Sector in High Schools

3/30/2015

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Monrovia, Liberia; Monday, March 30, 2015: The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) has donated several book shelves to high schools participating in the Extractive Club Program, a youth-focused outreach program implemented by the LEITI.

Making the official turnover of the shelves to the administrators of the participating schools today at the LEITI Secretariat in Monrovia, LEITI Head of Secretariat Konah D. Karmo said, the shelves are intended to support the establishment of reading corners in the various schools to enhance students’ research on the extractive sector.

Mr. Karmo said, the LEITI will supply these shelves with collections of books, movies and related materials on the extractive sector to support research about the extractive sectors in the student community and therefore inform young people’s participation in the debate regarding transparent resource management in Liberia.

The LEITI Boss said the initiative is part of LEITI’s outreach program focused on promoting youth understanding of the EITI process and preparing them to assume responsibility of managing the resource sector in the nearer future. He named other activities embedded in the program as inter-high school debates, field trips to concessions companies, speaker series and writing competition amongst others.

Mr. Karmo then expressed gratitude to the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) which has been providing funding for this project for the past three years.

On her part, Juliane Weymann, Advisor of the GIZ Regional Resource Governance Project in West Africa pledged her organization’s continuous support to the LEITI in ensuring better governance of the country’s resources.

In a remark closing the ceremony, the Vice Principal for Student Affairs at the G.W. Gibson High School, Mr. Jonathan Kollie thanked LEITI for the gesture which he said would no doubt enhance students’ learning in the various high schools. He encouraged all stakeholders to continue supporting the LEITI process, making special appeal to donor community and the government to sustain the Extractive Club Program in the high schools.

Also speaking, the Principal of the Isaac A. David High School, Mr. Konah L. Parker expressed overwhelming joy over the donation and thanked the management of LEITI for their continuous efforts in educating the youths of Liberia on relevant issues in the extractive.  Mr. said, his students are very excited about the Extractive Club Program and will at all-time be available when call to partake in any of the activities. The veteran educator promised that his school will make maximum use of the resource materials to be provided by LEITI.

 

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LEITI Sanctions Non-Complaint Companies

3/24/2015

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Companies that failed to Disclose Tax Payment Data to the 5th LEITI Report
Article 4(b) of the LEITI Act of 2009 requires that all extractive companies and covered agencies and levels of government disclose, at least once every year, the data of all payments made and revenues received in respect of the extraction of Liberia’s forest and mineral resources. This initiative is in support of the government’s effort to promote transparency and accountability over the management of revenues from Liberia’s extractive resources, ensuring that all citizens benefit from such resources.
During the preparation of the 5th LEITI Report (which covered the period July 1, 2011—June 30, 2012), the following companies failed to disclose their tax payment data as required by law.

The Multi-stakeholders Steering Group of the LEITI recently mandated that the names of these companies be published in line of with the LEITI Sanction regime, and warns that further punitive actions, including revocation of licenses, will be taken against companies that insist on such non-complaint attitude.  

The companies are:
AGRICULTURE SECTOR
1.     The Liberia Company (LIBCO)
2.     Lee Group of Enterprises
3.     Equatorial Palm Oil

  FORESTRY SECTOR
1.     Liberia Hard Wood Corporation
2.     Global Logging
3.     Tropical Timbers Inc.
4.     Thunder Bird
5.     Universal Forestry
6.     Tropical Timbers
7.     Eco-Timber Liberia
8.     Timber Liberia
9.     K-Mark INDO
10.  Nature Oriented
11.  Cavalla Logging
12.  Frank Brooks Ltd
13.  Quantum Resource
14.  Buchanan Renewable Energy-Fuel

