If President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf cannot read between the lines here and see that many of those in her so-called inner circle are out to fill the pockets of their friends and loved ones and make their lives better to the detriment of the Liberian people, poor, struggling and left out, then perhaps it is time she comes to the reality that she is in trouble of leaving a blemished legacy of what ifs and a trail of so-called 'long-time' friends most likely to catch a ticket for the next gravy train bound for 2017.
WHEN PRESIDENT Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf surprisingly nominated Robert Kilby for a second time as Auditor General of the Republic of Liberia, the fury which followed was understandable.
MR. KILBY'S first sojourn was marred by a multitude of allegations that he doctored his credentials, a scandal which caught many, including Sirleaf, in her tracks when she told FrontPageAfrica in a 2011 interview: "You know it is very sad for me. I have to think through now what process we put in. I don't just want to go back to the old politics and appoint a political ally or appoint a political person because I have the constitutional right. I want to get the best people for the job, the most competent people, people with integrity for the job. So I am just going to have to rethink it with the group to see what kind of process we have to put in place to ensure. In some case we have just not exercised enough caution like check people's background and so forth. But this time around we will make sure that we do."
THOSE WORDS NEVER came through and Sirleaf and her administration never lived up to the promise of properly vetting for an Auditor General to replace John S. Morlu.
INSTEAD, SIRLEAF settled on the advice of her kitchen Cabinet which included the likes of Pearine Davis Parkinson, Director General of the General Services Agency(GSA), who FrontPageAfrica has learned played a crucial role in pushing Kilby's re-nomination for the post.
WHAT MANY may not know is that both Kilby and Parkinson go way back, the long time friends formed a budding relationship which yielded thousands of dollars in contracts without going through the required Public Procurement Concessions Commission (PPCC) from Parkinson's days at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.
ON TUESDAY, JULY 2, the bond came full circle when Parkinson, appearing before the ongoing budget hearing revealed a serious conflict of interest in the function of AG Kilby.
PARKINSON TOLD members of the Ways, Means and Finance Committee and observers at the hearing that her entity , the (GSA) signed and entered into a contact with Mr. Kilby's accounting Firm to carry out Assets and Fleet management, Tracking and reporting system at the GSA. The contract according to a copy of which is in the possession of this paper was made and entered into on the 3rd of December AD 2012 by the between the GSA and an independent Software Certification Company own by Mr. Robert Kilby three months after he took over the GAC. Kilby took office on September 3, 2012. According to the agreement the company expressed its desire to enter into a contract for the construction of an asset and fleet management, Tracking and reporting system.
THE CONTRACT also states that Kilby's Firm was to receive the amount of two hundred and twenty thousand United States dollar (USD$ 220,000) based on the scope of works indicated in the proposal.
It was agreed between the Company and the GSA that the money should have been paid based on an installment basis. The contractor agreed to pay up to forty percent (40%) of the above stated price, which is the equivalent of eighty eight thousand three hundred sixty united sates dollars (USD$ 88,360) prior to the commencement of the work. The document also states that Second installment payment of sixty six thousand, two hundred and seventy United States dollars ($66,270.00) be paid to the company upon fifty percent completion of by the contractor of said work.
SIMPLY PUT, Parkinson, like Medina Wesseh, another long-time Sirleaf aide, have been using their ties to the President to push their own deals and profit of the sweat of Liberians.
WHY WOULD an Auditor General who makes more than US$15,000 a month bid for a contract knowing fully-well that it is against the law? How could Mr. Kilby efficiently audit the GSA when the time comes?
SECTION 131. (1), subpart b and c of the Public Procurement Act, 2005 states that "Any public officer involved in requisitioning, planning, preparing and conducting procurement proceedings and administering the implementation of contracts, shall - (b) Always act in the public interest and in accordance with the object and procedures set out in this Act. (c) At all times avoid conflict of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest, in carrying out his or her duties and shall immediately disclose any conflict of interest and excuse himself or herself from any involvement in the matter."
ARTICLE 90 (A) of the 1986 Constitution stipulates, "no person, whether elected or appointed to any public office, shall engage in any other activity which shall be against public policy, or constitute conflict of interest."
THE CONTRACT given to Kilby clearly demonstrates conflict of interest in his position as auditor general. He is banned from taking or participating in contracts on behalf of his firm from government entities when he is been charged with the responsibility to audit the very entities. Other ministers and heads of agencies could likely escalate the forming of companies just for the purposes of bidding on government contracts, creating a situation where government officials become the owners of companies that bid on government contracts. In such an instance, it is hard to imagine how value for money can be achieved which is the main purpose of the procurement act.
INTERESTINGLY, Parkinson's revelation comes on the heels of a FrontPageAfrica revelation that Kilby has been shopping around a legislation which will give him absolute power to spend at will without any room to be audited or checked. Simply put: no checks and balances, if this draft proposal is accepted and agreed on by the national legislature.
IRONICALLY, Section 2.11 of Kilby's proposed Act states: "Notwithstanding the provisions of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission Act, the Auditor General Shall have the right, within the approved budget, to independently contract experts from outside the General Auditing Commission to assist in the conduct of audits.
IF PRESIDENT SIRLEAF cannot read between the lines here and see that many of those in her so-called inner circle are out to fill the pockets of their friends and loved ones and make their lives better to the detriment of the Liberian people, poor, struggling and left out, then perhaps it is time she comes to the reality that she is in trouble of leaving a blemished legacy of what ifs and a trail of so-called 'long-time' friends most likely to catch a ticket for the next gravy train bound for 2017.
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I am writing as a concern Liberia in respond to this topic that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf administration must be audited by an international auditing firm for the Liberian people to know all their trash. This must be brought about by Christian Media Center, LCC and human rights organizations operating in Liberia.