IPNEWS: A group operating under the banner “Save CEIO” has accused Mr. Mohammed A. Dukuley, Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinion (CEIO), of a lack of transparency and accountability during his leadership, which began over a year ago.
In a six-point resolution presented on Tuesday at the institution’s headquarters in Ain, central Monrovia, the group’s spokesman, Robert Harrison, called on Mr. Dukuley to provide a comprehensive update to the general membership of CEIO on the institution’s finances and activities.
Harrison alleged that during the Open Budget Initiative (OBI), the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning provided CEIO with $700 to raise awareness on the national budget, but there has been no clarity on how the funds were utilized. He further claimed that $5,000 provided for various CEIO projects also lacked proper accountability under Mr. Dukuley’s leadership.
The group accused the OIC of failing to ensure transparency when funds collected for institutional projects were not properly accounted for. Additionally, Harrison called for documentation on the disbursement of LD$100,000 allegedly distributed by their comrade, Darlington Collins.
The group has given Mr. Dukuley a seven-day ultimatum to address their concerns and ensure transparency and accountability within CEIO.
Speaking further, another member of the group, David Nagbe, said, “Those who come with equity must come with clean hands. We cannot criticize government officials for corruption while engaging in the same practices.”
Nagbe emphasized the need for CEIO, regarded as one of the leading intellectual hubs in Liberia, to uphold its reputation by maintaining high ethical standards. He added that if CEIO intends to remain credible in speaking out against corruption, its leadership must hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.
When contacted by The Liberian Investigator via mobile phone regarding the allegations, Mr. Mohammed Dukuley dismissed the claims as baseless. He alleged that the accusations were a ploy by individuals seeking to gain public sympathy ahead of the institution’s pending elections.
“You can go ahead and write your story. I’m not moved by these individuals. That’s all I have to say,” Mr. Dukuley remarked.
