Monrovia — Mr. Herbie Tekonblah McCauley on Monday demonstrated what appeared to be his lack of knowledge about the Liberia Transit Authority (NTA) which he heads as Managing Director when he faced members of the Senate's Transport Committee.
The hearing, called by the Senate Committee's acting chairman Senator Darius Dillon of Montserrado County, also unearthed a conspiracy at the entity with a contract between the National Transit Authority and the University of Liberia being terminated and signed with Senator Saah Joseph of Montserrado County which constitutes conflict of interest.
The disclosure showed that a contract between the two entities that earned the NNTA USD$18K was terminated and given to Montserrado County Senator Joseph.
In recent years, Senator Joseph has brought into the country several yellow buses seemingly intended to impress the public by providing cheaper public transport for Liberians. However, the investigation shows the senator's gesture is a profit-making venture, which in its sense he reportedly conspired with NTA authority.
At the end of the hearing, the Committee on Transport mandated the Managing Director of the National Transit Authority, McCauley to submit within one week a comprehensive report of the entity.
The report will include, the budget performance report, contract with the University of Liberia as well as analysis of finances received from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in the current budget among others.
The Senate Committee's decision was the result of the failure of Managing Director McCauley to confirm whether or not his entity received from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning's US$2.1m approved in the 2022 National Budget, even though the Fiscal Outturn Report indicates that the entity received such amount.
Director McCauley further informed the Committee that the NTA has not received any money from MFDP, allotted to the entity within the 2023 National budget.
He made the statement on Monday while appearing before the Senate Transport Committee to respond to inquest regarding the unavailability of NTA Buses in Monrovia and its environs.
The appearance of the Managing Director and his team was triggered by a complaint raised before Plenary by River Gee County Senator, Jonathan Boye-Charles Sogbie. Senator Sogbie in his complaint, contended that 45 Buses were donated by the Government of India, but those Buses are not seen running in the traffic.
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Responding to the Senator's complaint, the Managing Director of NTA informed the Senate Committee on Transport that out of the 45 Buses donated, the NTA received 39 pieces, but only 15 of the 39 pieces are currently operational, while 24 have broken down.
He attributed the breakdown of the buses to lack of spare parts in the country. He noted that spare parts have to be imported from India, but the MFDP has failed to give money to the entity to address such a problem.
He added upon donation of the buses, the India Government laid down guidelines for the maintenance of the buses, part of which requires that after three years, the buses must be overhauled in order to extend the durability of the buses. At the close of the hearing, Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon indicated to the Managing Director and his Team that they will remain under oath, and a subsequent hearing will be arranged in order to give the witnesses time to arrange themselves better to address several queries they failed to address before the Committee during the hearing.
