The arrival and display of yellow machines brought to the country via the Freeport of Monrovia look impressive and welcoming, at least on the surface, but the entire deal is like cow pupu or feces, which has a dry surface with a real mess under.
Liberians yearn for paved roads across the country to enable easy access, but they seem to find themselves in a dilemma. The government parades a fleet of new yellow machines and trucks with little information about sources of funding and circumstances surrounding the entire deal.
While ordinary citizens are applauding the arrival of the machines, some critical minds are demanding details of the deal, especially when members of the 55th Legislature, who are direct representatives of people are left in oblivion with no knowledge of negotiations abroad that led to the arrival of an initial batch of 22 pieces of yellow machines out of a total of 285 pieces that the Executive Branch of Government has announced.
Crucially, the executive is not telling the Liberian public full detail about the machines, especially commitments made on behalf of the country in securing and bringing them to Liberia. What were the understandings and what is expected of the country as the deal unfolds with very little information?
Concerned citizens are raising questions, and rightfully so, because they need answers, which the executive is not providing, particularly after it twisted its tongue about the procurement from the initial stage, leaving the government's chief spokesperson, the Minister of Information, off balance with contradictory statements.
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Unconfirmed reports put the total cost of the deal involving the 285 pieces of yellow machines at US$30 million, an amount that the law of Liberia requires the legislature to approve or ratify. But disappointingly and regrettably, lawmakers are not in the know.
So, what is President Boakai or the Executive Branch of Government hiding from the Liberian people about the deal surrounding the yellow machines? People are asking what's about the deal that cannot be made public, especially when funding should come from taxpayers' money.
Suspicions rose high during the President's first cabinet retreat on May 14, 2024, when Deputy Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Bility broke news about the deal of yellow that she said had already been visually turned over to the Government of Liberia and was en route to Liberia.
How did this happen? Which officials consummated the deal without the involvement of the 55th Legislature, as the laws of Liberia require? The Executive needs to be clear on this, which it is not doing.
Liberians need development, but the government should be accountable and transparent in how it delivers badly needed services without committing to the nation and future generations. These are their concerns and worries.
