Monrovia – The former Financial Comptroller of the National Transit Authority, Anthony Benedacious Roberts II is calling on the new management team of the entity to implement the General Auditing Commission’s audit recommendations and make individuals to account for their stewardship for the period of the audit, in an effort to tackle the fight against corruption.
He noted that president Boakai during his days in opposition placed special emphasis on the restructuring and revamping of the entity due to multiple allegations of corruption and protestation staged by employees of the entity for the reported poor handling of the nation’s only pubic transport service under its then Managing Director Herbie T. McCauley, but as it stands, the entity is yet to update the public about the stewardship of individuals who served in lead managerial roles of the then administration to account as contained in the GAC past and current audit conducted under the past and new management team.
Roberts furthered that corruption in public offices should not be condoned, and as such, people should not use corruption allegations without substantive proof to falsely accuse young professionals who are bent on using their professional skills to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
He disclosed that the NTA was gutted by fire in May of 2022 with a wide spread of allegation which surrounds the intention of destroying evidence when in fact, the GAC had already collected all relevant documents needed to aid the 5years audit and was concluding its findings at the GAC headquarters on Ashmun Street before the accident of the fire occurred.
The audit ran from 2016 to 2021 with an “ADVERSE OPINION accompanying financial statement do not give a true and fair view in all material respects, of the National Transit Authority periods July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2021 under the stewardship of Andrew Sagley former comptroller”.
He said; ‘’ it’s unfortunate to note that those who milk the entity are those who are currently at the senior management level with little or no skills and qualifications. while professionals who fought for the adherence of the GAC’ recommendations and were never heard and given the opportunity were the ones lied on, gossiping about to make sure that the bright and critical minds who did not support wrongdoings were booted out. I am challenging the NTA to provide any source document of fraud under my stewardship as comptroller for the period I served, I shall be glad to appear with my legal team to vindicate myself.
I proudly served the NTA with moral ethical values and was cognizant of tomorrow. If you are making up your propaganda stories against me as professional, make it good and provide the facts, I shall be glad to come and respond to all your inquiries.’’
He, therefore, called on the new management team headed by Edmund Forh, to institute a tougher credential scrutiny and restructuring of lines managers who have fraudulent and NO academic credentials and poor skills to handle administrative issues, some staffers, many of whom are high school dropout; and high school graduates with no WAEC certificates. And some of whom are first degree holders with the inability to perform or write a single letter or report.
Those employees are the ones involved with everyday gossip in seeking favor for promotions and not on the basis of performance and set skills. Their interest is ‘’PROTEST ACTION’’ geared towards undermining any leadership which seeks for a better NTA through structural and credentials reforms.
“They would resist any reforms because many of them are below the belt. No matter how smart you are as the Managing Director of NTA, your biggest nightmare is your employees. To succeed, fix the current capacity issues, if not, your days for protestations are numbers.
He said, no matter the unjust treatment melted against him, he wished the administration well in restoring hope, proud and dignity to the nation’s public transport service and admonished the administration to act base on facts not fictions.
