The Acting Director of the ASG Office of Veterans and Military Affairs Igafo Maria Brown Togia says the reason why nearly $1 million under the Fox grant was returned is because of lack of reports and documentation to support use of the grant.
She told a hearing of the House Government Operations Committee that the fund had been mismanaged. According to her explanation the previous director was using the grant for what he wanted instead of what veterans wanted. The previous director then blocked access for the employees which led to the non filing of reports as required by the grantor.
Igafo said that five people who were paid under the Fox grant which provides services and training for veterans, are still working, and being paid with local funds. She explained she was able to get approval from the Budget Office for a reshuffling of local funds in their budget to pay the five employees. The funding that was returned was for fiscal years 2023 to 2025 and the main reason was because of lack of reports. She said they are trying to convince the grantor for reimbursement of the local funds being used to cover expenses that were formerly covered by the Fox grant. The grantor has asked for a detailed itemization of those expenses.
Rep Trude Ledoux-Sunia asked if the Budget Office had advised her with the reshuffling of their local budget that the Fono has to approve the reappropriation of funds. She noted that the total budget for the office was $1.2 million and personnel costs so far amounted to $194,000. Igafo said when the Fox grant was returned her main concern was to pay the employees who were previously paid by the grant. The advise from the Chief of Staff in the Governor’s Office was to pay these employees and she was able to get approval from the Budget Office to use local funds to pay them.
Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula told KHJ News in December that the Director of the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs Malologa Pava Lagai, has been put on temporary leave with pay.
He explained that the VA Office lost a significant grant which funds the office and veterans’ activities due to non compliance.
He has therefore assigned VA Liaison Mrs. Igafo Maria Brown Togia to temporarily manage the Office and staff as “we look into the matter and hopefully remedy the situation sooner rather than later with appropriate ASG personnel.”
