Monrovia – After providing two conflicting stories to save its image from what appears to be a bogus headquarters agreement, the Press Union of Liberia has again provided another account, this time denying ever finalizing a contract for its head office.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah – [email protected]
The union has been under tough scrutiny recently for entering into a bogus agreement leading to a contract for the construction of its headquarters outside the PPCC guidelines.
According to report, Coffey earlier affixed his signature to an agreement before travelling to the US to attend the recently held convention for the All Liberian Journalists in the Americas.
This raised eyebrows over the status of the previous contract signed by the union and another contractor, as a source close to the union questioned, “Who pays the debt of the old contractor because his contract has not yet ended and the union is going into a new contract?”
There is still uncertainty over the status of previous contract signed in 2008 when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf donated US$100,000 for the construction of the headquarters of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) while the union plans to enter into a new contract which would place it into extra obligation with its old contractor.
The agreement, a copy of which is in the possession of FrontPageAfrica awards a US$300,000 pre-financing contract to Civil Design Inc. without going through the Public Procurement Concession Commission process.
But following his return from the US, PUL President Charles Coffey Thursday denied signing a new contract noting that negotiation is still ongoing for its national headquarters in Monrovia contrary to report that it has completed the process outside the PPCC Regulations.
Coffey told a news conference at the union headquarters that the union’s ongoing consultation leading to the construction of its official office takes into consideration the Public Procurement and Concession Commission regulation.
“At no time did the PUL reach any decision on any agreement with anyone as to have contract with anybody. The process is ongoing and the PPCC process will be followed and LACE will handle everything,” Coffey said.
According to him the union is cognizant of its constitution and cannot do anything that would bring its integrity to question.
Coffey said the PUL anticipation is to construct a modern US$500,000 headquarters but due to budgetary constraint, the National Legislature has deemed it necessary to allocate US$300,000 in satisfying other sectors of the country.
He said the US$300,000 will not be sufficient to address the completion of the union headquarters unless additional funding or donations are sought from its membership.
He described as insinuation, information that it is seeking 20 percent from the contract agreements.
“20 percent of US$300,000 is US$60,000 so what kind of contractor who had not gone through the PPCC process will take US$60,000 and give it to Charles Coffey or any other group?
That information is false and misleading, it’s the work of our detractors who did not do well as given responsibility that we are doing,” Coffey asserted.
Terming it as an organized scheme by some close associates to hang a dark cloud over the PUL, Coffey said the plans to construct a new headquarter remains irreversible and that all will be done legally to start the ball rolling.
He further noted that the amount in question will not be in the possession of the PUL but the relevant agency that would be entrusted to implement the project.
Prior to Coffey’s clarification, two executives, the chair and co-chair of the headquarters project Zoom Dosso, and Rhodoxon Fayiah, provided conflicting accounts leading to the new contract tale.
Mr. Dosso, said taking cue from the US$100,000 saga, the committee decided to find a company that would pre-finance the project while on the other hand, Fayiah said the PUL has no dealing with the PPCC as they were working in line with the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) which is responsible to carry out government projects.
In an email to FrontPageAfrica, Mr. Dosso wrote: “We have thought it wise that this time it should be a company that will do the work first before we give the money.”
“I have been to the PPCC office after being advised by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to do so. To pre-finance a contract is called single sourcing a contract.”
According to Fayiah, the committee was called by LACE and advised to find a company they believe is capable of executing the contract.
He confirmed the union decision to pull out of the Deepening Democracy Coalition, citing lack of accountability, sincerity and fear that the office of the coalition was micromanaging the activities of the PUL, which is a major partner.
“The President is aware of the pulling out and in series of leadership meetings it was discussed and it was fear of delay that made the release to be issued after my departure to the US,” Coffey noted.
Coffey noted that PUL was yet to understand a defined role outline in the merger while at the same time, the PUL President termed it disrespect for him to be denied making remarks during ceremony marking the opening of the Presidential debate while other partners including Malcolm Joseph played multiple roles.
He further requested the coalition to give clarity on the sincerity of the partnership through a communication that called for an urgent meeting at the headquarters of the union on August 21, 2017, something Coffey said was ignored.
“Resources are being put into the process. The Press Union is being named a part of the process; I must be in the know, so I have no alternative but because there is no cooperation, there is no understanding, the PUL has the right to pull out of the Deepening Democracy process,” Coffey said.
Coffey believes the PUL has all it takes to conduct a debate and should not be downplayed as incapable in said partnership.
The Press Union of Liberia spokesperson maintained that the decision taken on the Liberia Media Center head is in good fate of the institution.
He said the LMC Board has overstayed and there is a need to reconstitute it, follow with other actions in ensuring that the LMC plays its best role.
“We will do the LMC in the best way so that it can play its role. The LMC is supposed to be implementing most of our projects and programs,” Coffey averred.