IPNews-Monrovia: A Nation is made more secure by a fully integrated, agile, resilient, and innovative Intelligence Community that exemplifies a true national identity and values.

All Intelligence activities must be conducted consistent with guiding principles to advance National Security, economic strength, and technological superiority by delivering distinctive, timely insights with clarity, objective, and independence.

Importantly, the national Security Intelligence must achieve unparalleled access to protected information and exquisite understanding of internal and external adversaries’ intentions and capabilities

We face significant changes in the domestic and global environment; we must be ready to meet 21st
century challenges and to recognize emerging threats and opportunities. To navigate today’s turbulent
and complex strategic environment, we must do things differently. This means we must:
• Increase integration and coordination of our intelligence activities to achieve best effect and value.

Additionally, the best framework of meeting basic security concerns of Citizens, and addressing external and Internal threats to the nation, with Liberia being no exception.

Regrettably, Liberia finds itself on the opposite portion of the integral aspect of this serious National Security requirement.

In the last edition of the Independent Probe Newspaper article, captioned: “. Major controversies Ensue Over Rigged Bid for RIA Security to Ghanian Company; Are Liberians now Spectators in their own Economy? Part I”.

IPNews revealed about a major discontent which has ensued over the conspicuous bid granting the RIA security contract to a Ghanian Company to manage the internal and External security of the Roberts International Airport.

According to a leaked communication in the possession of IPNews, the RIA Security Guard Service is now being granted to a Ghanaian Company called “Safe Africa Aviation”, with close ties to some senior Liberian government Officials.

The IPNews investigation also revealed that companies taking part in the RIA Security Guard Service bid included: Safe Africa Aviation, Fohere Security, Hinl Consult and the Security Expert Guard Service Agency-SEGAL, being a Liberian company with Airport Security expertise.

According to the investigation, two of the companies were originally part of ‘Safe Africa Aviation’, before spitting into three days before bid for the RIA Security Guard Service was punished in February 2020.

Further, the linked of the ‘Safe Africa Aviation’, into a conspiracy with some senior government officials in securing the Airport Security contract came as a tipped off, late February 2020.

Contingent upon this Report, IPNews contacted parties, including  both authorities of the Roberts International Airport-RIA and the Security Expert Guard Agency-SEGAL, and some of those leaked to this conspiracy, yet all have declined both to grant the Independent Probe Newspaper an interview on the suspected bid rigging.

Now, IPNews has bursted this ring.

Authoritative information available to IPNews revealed how Bomi County Representative and closed associate to President George Weah, Edwin Melvin Snowe, in January, 2020, in collaboration with current Managing Director of the Liberia Aviation Authority-LAA, Bishop J. Allen Klayee brought into Liberia, a former Israeli special forces (named withheld), currently operating a private security company in the Republic of Ghana.

According to inside sources, the pairs were also accompanied by a former Lawmaker of Ghana who according to information gathered is a very close buddy of Representative Edwin Snow.

Interestingly, the initial idea behind their visit to Liberia was to lobby with senior officials of the Liberian government, including members of the Legislature and Board members of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority to outsource the ‘civil Aviation Security Department of RIA, under the pretense that it would accrued more revenue generation for Liberia, whereas the sole intent is to ensure these foreign National get the contract.

In time past, the word ‘Liberianization policy’ was used to mean the creation of Liberian entrepreneurship and as well identified specific jobs or businesses that would be exclusive to Liberian citizens alone.

Small businesses which should be reserved for Liberians have been usurped by Lebanese, Indians, Chinese and some of our African compatriots.

Commerce and Industry Minister Wilson Tarpeh: “Fronting has over the years undermined the essence of Liberianization policy.”

Authorities at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Ministry, said it has formulated efforts aimed at making “fronting” a criminal offense, a release has said.

Fronting, according to the Ministry, is one of the biggest challenges to the Liberianization policy. The term basically describes a type of fraud, in which Liberians become the face of businesses under the Liberianization policy, but which are financially backed by foreigners below the required investment threshold. “It can, however, have serious consequences,” the release said.

Many people who ‘front’ do not know it is illegal, and instead think they are being savvy with their business.

The Liberianization Policy, meant to give Liberians the needed space in the commerce of their country, continues to be undermined by some of the “very people it was intended to help.”

Some of the main problems with fronting has been the government’s capacity to determine who all might be in violation and where; as well as sufficient awareness conducted on the practice. In some cases, the political will to clamp down on fronting is stymied by some powerful officials in government who may have interests in certain foreign-owned businesses and choose to front instead of investing their fair share.

Min. Tarpeh then called on well-meaning Liberians, especially those in the business sector to desist from practices that have the propensity to undermine government’s efforts to transform their lives.

However this policy is continuously being violated by powerful in the Weah’s government, especially Bishop Klayee, by awarding the Airport Security Contract to a Ghanaian company in a clandestine fashion.

Sources at the Roberts International Airport tell IPNews that the deal is expected to see over 200 Liberians out of jobs.

The deal according to insiders has been consummated with the involvement of Transport Minister Samuel Wulue along with the one man board member for football player Musa Sannoh.

IPNews has reliably learned that Deputy managing Director for Administration, Liberia Aviation Authority, Martin Hayes has resisted the deal on grounds that this was not the reason why the ‘CDC Government came to power’.

Martin according to our source has openly challenge the deal and advised Bishop Klayee to do away with outsource process because of its hash consequences on the National Security interest of the country and could damage the aviation market of Liberia further.

In comparison, Martin Hayes augured that the coming of the Ghanian to which does not allow other nationals venturing into their civil aviation security sector, and Liberia should not begin setting wrong precedence.

In further arguments, Hayes pointed out the wicked outsourcing of the airport cargo management system with the GLS-NAS AGREEMENT in 2017, has crippled the airport income generation capacity.

Sources within commercial airline circles in Liberia have informed IPNews that the new security outsource will bring additional burden on passengers as there are plans for increment of USD40 on each ticket purchased, making millions of United States Dollars annually.

Information gathered states that after Bishop Klayee was seriously resisted by his deputy Hayes, he employed a tactics of soliciting a fictitious biding process with the scam that none LIBERIAN companies met the requisite requirements for the specific contract making worthless the Liberian company to participate in a biding process. Watch out for Part III

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