Following the arrest and interrogation of the National Transit Authority (NTA) Managing Director, Herbie Macauley, by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) on allegations of corruption, nepotism and dehumanized treatment of employees, calm seems to have returned to the Authority.
Apparently the prompt intervention of the LACC brought some relief to the employees through the Ministry of Labor condemning the employees’ street protest which was intended to call the attention of state actors thereby causing normal work to be paralyzed at the Authority last week.
On Thursday, July 22, the NTA employees held a public protest against Macauley accusing him of “financial malpractices” and other forms of abuse of public office and were bent on his removal; an action that prompted his arrest by the state security for interrogation at the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.
But after his temporary detention, Macauley with a nationality of Liberia and Germany, was released to his lawyers who were present during the interrogation after which he was bailed to return when needed.
However, sources inside NTA told this paper early this week that Macauley had in the NTA’s employ a huge number of his relatives including Tracy Macauley (daughter) occupying the position of Technical Focal Person earning a monthly salary of US$700 yet does not report to work while other relations reportedly employed by Macauley are Isaac and Mabel Macauley (brother and sister) serving as conductors on some of the fleet (buses) as well as dozens of others in various departments at the entity.
Macauley succeeded Tarnue Jeke when appointed in March, 2018 by the President following his return to Liberia and the Providence Hotel located on 9th. Street opposite the Governance Commission has been his official residence, and is believed to be accumulating huge sum of the hotel’s monthly bills coupled with the construction of duplexes on the Monrovia Robertsfield Highway.
The sources said since 2018, Macauley’s administration owes some of the employees three to four months’ salary arrears and other benefits like rice and allowances, but what seems to have ompounded the situation, is the wage bill of the entity where employment rose from 291 during the tenure of Tarnue Jeke to 525 at the moment and Macauley is being accused of receiving revenues generated from the NTA’s fleet commuting between Harper in Maryland County and Fish Town in River Gee County, yet diverting same to his personal use.
