IPNEWS-Monrovia: The pro-democracy, advocacy and socio-justice group, the Green Revolution of Liberia has called on the Office of President George Weah to order an investigation into the issuance of DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT # DP0002195 to Mr. Kelvin Jakona Buima with his position being stated as ADVISOR -TRADE & INVESTMENT MOS.

The issue of diplomatic passport scandal nowadays in Liberia has become a regular business under the stewardship of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dee Maxwell Kemayah, who has come under public scrutiny for the manner how Ministry is being run as well as the Foreign Service.

The Green Revolution says Minister Kemayah has taken unto himself the business of allegedly selling Liberia Diplomatic passports to suspected criminals around the world, something that is inimical to the status of Liberia’s chief diplomat who has completely ignored integrity in the discharge of his duties.

“The last time we check, 419 advisor Kelvin Buima is a close associate of sanctioned and suspended Minister Nathaniel McGill, who has been posting himself as general manager of Quality Groups of Construction Company, a mask company gallivanting in the corridor of government soliciting contract for engineering projects.” Green Revolution of Liberia Chairman and National Gladiator, Manja Varney Gbessay Kromah averred.

The diplomatic passport reportedly issued to Kelvin Buima with the title: Advisor- Trade and Investment, MOS. Photo courtesy Charles B. Yates

According to Mr. Kromah, Kelvin Jakona Buima has been using a shadow company name Quality Groups of Construction Company through the influence of the sanctioned and suspended Minister McGill to front for key government contacts

He said Quality Groups of Construction Company has no previous experience in executing construction contracts but has always won government road construction and sub-lease those contracts to other companies with huge financial kickbacks.

“Kelvin Buima’s shadow company usually takes the lion’s share of the funds and give the sub- contractors peanuts as the results most of these companies get stranded and eventually abandon most of the contracts,” the Green Revolution Chairman and National Gladiator disclosed.

“Our investigation has revealed that during the administration of former Public Work Minister the late Mobutu Nyepan, the shadow company of Kelvin Buima was denied many road contracts because his company failed to provide previous history of doing similar jobs.”

The Green Revolution of Liberia revealed that immediately after the untimely death Minister Mobutu Nyepan, 419 Ministry of State staff Kelvin Buima started wining government road projects like the RIA to ELWA junction, the Robertsport to Madina road project in Grand Cape Mount County and he was awarded the contract to erect the streets light in Monrovia and its environs. “As usual, the contract was sub contracted to Chris Electrical Corporation to do the work, but up to present the company has not been paid the sub-contractor so the street lights project was abandoned.”

Meanwhile, the Green Revolution of Liberia has called on the Office of President Weah to set up an Independent Committee to conduct a Criminal Investigation into the Kelvin Buima’s Diplomatic Passport issuance and many other passport scandals.

On August 30, 2022, the General Manager of East International Construction Company and Quality Construction Company told a local daily, FrontPage Africa, that the company has no link with the suspended Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill.

Mr. Jakona Kelvin Buima, however, said he has always maintained a cordial relationship with officials of government – past and present. He added that he has often regarded the suspended Minister of State as a “big brother” but maintained that the Minister who was recently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department has no stake in his company.

He said those linking Mr. McGill to his company are only doing so as a means of witch-hunting him and his company.

“McGill has never asked anyone to give me a project or contract to my companies before to even speak about having shares or owing my companies. I sometimes beg him for money. I am a businessman and I will do business with any administration that will come to national power. I did business with the Unity Party, I am doing with CDC’s led government and I will do business with any administration that will come to power,” Buima said.

According to him, his companies were awarded contracts during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at which time there was no Nathaniel McGill or the current ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.

Explaining to the local daily, Mr. Buima indicated that both East International and Quality Construction Companies were registered in 2010 and 2013 respectively, during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration. He urged investigators and well-meaning Liberians to go to the Liberia Business Registry for verification.

“Liberia is a society where some Liberians find it pleasant in bringing each other down for no reason or for just witch hunt or cheap envy,” Mr. Buima lamented.

East International raised eyebrows when it began to get major contracts under the Weah-led administration including the 45km RIA Highway.

Since winning the contract for the expansion of the Robertsfield’s highway, there have been multiple concerns about East International’s ability to implement the multimillion dollars contract, especially in the absence of equipment.

The framework calls for the project to be executed into three lots which include: 1) from Roberts International Airport to Junk River Bridge; 2) from Junk River Bridge to ELWA junction and; 3) the construction of the Junk River Bridge and the upgrading of the existing bridge.

“The civil works with the actual construction of the road project is valued at US$80 million; design and supervision cost valued at US$7 million; and the management and resettlement action plan valued at US$7.5 million,” “The length of the road is 45 km or 27.8 miles.

 The design of the road takes into consideration many factors, including population density, social activities, and the topography, which led the highway into different sections. The new road, when completed, will have a toll location, which is the Junk River Bridge.”

The RIA road is a project that is long overdue because of the safety hazards presented by its narrowness and darkness. The RIA Highway has been a death-trap since it was built in the 1940’s, during World War Two. In the 70 years of its existence, it has claimed the lives of thousands of unfortunate passengers, both Liberians and foreigners alike.