The Third Report of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) covering the period July 1, 2009 up to and including June 30, 2010 was published on December 16, 2011. The report contains payments data supplied by seventy-one (71) companies and revenues data supplied by five (5) agencies of Government. A total amount of US$69,720,697 was reported by the seventy one companies as combined payment of taxes, royalties, land/surface rental and other administrative fees, while the five agencies of the Government reported total receipts of US$71,896,113.

Total net difference of US$2,175,416 or 3% of total receipts shows that the Government reported more revenues than payments declared by the seventy-one (71) reporting companies. The net discrepancy can be traced to fifty (50) companies for which the Government reported receipts, but those companies did not submit payment data to the Reconcilers. The distribution of the discrepancy by categories is:

• Companies that were active at the time of the third report but did not submit payment data to the Reconcilers. Pit Sawers and Small Scale Miners account for US$1,868,011 or 86% of the net discrepancy.
• Companies that discontinued their operations prior to the preparation of the Third Report account for US$324,758 or 15% of the net discrepancy.
• Companies that submitted payment data but had differences between their payments and receipts declared by the Government on their behalf account for US$17,327 or -1% of the net discrepancy.

Total number of reporting companies increased from sixty-four (64) in LEITI Second Report to one-hundred-twenty-one (121) in the Third Report, accounting for 89.1% favorable change. Total revenue also increased from US$35,425,230 to US$71,896,113 during this period and accounts for 103% change.

The LEITI is an autonomous agency of the Government of Liberia. It was established by an Act of the Legislature as a partnership involving the Government of Liberia, the Private Sector, and the Civil Society of Liberia. It is supported by the Government of Liberia and Liberia’s development partners. The LEITI seeks to ensure transparency over payments to, and revenues received by, the Government of Liberia in connection with the operations of all oil, mining, logging, and agriculture companies operating in the country. The work of the LEITI consists of regular disclosure, audit/reconciliation, and publication of all material payments made by oil, mining, logging and agriculture companies (“Companies”) to the Government, and all material revenues received by the Government from the above-mentioned companies.  A critical component of the LEITI work program is the comprehensive and reliable reconciliation and/or audit of the payment and revenue data provided by both the Companies and the Government. The LEITI process also calls for massive and public dissemination of the EITI reports.

Monrovia, Liberia; December 3, 2012: The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) have signed an agreement for the establishment of Extractive Clubs in Liberia.
Mark Mattner, the Project Manager for GIZ Resource Governance Project in West Africa signed for the GIZ while Mr. Samson S. Tokpah, Head of Secretariat signed for the LEITI.

Under the agreement, the German Development Cooperation will provide a grant amount of US$24,500 over a six-month period (November 2012-April 2013) to facilitate the establishment of extractive clubs in ten (10) high schools in Monrovia and its environs. The effort is in support of LEITI’s outreach programs aimed at increasing public awareness on activities in the extractive sectors. The project will enable students from participating schools to access knowledge and information on issues relative to the management of Liberia’s natural resources through campus- based activities, including peer-to-peer discussions, lecture series, mentoring and field trips amongst others.

Speaking on behalf of the LEITI during the official signing ceremony on today, in the LEITI’s Conference Room on Capitol Hill, Mr.Tokpah said the initiative is a means of transferring knowledge and skills to the youths on the management of the nation’s extractive resources so that they are able to make prudent decisions when they eventually become leaders in the society. He noted that the project will be piloted in the 10 schools, but LEITI plans on expanding the extractive clubs to other parts of the country once funding is guaranteed.

Mr. Tokpah has further commended the GIZ family and the German Government for their continuous support towards the implementation of the EITI process in Liberia. It can be recalled that the GIZ funded LEITI’s first inter-high school debate in May 2012 during which hundreds of students from four high schools in Monrovia were engaged in discussions on the Country’s extractive resources.

The Extractive Club Project is expected to be launched in December 2012.

Monrovia, Liberia; December 3, 2012: The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) have signed an agreement for the establishment of Extractive Clubs in Liberia.
Mark Mattner, the Project Manager for GIZ Resource Governance Project in West Africa signed for the GIZ while Mr. Samson S. Tokpah, Head of Secretariat signed for the LEITI.

Under the agreement, the German Development Cooperation will provide a grant amount of US$24,500 over a six-month period (November 2012-April 2013) to facilitate the establishment of extractive clubs in ten (10) high schools in Monrovia and its environs. The effort is in support of LEITI’s outreach programs aimed at increasing public awareness on activities in the extractive sectors. The project will enable students from participating schools to access knowledge and information on issues relative to the management of Liberia’s natural resources through campus- based activities, including peer-to-peer discussions, lecture series, mentoring and field trips amongst others.

Speaking on behalf of the LEITI during the official signing ceremony on today, in the LEITI’s Conference Room on Capitol Hill, Mr.Tokpah said the initiative is a means of transferring knowledge and skills to the youths on the management of the nation’s extractive resources so that they are able to make prudent decisions when they eventually become leaders in the society. He noted that the project will be piloted in the 10 schools, but LEITI plans on expanding the extractive clubs to other parts of the country once funding is guaranteed.

Mr. Tokpah has further commended the GIZ family and the German Government for their continuous support towards the implementation of the EITI process in Liberia. It can be recalled that the GIZ funded LEITI’s first inter-high school debate in May 2012 during which hundreds of students from four high schools in Monrovia were engaged in discussions on the Country’s extractive resources.

The Extractive Club Project is expected to be launched in December 2012.