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Liberia: BMC Clarifies Story On Fraud
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
28 March 2008
Posted to the web 28 March 2008
Monrovia
The Building Material Center (BMC), says it is dismayed by what it termed "totally false and inaccurate reports in a local daily that it connived with the Ministry of Internal Affairs officials, county officials and legislators to defraud the Liberian government during the 2006 County Development Program".
Although in a release Wednesday evening the BMC confirmed that it was part of the 2006 County Development Program by the fact that it won a "competitive and transparent bid" to supply materials for county development projects, it rejected reports of fraudulent activity in its participation.
The release quoted BMC General Manager Mohammed Kobeissi as saying, "BMC's role was to secure materials required for the various projects, transport them to the relevant locations and turn them over to the appropriate county official, Development Superintendent or Project Planner".
He also said, "During each trip, the truck taking the materials included a monitor from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose role was to ensure that the delivery was made in accordance with the agreement."
Mr. Kobeissi said the project was 100% pre-financed, and BMC needed to get all of the necessary documentations before they could get approval from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for payment to be made to BMC.
"Because of our level of organization and professionalism, when the team from the General Auditing Commission visited the BMC, we provided them all documentations they requested, including invoices, receipts, delivery orders, way bills and delivery notes. This was to make sure that we do not undermine their work or bring ours into disrepute," Kobeissi.
The NEWS contacted the head of the audit team Philip Massaquoi who said the audit was yet to be finalized and presented to the General Auditor and could therefore not commit further.
Meanwhile, the BMC also clarified that its role in the 2006 County Development Program was straightly with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and had nothing whatsoever to do with legislators.
"Our authority was from the Project Coordinator, and we were required to turn over materials for the various projects to the Development Superintendent or Project Planner for each county.
Mr. Kobeissi said BMC did not have a construction contract, and is in no position to determine what happened with the materials when he turned them over to county authorities.
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The building material group said linking BMC to allegation of fraud in this matter is altogether without merit, and should be immediately dismissed.
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