By: Kruah Thompson
The Liberian government has defended its decision to proceed with the procurement of 285 yellow machines, despite mounting public concern over the cost and transparency surrounding the deal.
In May 2024, during a cabinet retreat, Deputy Minister of State Without Portfolio Mamaka Bility announced plans to acquire heavy-duty road maintenance equipment commonly referred to as “yellow machines”.
These machines aimed to enhance road construction and rehabilitation efforts across the country with plans to distribute19 machines to each of Liberia’s 15 counties.
However, the procurement has since come under scrutiny with Multiple reports suggesting that the equipment was obtained through an opaque agreement with South African businessman Robert Gumede of the Guma Group.
According to report, the deal Allegedly included granting the Guma Group mining concession rights, particularly for the exploration of Wologizi Mountain in Lofa County.
Following this development, Concerns about the deal’s transparency and legality were raised after it was further revealed that it lacks legislative approval and was in non-compliance with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) regulations, which require competitive bidding and legislative oversight for such significant transactions.
In response to those public criticism, President Joseph Boakai established a special committee, led by Vice President Jeremiah Koon, to renegotiate the deal.
Speaking recently in Monrovia, VP Koon told a group of journalists that the committee was able to successfully secure more favorable terms for the procurement and shipment of 285 pieces of earth-moving equipment.
He assured the public that all 285 machines would still be delivered, but at a significantly reduced cost, and that the supplier agreed to sell the machines for a total of US$22 million.
According to Koon, Payment will be aligned with the national budget and completed over three years, starting in this fiscal year 2025.
Also Speaking on the machine at the ministry of Information culture affairs and tourism regular press briefing Tuesday April 8, 2025, in Monrovia, Information Minister Jerolinmek Mathew Piah, further defended the procurement process, stating that they are committed to ensuring that the yellow machines are available to play a critical role in improving road infrastructure nationwide.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to transparency, further acknowledging that while the initial announcements about the deal sparked public backlash, particularly concerning the procurement process, the government was able to respond by pausing the deal and forming a committee to re-evaluate it.
He expressed confidence in the Vice president who is chairing the committee indicated that the number of machines would remain unchanged and that their quality would meet national standards.
To illustrate this, he gave a comparison: “If the Ministry of Information puts out a bid and receives two offers one for $50,000 and another for $75,000 it makes sense to go with the $50,000 option. But now, some are accusing the $75,000 bidder of trying to defraud the government, which, in our judgment, is not a valid argument.”
Meanwhile, He added that the controversy has been unnecessarily politicized, and those raising concerns are doing so for political gain rather than the public interest.
