2 Mins Read
Giddings Hooked
Following a joint communication from Senators, Sanctioned Nathaniel McGill, Abraham Dillon, Gbehzongar Findley and Simeon Taylor of Margibi, Montserrado, Grand Bassa and Grand Cape Mount Counties respectively, the Plenary of the Liberian Senate mandates its relevant committees to investigate Public Works Ministry for awarding over US$21 million worth of contracts to several contractors without legislative approval and report back to plenary within one week.
Accordingly, Liberia’s Public Works Minister, Roland Layfette Giddings, awarded bogus multi-million dollar contracts to construction companies avoiding legitimate procedure just to receive kickbacks
Minister Giddings is accused of awarding CHICO Construction Company over eight million dollars in road contracts, including a $3,999,000 contract for the construction of the Salayea to Voinjama road, a $3,200,000 contract for the Tapitta to Zwedru road, and a $2,434,700 contract for the Zwedru to Fish Town road.
CHICO, a Chinese-owned company, has also allegedly been granted contracts for the Buchanan to ITI road.
Other beneficiaries of these dubious contracts include SSF Entrepreneur Liberia, allegedly awarded four contracts totaling over eight million dollars, including the Voinjama to Foya Road, the Foya to Mendikorma road, the Barclayville to Pleebo road, and the ITI to Greenville road.
Additional contracts allegedly awarded are for the Brewervilles to Gboaoe road to BK ENTERPRISE and the Gboaoe Town to Gbarpolu County road to GEOSKOPE Company. These contracts were reportedly awarded without following PPCC procedures or the required bidding process, raising concerns of corruption and kickbacks.
In their Thursday April 18 communication, the four lawmakers said that the Ministry of Public Works awarded contracts valued US$21 million to some contractors for the rehabilitation and construction of roads across the country.
Senators McGill, Dillon, Findley, Taylor maintained that it is fundamental that any government institution issuing contracts must ensure that funding is available before awarding such contracts as outlined in the Public Financial Management and the Public Procurement Conception Commission (PPCC) Act.
According to them, any institution seeking to enter into pre-financing agreements must first seek Legislative approval consistent with article 34(d) of the Liberian constitution and its subsection where applicable.
Meanwhile, the four senators are calling on the Liberian Senate to disallow the Public Works Ministry from proceeding with the contracts until an approved budget is passed by the legislature.
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