  MINING SECTOR

1.     Abundant Resource
2.     Africa Diamond Resources
3.     AfricDiam Company Inc.
4.     Alex Stewart
5.     B-2 (Bereket D. Tesfamariam)
6.     Castle Gem
7.     Charis Minerals, Inc.
8.     Consor International Ltd
9.     Comtoire De Diamant
10.  Damaka Mining
11.  Diamco Inc.
12.  Elephant Fall Mining Company
13.  Earthcons Inc.
14.  Estmor Gold Mining Company
15.  Fine Minerals International
16.  Fortress (Liberia) Ltd
17.  Gemrock Mining Inc.
18.  Golden Vision Trading
19.  Handin Resources Investment
20.  Golden Mass Trading
21.  H-10 International
22.  Han-Uman Company
23.  Investment Development Corporation
24.  Jamu Resources
25.  Kidoon Enterprises
26.  KBL Liberia Mining
27.  Liberia Mineral Resources
28.  Lofa Mineral Corporation
29.  Madansu’s Incorporated
30.  Madas Corporation
31.  Massa Investment
32.  Mining & Geotechnical Ltd
33.  Monnet Global Ltd
34.  NyanBartee Corporation
35.  Nimba Mining Company
36.  Pedra Mining
37.  Royal Company
38.  Ruskalka Group
39.  Southern Cross Investment Limited
40.  Spri Group Africa Limited
41.  Star Diamond Company
42.  Steinbock Mineral (Lib) Ltd
43.  Xin Yuan Transnational Corp.
44.  Task International Ltd
45.  Thackett Mining Inc.
46.  The Diamond Plus Inc.
47.  Trans-Atlantic Petroleum & Oil
48.  VBG-VALE BSGR Liberia
49.  White Rock Trading
50.  West Africa Gold & Diamond
51.  Weajue Hill Mining





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EITI Regional Director Visits Liberia

3/6/2015

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Monrovia; Friday, March 06, 2015: The Regional Director for Anglophone Africa at the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) International Secretariat has arrived in Liberia on a week-long official visit.

Mr. Samson S. Tokpah’s visit to Liberia is intended to support the EITI implementation process in the country, particularly as Liberia is expected to go through EITI validation very soon.

While in Liberia, Mr. Tokpah will meet with various stakeholders of the EITI process as well as key opinion leaders in government including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro-tempore of the Liberian Senate, the Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the President of the National Oil Company of Liberia. Their meetings will focus on identifying and addressing the gaps that exist in promoting resource transparency in Liberia and strengthening government’s support to the EITI process.

 Mr. Tokpah will also provide support to workshop with selected companies in the extractive sectors as well as relevant government ministries and agencies and provide guidance on the data collection process of the pending Beneficial Ownership Disclosure exercises to be conducted by the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI).

The Beneficial Ownership Disclosure exercises will result into the compilation of a database of all natural persons or institutions having ownership rights of not less than ten (10) percent in each entity involved in the extraction/exploitation of Liberia’s mining, oil, forestry and agriculture sectors between July 13, 2009 and December 31, 2013.

Mr. Tokpah, an operations improvement specialist, salvaged the Liberian EITI process from near collapse in 2011 and spearheaded it to a point of recognition before he took on a new assignment at the EITI International Secretariat in Oslo, Norway.

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LEITI-GYAC Hosts Natural Resource Governance Forum for Youths

12/10/2014

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In observance of International Anti-Corruption Day, the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency (LEITI) in partnership with the Global Youth Anti-Corruption Network (GYAC), held a special natural resource youth forum in Monrovia on December 9, 2014.

The forum was intended to promote youth understanding of the issues in the resource sector and encourage their participation in the fight against corruption in Liberia. Held under the theme: Enhancing Youth Participation in Natural Resource Governance In Liberia”, the program brought together about 100 young people from across the country, 60% of them students participating in the Extractive Club Program, a LEITI youth-focused outreach initiative being implemented at various high schools in Liberia.

Presenting on findings and recommendations from the 4th and 5th EITI Reports for Liberia, LEITI Communications and Outreach Officer Samson Wonnah outlined several issues including failures of some companies to comply with the process and discrepancies identified in the reconciliation process of amounts reported as taxes paid by the extractive companies and those the government acknowledged receiving in revenues.

Mr. Wonnah said such failures in complying with the EITI reporting process seriously undermine efforts to promote transparency over revenues from the extractive sectors, stressing that public disclosure of taxes from the extractive sectors is a legal requirement. Mr. Wonnah also disclosed that LEITI would further investigate the reported discrepancies to ensure every cent due the Government and people of Liberia is fully accounted for.

Also speaking on the significance of the event, the LEITI Spokesman said part of the idea behind the program was to re-awaken the LEITI youth engagement campaign particularly in the wake of the scale-down of activities due to the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in Liberia.

 The Extractive Club Program, funded by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), has enabled LEITI to reach out to  over hundred and fifty students during the past two years, promoting  amongst them the value of integrity and increasing  their understanding of the extractive sector, thereby preparing them for greater leadership role in the near future. Whether through field trips to extractive companies, mentorship program, peer-to-peer discussions and inter-high school debates, the e-Club Program has stirred excitements amongst students and allowed them to contribute to the debates and discussions regarding transparent resource management in Liberia.

