By Bill W. Cooper
Reports gathered by this outlet say the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has launched an investigation into the government through the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) US$22 million contracts for the rehabilitation of major road corridors across the country.
According to the information gathered, the LACC has also hired a technical expertise to investigate all transactions or agreements of the roads, so as to gather how contracts were awarded amidst allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
The commission’s inquiry comes amid growing concerns over transparency, accountability, and the effective use of the monies amidst the deplorable conditions of all major roads across Liberia, precisely the south-eastern region.
It can be recalled that President Joseph Boakai, then Unity Party (UP) standard bearer, made numerous promises to Liberians of which the most important was his pledge to address the country’s bad road conditions.
Through his Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourism (ARREST) Agenda, Boakai promised that within his first 100 days, no vehicle would get stuck in the mud, and that his administration would ensure roads were accessible year-round.
To execute his promise, the President, upon taking office then assembled a ‘strong team’ at the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) being headed by Minister Roland Giddings.
To Jump-start the work, Minister Giddings and team, with support from the Ministry of Finance quickly approved US$22 million for the rehabilitation of major roads across the country, with a specific focus on the counties’ roads and its surrounding areas.
Despite spending such huge funds, almost all of the counties, including Montserrado’s roads, have now become unplyable for commuters and pedestrians, with some Liberians expressing their disappointment over the failure to implement the US$22 million road rehabilitation projects.
Some Liberians, including stakeholders, local media and civil society groups have all alleged that the contracts were awarded without proper oversight and that the quality of work performed was substandard.
But according to a high-place source within the LACC, the commission’s decision to launch an immediate investigation is intended to establish the veracity as to whether there was any form of malpractice during the awarding process of the contracts.
Our source quoted the LACC Executive Chairperson, Cllr. Alexandria Zoe, as emphasizing that the commission’s commitment is to ensure that public funds are used effectively and that those responsible for any wrongdoing are held accountable.
“Cllr. Zoe takes these allegations very seriously because the Liberian people deserve to know how their money is being spent, and she will leave no stone unturned in this investigation,” our source hinted.
Our source further revealed that the investigation will focus on several key areas, including the bidding process for the contracts, the qualifications of the awarded firms, the quality of work completed, and the overall management of the projects.
This, our source asserted that the Chairperson is calling on the public to provide any information or evidence related to the contracts, encouraging whistleblowers to come forward without fear of reprisal.
