-As Liberians weigh in on the controversy
By Jerromie S. Walters & Vaye Lepolu
For days, government critics and other Liberians have called for more details on the acquisition of earth-moving equipment by the government, recently announced by Minister of State without Portfolio Mamaka Bility.
At last week’s cabinet retreat in Monrovia, Minister Bility did a video presentation that unveiled that the government was on the verge of securing 285 earth-moving equipment. She said the equipment would be distributed to 19 per county, a move that would see smaller counties getting the same number of equipment as bigger counties. Since then, pro and anti-government supporters have had different reactions to the announcement. Ordinary Liberians too have had their say on the matter, as they hail the disclosure but emphasize that it is done in Liberians’ interest.
Musa K. Freeman, a resident of Sinkor welcomed the disclosure of the coming of the country’s earth-moving equipment. In his opinion, it will create job opportunities for Liberians. However, he wants the coming of the equipment to adhere to all legal guidelines just as many have stressed.
His words: “We all want development, we all want road network. We don’t want something to happen that the future will be embarrassed. We all want what that was done by our then president George Mannah Weah should be implemented so if President Joseph Nyuma Boakai comes up with the same, we will support him and give him that privilege that he will need but not to carry on any form of corruption. We don’t want nobogus agreement to be signed, we need a purified documentary to convince the Liberian people. We are in need of it but it shouldn’t be under bogus agreement.”
Like Freeman, several other Liberians who spoke with this paper referenced the signing of awkward concession agreements by different governments, which continue to haunt Liberians and suppress the country’s growth. They see this as one of many reasons why Mr. Boakai’s administration should be honest and consider Liberians’ interests while negotiating for the equipment.
Kwien W. Kwien, the Chairman of the campus-based Student Unification Party (UP), sees the pronouncement as a laudable one but does not feel certain that it is true. He holds the opinion of many Liberians who have expressed concerns about how the government is getting the equipment.
Howbeit, Martin Luise, one of several Liberians who supported President Boakai’s ascendancy to the presidency, sees the disclosure by the government as a bogus one intended to gain political relevance. Louise pointed out the pronouncement of the construction of the overhead bridge along Tubman Boulevard, the coming of Air Liberia, Bali Island, and several other unfulfilled disclosures by the past government.
Jerelimik Piah clarifies
Liberia’s Information Minister Jerelimik Piah has clarified that no final decision has been made regarding the acquisition of earth-moving equipment for the country’s roads. The Minister emphasized that any equipment procured will be obtained through legal means.
The controversy surrounding the earth-moving equipment arose after the Minister of State without a Portfolio provided a briefing on the matter. Minister Piah urged the public to wait for the official agreement to be reached before drawing any conclusions.
Meanwhile, a local day recently reported that President Joseph Boakai reportedly turned down a multimillion-dollar token offered by aides in an attempt to secure the country’s mining assets for Chinese and South African investors. It is reported that the President halted the deal during an emergency cabinet meeting, citing concerns over transparency and governance issues.
Critics have called for more details on the acquisition of the earth-moving equipment and have questioned the motives behind the attempted mining asset transfer. President Boakai has reportedly expressed his disapproval of any wrongdoing associated with the arrangement and has vowed to uphold transparency in all government dealings.
Pro-UP legislator weigh in on the matter
Following intense public concerns, Montserrado County Senator Abraham D. Dillon who is also a supporter of this government wrote via his official Facebook page: “Under our governance system and by law, the Executive Branch is authorized, empowered and allowed to negotiate and secure concession deals, financing, loan agreements, enter into bilateral and or multilateral agreements, sign international Treaties and or Protocols, etc … on behalf of the country and people of Liberia. For check and balance, under any such circumstances, the Legislature must ratify in order to bind the country and people of Liberia to any such deals or agreements. But the Legislature comes into play mainly and only after the Executive shall have concluded all necessary and required processes leading to the consummation of such deals and or agreements.”
He added, “So, yes … a video presentation at a Cabinet Retreat under the Executive Branch displaying ongoing negotiations for road equipment is NOT a consummated and binding deal yet; and we welcome the much talk-about 285 earth-moving (road) equipment being negotiated by the Executive, after which the Legislature will have to conclude by ratification or rejection … where necessary. Until then, the Executive should be allowed to carry on its function whilst the Legislature awaits its time to act in the interest of transparency and accountability. This is called “Check and Balance”! No premature yelling, no showboating, and no grandstanding ….. !!!”
Anti-UP legislator weigh in
Montserrado County District #9 Representative Frank SaahFoko had this to say: “As a Legislator, I would try my best to commend the commendable and condemn the condemnable. Our people from District 9 sent me to the Hills to ask these crucial questions as we bring sanctity to the state. In the case of the government’s announcement of 285 earth moving equipment headed to Liberia as announced by President Boakai’s Minister of State without Portfolio at the ongoing Cabinet Retreat, Mamaka Bility costing the country around twenty-five or more millions, there are more questions than answers: Is this a grant, loan or commercial transaction as proffered or will we as Legislators be left in the dark given nowhere in the budget line did we budget for this procurement as this effort amounts towards 5% of our national budget.
The former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker added: “I am even more concerned if either of the things above why is there no bidding done under the PPCC Act, why didn’t companies or institutions compete in a competitive bidding process and what informed the government’s decision to have either commit the country to such a deal. What does Liberia give back if this were grant or if a loan how long do we begin committing ourselves to such endeavor as our debt ceiling as a country is already in billions? Remember there’s never a free lunch! Another issue unsaid is which country are these items coming from: Russia, North Korea, etc given our strong ties with the great United States, our European friends, and China. Is this an individual effort or a foreign government’s effort? The Legislature needs to ask all these hard questions.
