The Government of Liberia has many Agencies and Ministries responsible to run its day-to-day affairs. Among all, the General Services Agency (GSA) is a branch of the Government mainly responsible to procure and dispose of unwanted materials through bidding process.
During the end of former Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf regime in 2017, the Government through the GSA signed a moratorium on the disposal of every government assets until 2019 where GSA requested the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs headed by the now sanctioned former Minister Nathaniel F McGill to continue its disposal process.
However, the registered Scrap Dealers Association in Liberia remains marginalized as value of scraps are sold to unrecognized individuals and entities who are non-registered scrap dealers.
The response of the Freedom of Information request sent to the Director General of the GSA Madam Mary T. Broh on September 30, 2022 through the office of her Deputy Director for Operations, Mr. Idris Bility has failed to capture the Millions Dollars’ worth of China Union railway scraps in Bong Mine, Bong County that was given to the Country early 2021.
Meanwhile, when filed another FOI request to the Superintendent of Bong County, Madam Esther Walker on October 10 this year, she immediately responded via telephone call, claiming to be unaware of the deal.
“Who is asking me about China Union railway scraps? It has taken me over a year since I visited Bong Mine. I don’t know anything about Scrap in Bong Mine, please leave me alone”, Bong County Superintendent responded via phone.
Flashback: scraps on a railway
Investigation has proven that Nimba County is the worst scenario, where the GSA staffers remain silent over public scraps as the Superintendent of the County claims to be the owner of all the scraps given to the government including many government-owned scraps.
Under President Weah regime, the GSA disposal resumed in 2020 after a request made by the office of the GSA Director, Madam Mary Broh on 30 September 2019 to lift the Moratorium on the disposal of damaged government assets.
From 2020 to 2022 , the Agency carried out nine different public notice disposal including: ten Forklifts and two vehicles, UNMIL donated assets at Star base, Bushrod Island worth US$15,000.00, in August 7 and was won by Greatest Steel Supplier Inc.
March 2, 2020, Mr. Augustine C. Myers won the bid for (20) complete scrapped/damaged vehicles of the Ministry of Agriculture worth (US$6000.00).
On February 28, 2020, the Universal Impex Inc. won US$11,000.00 a single lot of assorted scraps metal on the star base, Bushrod Island.
February 26, 2020; (80) pieces of empty sea containers in one lot on star base, Bushrod Island was won by Douyeya Business Center worth $25,000.00us.
Also the Universal Impex won the scrap vehicles frames, equipment and asserted a scrapped metals at the compound of the Ministry of Public Works on July 21, 2020 worth (US$10,800.00).
On July 31, 2020, JOJ Enterprise Branch #1 won a Rust-Eaten scrap vehicle frame at Liberia Institute of Statistics & Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) worth (US$150.00).
March 23, 2020, Sesay Brother Business Center won (17) completely damaged light and heavy duty vehicles from the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation worth (US$10,000.00).
On October 14,2021 Mr. Prince O. Newton won (12) condemned vehicles due to multiple mechanical faults at the Liberia Revenue Authority Compound with no amount measured.
Finally four pieces of storage tanks was won by Douyeya Business Center worth (US$US10,000) on August 23,2022
However, the President of the National Scrap Dealers Association, Mr. Ayouba Kamara has disqualified the report and said most of their notices are published after selling the scrap to their interested parties while some are non-recognized and registered dealers.
According to him, fourth term winners of their documented bids including; Douyeya Business Center (two) terms, Mr. Prince O. Newton and Mr. Augustine C. Myers are non-registered scrap dealers.
“We have become spectators, even though the President George Weah declared during his inauguration that Liberians will no longer be spectators in their own economy.
We are paying (US$5000.00) annually as Dealers while our Brokers are paying (US$US600.00) per year”, the President of the National scrap Dealers Association, Mr. Ayouba Kamara acknowledged.
He noted, the GSA is no longer passing through the Supervisory government entity – “Ministry of Mines and Energy “ where in they used to inform them to list the qualify scrap dealers that are authorized to bill for any public or private scraps worth over US$10,000.00 per their policy agreement between they and the government.
“The Public works scrap they are talking about was sold to the late Mr. Stanley Walker of the Universal Impex Inc. before it was advertised in the newspaper” Mr. Kamara narrated.
