MONROVIA – The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kingdom Business Inc. (KBI), Mr. L. Swansey Fallah, has accused the Ministry of Health (MOH) of procurement irregularities and favoritism, alleging that contracts were awarded without due process. Fallah claims his company was unfairly denied contracts for two major government projects despite meeting the necessary requirements.
However, the Ministry of Health denied the allegation, and said the process was done transparently and in accordance with established laws.
Speaking to the media recently, Fallah expressed frustration over the handling of the procurement process, particularly in the awarding of contracts for the Bo-Waterside Health Center Civic Work in Grand Cape Mount County and the Neuropsychiatric/Mental Health Hospital construction, including the completion of the Ministry of Health Partners Building. According to him, these contracts were given to American Eagle Construction Company and Interior Perspective LLC, respectively, without a transparent bidding process.
“I have raised several concerns with Health Minister Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto and the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), but nothing has been done about it. There are strong indications of lobbying by senior officials at the Ministry of Health, which is a direct violation of procurement laws,” Fallah stated.
Alleged Conflict of Interest
Fallah further alleged that during a site visit, Assistant Minister for Administration Richard D. Kollie provided an official government vehicle to personnel of Interior Perspective LLC, calling it a conflict of interest and a violation of procurement regulations.
“This is a blatant disregard of procurement laws. When questioned, Minister Kollie justified his actions by saying that Interior Perspective LLC did not have transportation, but that explanation doesn’t hold water,” Fallah added.
Kingdom Business Inc. Questions Evaluation Process
KBI, a leading construction firm in Liberia, has successfully executed more than 50 government and non-government projects and owns over 25 earth-moving machines. Despite its credentials, Fallah claims the Ministry of Health unfairly scored his company lower in the evaluation process.
For the Neuropsychiatric/Mental Health Hospital construction project in Bentol City, Montserrado County, KBI passed the preliminary evaluation but was later told that its total score of 97.89 out of 100 was too low. According to Fallah, the only cited reason was the absence of a site foreman certificate, even though KBI submitted the foreman’s curriculum vitae (CV).
“We were told we did not qualify because we failed to submit a site foreman certificate, even though we had submitted his CV. That was the only difference between us and the winning bidder, who scored just 0.11 points higher. This raises serious doubts about the integrity of the bidding process,” Fallah argued.
Ministry of Health Responds
In response, a document obtained by the media outlines the Ministry’s justification for KBI’s score. It states that KBI’s technical score was 68 and its financial score was 29.89, leading to a total of 97.89, which fell 0.11 points below the winning bidder. The absence of a foreman certificate was listed as the primary reason for the deduction.
“In response to your request concerning the Ministry’s procurement process, reference (IFB. Ref#: No. MOH/PSIU/NCB/003/2024), for which you submitted a bid on November 8, 2024, for the construction of the Neuropsychiatric/Mental Health Hospital in Bentol City, Montserrado County, Liberia: After careful evaluation by an independent panel, your bid passed the preliminary stage and proceeded to technical evaluation. Your technical score was 68 and your financial score was 29.89, giving you a total score of 97.89. This placed you 0.11 points below your competitor. One weakness that led to your lower score was the absence of a site foreman certificate, despite the submission of a CV,” the document stated.
However, Fallah dismissed this reasoning, arguing that his company was unfairly edged out over a minor technicality. “We were clearly the better bidder with stronger qualifications, but we lost on a minor issue that could have been easily clarified. This looks like a deliberate attempt to exclude us,” he said.
Calls for Investigation and Accountability
After failing to get redress from the Ministry of Health, Fallah filed a complaint with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), which is now reviewing the matter.
When contacted, Ministry of Health officials confirmed that the case is under PPCC review and emphasized their commitment to transparency.
“The Ministry of Health has received your inquiry, and we wish to inform you that this matter is currently before the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission for further review. The Ministry is committed to upholding the integrity of the procurement process and will cooperate fully with the PPCC in resolving this issue,” a Ministry spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Kingdom Business Inc. continues to push for a fair, transparent, and impartial procurement process, calling on authorities to ensure that government contracts are awarded based on merit and adherence to the law.
Pending Outcome
With the case now before the PPCC, stakeholders are closely watching to see whether the procurement process will be upheld or whether KBI’s complaints will lead to further scrutiny of government contracting practices.
For now, Fallah insists that accountability and transparency in public procurement are crucial to preventing similar disputes in the future.
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