Monrovia — The arrival of the first batch of the controversial 285 pieces of earth-moving equipment has raised more questions about transparency and accountability within the Boakai administration.
Despite sketchy details about the contract, the Boakai administration has unveiled and paraded the first batch of the controversial 285 earth-moving equipment in Monrovia.
Boakai's Minister of State Without Portfolio Mamaka Bility, who revealed the secret deal during a ministerial retreat in May this year, sparking controversy and skepticism, led the parade for the first batch of equipment, which totaled 22 pieces out of 285.
The 22 pieces include 15 10-tire dump trucks, 3 10-tire water tankers, 2 SW955 front loader yellow machines, and 2 SY355C Excavators.
The arrival of the first batch of 285 pieces of equipment has raised the controversy to another level, as the Boakai regime has yet to provide any information on the procurement process, source of funding, or other details regarding legislative approval.
Sources have put the total cost of the 285 pieces of Yellow Machines between US30 and US50M. This contract amount is subject to legislative scrutiny, a procedure the Boakai regime has yet to demonstrate that it has followed, raising questions about its transparency level.
There are reports that the Boakai administration is manipulating procurement documents with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) to address the controversy surrounding the lack of transparency and accountability.
At Boakai's first cabinet retreat on May 14, 2024, Minister Bility announced that the 285 pieces of equipment, including yellow machines and trucks, had already been turned over to the government through a visual ceremony attended by her, Minister Sylvester Grisby and Public Works Minister Giddings. She added that the machines were already en route to Liberia.
A video released at the retreat showed dozens of earthmoving machines emblazoned with President Boakai's photos and the Liberian flag. The video was captioned "Handover ceremony--Presidential infrastructure program--President Joseph Boakai."
However, receiving the 22 pieces of earth-moving equipment on Saturday, July 6, Minister Bility, speaking on behalf of President Joseph N. Boakai, said the arrival of the first batch of machines demonstrates the Boakai's regime commitment to make roads inaccessibility a history in the Country.
Her statement is reminiscent of that of former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah's remark after the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) signed the infamous EBOMAF loan financing agreement.
The infamous EBOMAF and ETON loan financing agreement
Just a few months after taking office in 2018, the CDC government, desperate to make an impact on May 16, 2018, entered a prefinancing agreement with Enterprise Bonkoungou Mahamadou & Fils, or EBOMAF for short, for an over US420 million loan.
The financing agreement was to design and construct roads in Monrovia and Southeastern Liberia. However, it fell short of being transparent. Not many details were provided, leaving many questions unanswered.
The deal died a natural death after coming under immense public scrutiny and a barrage of negative media reports demanding answers.
The ETON deal, which was announced around the same time as the EBOMAF deal, was a US$536 million financing agreement for the construction of 505.3km of roads, including the corridor from Grand Bassa County in Buchanan through Cestos City in Rivercess County to Greenville City. However, the deal died a natural death after questions arose over the vetting process, the source of the funding, and the company's ability to provide such a large amount of money.
Like EBOMAF, ETON, like Boakai's 285 yellow machines
Critics of the Boakai regime are drawing similarities between the CDC EBOMAF/ETON deals and Boakai's 285 Yellow Machines, the details of which are still sketchy.
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All that is known about the Boakai 285 Yellow Machines is that on May 14, 2024, while presenting at a three-day Cabinet Retreat, Minister Bility displayed a video to the surprise of President Boakai and other cabinet ministers. This sparked immediate controversy, with some questioning the processes and procedures leading to this agreement.
The government had since remained silent on the yellow machines deal until recently when it emerged that SANY Group, the Chinese company supplying the machines, had started transporting them to Monrovia.
Many media reports have suggested that the Boakai regime has put in the Wologisi Mountain situated in Lofa and Gbarpolu Counties as the guarantee for the payment of the 285-earth moving equipment. However, with the entire deal still shrouded in secrecy, Liberians have yet to know whether these yellow machines are gifts or were acquired through loans.
