By Bill W. Cooper
Margibi County Senator, Nathaniel McGill, has raised concerns over the commitment of the Joseph Boakai’s administration to ensuring accountability and credibility across government.
Sen. McGill asserted that his outburst followed the recent decision by the Public Works Minister, Roland Giddings, to allegedly award a US$21 million contract in the absence of an approved budget and without legislative involvement.
McGill, who is also the Chairperson of the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Legislative Caucus, noted that the Legislature fully supports the rehabilitation and construction of roads in Liberia, but wants these projects executed in full compliance with the laws of Liberia.
Recently, information had it that Public Works Minister, Roland Giddings, has been in the habit of rewarding ‘controversial contracts’ to foreign construction companies for the rehabilitation of major roads in the country.
This news has since sparked outrage amongst the citizenry, with Sen. McGill being the latest to comment on the allegation, calling for a thorough investigation into the matter to determine whether due process was followed in awarding the contract.
Speaking at the Capitol Building in Monrovia, the Margibi Senator noted that the recent action of the Ministry is totally ‘unpatriotic’, since it is in violation of Article 34(d), Subsection III of the Liberian Constitution, which says “no loan shall be raised or guaranteed without the authority of the Legislative enhancement.”
According to him, the Amended and Restated Public Procurement and Concession Act of 2005 was also violated, something he stressed that further demonstrates the government’s lack of adherence to the rule of law.
“Because, in the case of contracts for the procurement of goods, it’s US$500,000, while contracts for the procurement of services is US$200,000, and in the case of contracts for the procurement of works, it’s US$1,000,000, but none of these were observed by the Public Works Ministry,” he maintained.
McGill, at the same time, narrated that the awarding of these road contracts by the Public Works Ministry in the absence of an approved budget, except for the US$2,000,000 allotted for policy priorities under the 100-Day Deliverables out of the approved US$41,000,000, as requested in February, raises questions about the government’s source of funding.
The CDC Legislative Caucus Chairperson also expressed his disappointment with the lack of oversight and accountability in the Boakai administration, stating that such actions undermine the credibility of the government and erode public trust.
He also emphasized the importance of adhering to established procedures and protocols in the awarding of government contracts to ensure that taxpayer funds are used responsibly and efficiently.
McGill then called on the Public Works Minister to provide a detailed explanation for his decision to award the contract without the necessary approvals, urging President Joseph Boakai to take immediate steps to rectify the situation and prevent reoccurrence.
Meanwhile, Sen. McGill vowed that if nothing is done to address the allegation, he will, upon the Senate’s return from its constituent break, push for a full investigation into the matter to hold those responsible for any wrongdoing accountable.
He then used the time to call on his colleagues to join him in demanding transparency and accountability in government operations, and to ensure that taxpayer funds are used in a responsible and ethical manner.
