Monrovia—Amid the circulation of images of earth-moving equipment across social media purporting to be the arrival of the controversial 285 heavy road equipment, Liberia’s information minister, Jerolinmek Piah, has declined to respond to a FrontPage Africa inquiry regarding those images despite earlier on disclosing that agreement to have such machines in Liberia is still far from reality.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-[email protected]
In recent days, there have been reports on social media and other media outlets regarding the arrival of a large consignment of earth-moving equipment at the Freeport of Monrovia, reportedly being brought into the country by the Government of Liberia. Images of the machines being offloaded and parked at the Freeport of Monrovia have been widely disseminated.
It be recalled, on May 23, 2024, at the commencement of a ministerial retreat held in Monrovia the Joseph Boakai’s administration, through the Minister of State Without Portfolio, Mamaka Bility, announced that the equipment, including yellow machines and trucks, have already been turned over and were en route to Liberia amid cheering from across the room from the audience.
In a video displayed by the government showed dozens of earthmoving machines inscribed with President Boakai’s photos and the Liberian flag, captioned: “Handover Ceremony-Presidential Infrastructure Program-President Joseph Boakai.”
The announcement at the time sparked concerns among Liberians, triggering questions about the arrangement under which the machines were acquired.
In the aftermath of government’s announcement—Representative Frank Saah Foko Jr. (Montserrado County District# 9) posted on his Facebook page: “In the case of the government’s announcement of 285 earthmoving 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 million, 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? I am even more concerned if either of the things above why no bidding is 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.” Rep. Foko said.
But speaking at a special press briefing at the Ministry of Information on May 28, 2024, Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah divulged that the agreement to have 285 pieces of earthmoving equipment for road construction and maintenance is far from reach and when on calling on critics to stop asking questions about issues regarding the coming in of the earthmoving equipment.
Minister Piah clarified that what was read by Madam Bility, Minister of State Without Portfolio, was a not a formal announcement, something he said must not be reacted to.
“You cannot be reacting to a presentation, an update, or a briefing in an assembly of cabinet-associated individuals. And so, if the law says the Executive can do this, and before we reach a decision this other branch of government must do that, that is exactly what will happen, have we reached there? No. Nothing has been concluded or consummated as an agreement.” he noted.
He, however, stated that the Boakai-led administration will meet all legal status in bringing such a huge consignment of equipment to maintain and construct roads across the country.
Minister Piah words: “We are fully aware that the Executive has all the lawful requirements that are associated with that power that we must negotiate on behalf of the government when it reaches the point at which those decisions are taken, it will be done consistent with those lawful requirements because one of the critical pillars of the Arrest Agenda is the rule of law. And so, the President is very conscious of the fact that the rule of law should prevail.”
Continuing, Minister Piah said: “About the desire to have earthmoving equipment, the scenario will be different depending on how you meet the legal requirement. The process regarding how we are going to get the earthmoving equipment will be communicated to the public when it is consummated, one thing we can assure that we are going to follow all the legal processes required.”
Since Minister Piah assured the people of Liberia about government’s commitment on informing the public when the negotiation of the machines starts, there has been no official communication from the government regarding the arrival of the machines until over the weekend when an array of earthmoving machines began to surface on social media (Facebook) being offloaded at the Freeport of Monrovia.
Scores of government officials have been taking to their social media handles to post pictures of what they claimed are the pictures and videos of the machines in the absence of a formal announcement by the government.
Liberia’s Water and Sewer Head, Mo Ali, posted: “We will overdose the haters with good news. The thing showing a face small, small oh.”
Patrick Honnah, an official of the government posted: “Get set! We shall assemble and declare All Yellow Day to escort our yellow bae (machines). 19 of these in each freaking county, multiply by 15= 285 in just five months. A promise fulfilled. Any county da na want some more tell us soon ooo.”
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