By Bill W. Cooper
Vice President, Jeremiah Koung has announced that the final report on the acquisition of the controversial 256 pieces of yellow machines has been completed, with the total cost set at no more than US$22 million.
The VP pronouncement of the dormant earth-moving equipment comes after a prolonged period of scrutiny and concern regarding the procurement process, which was marred by issues related to legislative approvals.
VP Koung, speaking with scores of Liberians during a Town Hall meeting in America, disclosed, “It’s now clear that the final report on the acquisition of the long-awaited 256 pieces of yellow machines has been concluded and the cost is no more than US$22 million.”
According to ELBC report, the Vice President further explained that the initial estimated cost of the equipment was pegged at approximately US$43 million, a figure he described as being exorbitant.
Koung added that the conclusion of the report now clears the way for the formal procurement process which will include the Legislature, with each county expected to benefit from 19 pieces of the earth-moving equipment.
He maintained, “I want to assure the Liberian people that the final report has been completed, and we have set the cost at no more than US$22 million, and this figure reflects our commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility.”
Revealing steps taken by the government to ensure a transparent procurement process, VP Koung asserted, “We are committed to ensuring that the acquisitions are done transparently and with the necessary legislative approvals so that our roads can be fixed.”
The Vice President then thanked the Liberian Association of Pennsylvania (LAP) and the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) for organizing the Town Hall meeting which he said was a success.
It can be recalled that the initiative to procure the yellow machines was first unveiled by the government as part of a broader strategy to enhance infrastructure development in Liberia, a country still recovering from years of civil conflict and economic instability.
During President Joseph Boakai’s first cabinet meeting in May of 2024, Minister of State without Portfolio, Mamaka Bility, to the surprise of many officials, announced that a deal for 285 pieces of earth-moving equipment was sealed and that the machines were loaded on a ship en route to Liberia for distribution among Liberia’s 15 counties.
The announcement sparked serious public outcry and raised numerous questions about the deal, with critics describing the deal as ‘devilish’ and a move to enrich few government’s officials at the detriment of the country.
But the government, through Information Minister, Jerolinmek Piah, later backtracked, thus denying that an agreement was consummated, and disclosed that negotiations were ongoing to procure the machines.
However, in July, the government unveiled the first batch of the 285 earth-moving machines and dump trucks to the public, with Minister Bility leading the government team at the unveiling ceremony held at the compound of the National Port Authority (NPA).
The machines, following the unveiling ceremony were later paraded through the principal streets of Monrovia, as thousands of Liberians were seen in a jubilant mood before it was taken to the military barrack.
The move by the government then sparked another serious concern, prompting the Legislature, comprising both the House of Representatives and Liberian Senate to intervene by summoning key officials at the center to the machine negotiations.
Those summoned were Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Sylvester Grigsby, Minister Mamaka Bility, Defense Minister, Retired General, Geraldine George, AFL Chief-of-Staff, Major General Davidson T. Forleh, and National Port Authority (NPA) Managing Director, Sekou Dukuly.
But surprisingly to everyone, President Boakai, on the day of the appearance of his officials before the House, wrote the Legislature, informing them that no deal has been reached by the government to purchase the yellow machines as was being widely speculated.
In his communication to the Legislature, the president disclosed that the initiative originated from a conversation between him and a long-time “friend” who shares a commitment to his government’s ARREST Agenda.
The President’s letter reads, “Negotiation Phase: We are currently in the negotiation phase. No formal agreement or contract has been signed with any party. The discussions are ongoing, and no financial commitment has been made by the Government of Liberia and not a dime paid.”
“No Public Funds Utilized: To date, no funds from the Liberian treasury have been expended on this project. The first batch of equipment that arrived in the country was shipped at the supplier’s expense.
The government has not incurred any costs related to the transportation or acquisition of these machines. Contingency for Unsuccessful Negotiations: Should the negotiations fail to yield a mutually beneficial agreement; the supplier retains the right to reclaim the equipment,” he said
President Boakai, in his communication added, “He may choose to sell them within the Liberian market or re-export them. This ensures that the government is not financially burdened or contractually bound.”