MONROVIA – Senator Amara Konneh of Gbarpolu County has released the findings of an investigation conducted by an Ad-hoc Committee into the Destination Inspections (DI) contract between the Government of Liberia and MedTech Scientific Limited. In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Senator Konneh announced that the committee, appointed by Senate Pro Tempore Albert Chie, completed its comprehensive investigation and submitted its report to the Senate Plenary on September 19, 2024.
The investigation, which was aimed at ensuring transparency and legality in the procurement and execution of the contract, revealed several concerning issues, prompting the committee to recommend immediate actions. These recommendations have significant implications for Liberia’s legal framework, commerce, industry, and customs revenue management.
The report includes ten recommendations for President Joseph Boakai and the Executive Branch, with a focus on reviewing and potentially renegotiating or canceling the DI contract. Among the most critical recommendations is the need for the Executive Branch to seek the opinion of the Attorney General regarding the legality of the contract. Alleged violations uncovered by the committee may warrant either a review and renegotiation or the outright cancellation of the contract to ensure compliance with Liberian laws. This recommendation also calls for the current Attorney General to revisit a legal opinion issued on November 19, 2020, by his predecessor, which stated that “there are no general legal requirements for legislative ratification of concession agreements valued above 10 million United States dollars,” despite the tax exemptions granted to MedTech in Section 10 of the contract.
The committee also discovered that the failure to establish a Transitory Account, as mandated by the contract, has led to possible mismanagement of revenue. It recommended that the account be opened immediately, with all revenues from inspections being deposited into it to ensure transparency in the flow of funds.
Additionally, MedTech Scientific Limited has been functioning as a spending entity on behalf of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), but without proper oversight. The report calls for a comprehensive audit by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to review all revenues and expenditures managed by MedTech. The audit is intended to determine if MedTech’s spending aligns with the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act and to clarify how the government’s share of collected revenues was utilized.
Senator Konneh expressed gratitude for the opportunity to chair the committee and for the collaboration of his colleagues throughout the investigation. He also thanked Senate Pro Tempore Albert Chie for entrusting him with this significant responsibility.
“We look forward to the President implementing the recommendations,” Konneh stated, emphasizing the importance of upholding Liberia’s laws and ensuring financial accountability in government contracts.
The release of the committee’s findings and recommendations is expected to generate discussions within the executive branch and the public, as the country seeks to boost revenue collection and strengthen oversight in its procurement and contract management processes.
