MONROVIA – President Joseph N. Boakai’s pick for Minister of Public Works, Mr. Roland Giddings, appears to be a violation of the New Executive Law which clearly spells out the roles of government ministers, agencies and the responsibilities of the respective heads.
By Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
The Minister of Public Works holds a pivotal role in overseeing and managing a wide array of responsibilities aimed at developing and maintaining essential infrastructure within the country.
According to Section 27.2 of the New Executive Law, the Minister shall be responsible to DESIGN, construct, improve and maintain, directly or by contract, all highways, streets, roads, bridges and storm sewers.
b) To be in charge of, either directly or by contract, the construction of sanitary sewers, hospitals, public buildings, and other public works which are built for other Ministries or agencies of the Government, exclusive of public authorities, and to cooperate with the representatives of such Ministries or agencies in planning and carrying out such construction.
(c) To provide engineering and architectural services for all Ministries or agencies of the Government;
(d) To carry out and administer urban and town planning and land use re-zoning;
(e) To plan, in conjunction with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and the Public Utilities Authority, public works facilities and public utilities systems;
(f) To enforce constriction standards for non-governmental buildings;
(h) To administer the law with regard to issuance of licenses to electricians, plumbers and any other persons who are required by law to obtain licenses from this Ministry to carry on their occupations.
Engineers familiar with the New Executive Law and the Ministry opine that having an engineer as the Minister of Public Works brings a specialized skill set that aligns closely with the technical demands of infrastructure development. This technical proficiency enhances decision-making, project oversight, and the overall effectiveness of the ministry in meeting the infrastructure needs of the community.
“Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made the mistake and disregarded the law and I am quite sure inf President Boakai was aware of this law, he wouldn’t have appointed someone with no background in engineering,” a former employee of Public Works told FrontPageAfrica.
Mr. Roland Giddings is a professional with a wealth of experience in public administration and financial management. He served Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Public Works & Rural Development in 2014. His responsibilities encompassed a broad spectrum of administrative activities.
Prior to that position, Mr. Giddings held roles in various governmental and consultancy capacities. From August 2010 to December 2014, he served as a Senior Program Officer/Consultant for the Government of Liberia & World Bank Infrastructure Development Project. In this capacity, he contributed to project development, coordination, and played a crucial role in monitoring and evaluation as a consultant within the President’s Delivery Unit, Office of the President, Executive Mansion.
Before that, from April 2009 to July 2010, Mr. Giddings served as a Program Specialist at the Economic Management Team (EMT) Secretariat, working within the Office of the President, Executive Mansion. During this period, he was involved in the Liberia Emergency Capacity Building Support Program (LECBS) in collaboration with UNDP.
His career trajectory also includes a role as a Program Assistant at the Liberia Reconstruction & Development Committee Secretariat from September 2007 to March 2009. In this position, Mr. Giddings played a vital role in supporting the development of an Aid Management Platform, a National Aid Strategy, and Policy to coordinate the implementation of donor assistance to Liberia.
Mr. Giddings is academically well-equipped, holding an MBA in Marketing Management from Wuhan University of Technology (2004-2006) and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Business Administration/Economics from African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) (1997-2001). His educational journey reflects a keen interest in both business administration and economic management.
Throughout his academic years, Mr. Giddings actively participated in various extracurricular activities, including sporting and cultural exchange activities during his MBA at Wuhan University of Technology. During his time at AMEU, he engaged in student government leadership, academic debate, and participated in sporting and charitable activities.