Mr. Lasana A. Kromah, Sr., Enforcement Manager of the Real Estate Tax Division of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and Mr. Stephen B. Lavalah, Senior Policy Analyst at the GYAC also made presentations respectively on “Sustainable Management of Revenue Flows in the Extractive Industries” and “Environmental Impact on Natural Resource Extraction”.

December 9, is annually observed as International Anti-Corruption Day since the passage of the United Nations Convention against Corruption on 31 October 2003. Yesterday’s event was held at the YMCA Conference Room in Monrovia and broadcast on major national radio and television stations. Pictorial from the occasion can be viewed on the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.818829284846887.1073741890.276148339114987&

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LEITI Begins 6th Report Preparation with Technical Workshop

12/3/2014

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Monrovia, Liberia; Saturday, November 29, 2014: The Secretariat of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) has concluded a one-day technical workshop aimed at enhancing effectiveness in the preparation of the 6th EITI Report for Liberia.

The Report, which preparation will begin shortly, will capture all material payments of taxes, royalties, land/surface rentals and other administrative fees paid to, and acknowledged by the Government of Liberia by companies in the oil, mining, forestry and agricultural sectors for the period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.

The technical workshop allowed representatives from concerned companies in the extractive sectors and relevant government agencies to review and modify existing LEITI reporting templates incorporating new taxes that were introduced during the current reporting period. The occasion also enabled the stakeholders to identify and seek remedies to several challenges affecting the reporting.

The workshop was held on Friday, November 28, 201 at the P.A’s Rib House in Sinkor, Monrovia. Government ministries and agencies participating include the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy; the Ministry of Agriculture; the Forestry Development Authority; the National Oil Company of Liberia; the General Auditing Commission and the Liberia Revenue Authority.

Speaking to participants in an introductory remark, LEITI Head of Secretariat Konah D. Karmo said, public disclosure of taxes and revenues from the extractive sectors is a legal requirement and companies and government agencies failing to comply with this requirement will be sanctioned in accordance with the laws.

Under the LEITI Multi-stakeholders Steering Group Regulations of 2009, Sanction regime to address non-compliance to EITI reporting is progressive, ranging from demand to comply, public censure, notice of intent to affect operations, imposition of fines and recommendation for revocation of license. Mr. Karmo said, the LEITI Secretariat will not relent on punishing companies and government agencies that will hinder the public’s rights to know proceeds from the extraction of their resources.

Also speaking, the Deputy Commission for Revenue of the Liberia Revenue Authority, Decontee King Sackie called for inter-agency collaboration to review and address challenges in the EITI reporting as well as other issues affecting the collection of relevant revenues due the State.

The preparation of EITI Reports which contain disclosure of reconciled data of taxes paid by companies and revenues received by the Government is one of the core functions of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

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Karmo Appointed as LEITI new Head of Secretariat

10/24/2014

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Monrovia, Liberia; October 24, 2014: A new Head of Secretariat has been appointed at the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI).

Mr. Konah D. Karmo was appointed by the Multi-Stakeholders Steering Group (MSG) of the LEITI recently following a competitive recruitment process in which several other Liberians participated. His appointment brings to an end, the leadership vacuum created at the institution after the former Head of Secretariat, Mr. Samson S. Tokpah resigned in April 2014 to take on a new role at the International EITI Secretariat in Oslo, Norway.


Mr. Karmo assumes this responsibility with background and experience in banking and operations. He has in-depth knowledge of the EITI program in Liberia having served the LEITI dedicatedly, excelling from the post of Project Accountant to Deputy Head of Secretariat and now, Head of Secretariat.

 
Responding to his appointment recently, Mr. Karmo expressed gratitude to the LEITI Board for the confidence reposed in him. He noted that his goal is to maintain the dedication required for an effective stewardship of the LEITI Secretariat in achieving its objectives, and called on all stakeholders to continue supporting the process in order to sustain the gains made by Liberia in setting a model for EITI implementation globally.

The LEITI Boss further expressed the desire to continue working with the corps of professional staff at the Secretariat whom he described as resourceful and key to many accomplishments made by the LEITI. 


The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is an autonomous agency established through an Act of the Legislature, to promote the transparent management of Liberia’s extractive resources. It is a tripartite arrangement governed by a Multi-stakeholders Steering Group (MSG), consisting of representatives of the Government of Liberia, civil society, the private sector, and Liberia’s development partners.

                                                            Samson Wonnah

                                                            Communications & Outreach Officer

                                                            Cell: +231-886-914-601

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