By Bill W. Cooper
Montserrado and Gbarpolu Counties’ Senators are currently at loggerheads over the government’s pronouncement plans relating to some 285 earthmoving equipment brought into the country for roads construction and maintenance.
In the two Unity Party alliance members, Senators Abraham Darius Dillon and Amara Konneh’s argument, Konneh’s concern is about the transparency and accountability of the procurement process, while Dillon’s defense in the government’s favor is that decisions are necessary for the country’s infrastructure development.
The government, at its three-day Cabinet retreat over the weekend, announced plans to bring into the country 285 earth-moving equipment for distribution among the 15 counties for the sole purpose of constructing, maintaining and rehabilitating feeder roads.
In his Facebook post following the pronouncement, Dillon said, “Under our governance system, the Executive Branch is authorized, empowered and allowed to negotiate and secure concession deals, financing, loan agreements, enter into bilateral and or multibilateral agreements, sign international Treaties and or Protocols, etc. on behalf of the country and people of Liberia.”
He also noted, “Under any and all such circumstances, the Legislature must ratify in order to bind the country and people of Liberia to any such deals or agreements. But the Legislature comes into play mainly and only after the Executive shall have concluded all necessary and required processes leading to consummation of such deals and or agreements.”
The Montserrado County Senator further said, “So, yes – a video presentation at a Cabinet Retreat under the Executive Branch displaying ongoing negotiations for road equipment is NOT a consummated and binding deal yet; and we welcome the much talk-about 285 earth-moving (road) equipment being negotiated by the Executive, after which the Legislature will have to conclude by ratification or rejection thereof – where necessary.”
“Until then, the Executive should be allowed to carry on its function whilst the Legislature awaits it is time to act in the interest of transparency and accountability. No premature yelling, no showboating and no grandstanding,” Dillon added.
On the contrary, Kanneh’s concerns raised is about the lack of transparency in the procurement process; questioning the government’s motives behind the massive equipment purchase.
Konneh further criticized his colleagues for being very critical against the former government of President George Weah over transparency and integrity issues but are ones now playing blind eyes to the same transparency issues under the government.
Konneh, in his Facebook post reacted, “The same lawmakers who got elected to the Capitol Building by loudly whining and criticizing the CDC regime for the lack of transparency in the EBOMAF and Eton loans are the ones today who are labeling those who require transparency in similar efforts as “showboating and grandstanding.”
He wondered, “When did they know that criticism and a demand for transparency are two different things? The criticism that paved their way to office is “showboating and grandstanding?”
Konneh expressed, “Demanding accountability is a Legislative oversight and a constitutional duty. Repeating the same things after getting power that you criticized as opposition is the biggest “showboating” and hypocrisy. What is it about attaining power?
“Stop being an intolerant leader of first resort by objecting to dissenting views while you are in power. That’s what your predecessors did that put them out of power. Be consistent in your advocacy for good governance as an opposition and a ruling politician,” Konneh intoned.
The Gbarpolu County Senator added, “Lawmakers can’t be trumpeters more than those in the Executive for Executive’s actions that require more disclosures! Good Governance.”
Meanwhile, as the debate continues to unfold about the equipments, it remains to be seen how the government will address the concerns raised by Sen. Konneh and other critics of the earthmoving equipment procured by the Executive Branch.
Also, the outcome of this debate will further have significant implications for Liberia’s infrastructure development efforts and the country’s overall governance and accountability framework.
