Published: March 6, 2026
CAPITOL HILL — Long before the current batch of heavy equipment began rolling into the Freeport of Monrovia, Liberia’s “Yellow Machines” saga erupted amid confusion, contradictions, and unanswered questions from government officials — and critics say the first chapter of this story still hasn’t been fully explained.
Rep. Moima Briggs‑Mensah of Bong County District 6 has emerged as a vocal critic of the original acquisition, insisting that Liberians deserve a full accounting of the first batch of machines unveiled by Deputy Minister Mamaka Bility in 2024. “There was a first batch that came” Briggs‑Mensah said. “What came in the country? What do we have present in? … We need to ask all of the last questions because it’s about accountability.”
In 2024, a fleet of 285 earth-moving machines and trucks, were initially presented as a milestone for President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s No Car Stuck in the Mud initiative. But analysts, lawmakers, and civil society immediately flagged issues: lack of legislative oversight, potential violations of the Public Procurement and Concessions Act, and uncertainty over financing.
Minister of State without Portfolio Mamaka Bility announced plans to procure 285 earth-moving machines to strengthen public works capacity across Liberia’s 15 counties. Initially promoted as a transformative infrastructure intervention, the proposal quickly ignited debate over process and legality.
Lawmakers questioned whether the executive branch had sidestepped constitutional requirements governing financial commitments. Rep. Gizzie K. Kollince of Lofa County argued at the time that negotiating a transaction of that magnitude without legislative concurrence risked contravening Article 34(d) of the Constitution, which vests borrowing and financial oversight authority in the Legislature.
Compounding concerns, the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, the statutory body mandated to supervise major government procurements under the PPCC Act, said it had no record of involvement in the arrangement.
“My office has no record to show that PPCC was involved in any part of the deal,” PPCC Executive Director Bodger Scott Johnson told The Liberian Investigator in April 2025.
Under Liberia’s procurement law, competitive bidding and documented compliance procedures are standard safeguards for large public acquisitions. The absence of clear documentation fueled civil society scrutiny and legislative hearings.
A ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’ and Renegotiation
President Boakai defended the initiative as emerging from discussions with a long-time associate aligned with his administration’s development priorities. In a communication to legislative leaders, he said the government was “scrupulously pursuing the acquisition process … guided by the principles of transparency and good faith,” emphasizing that no formal contract had been finalized and no public funds disbursed at that stage.
Still, public skepticism intensified when 35 machines briefly arrived in mid-2024 and were later returned after backlash over storage arrangements and contract opacity. Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah said no payment had been made for those units and described the return as part of a restructured framework.
In response to mounting criticism, oversight of the project shifted from Bility’s office to Vice President Jeremiah Kpang Koung, who was tasked with renegotiating the deal to ensure compliance with fiscal and procurement standards. Government officials subsequently said the revised arrangement reduced projected costs dramatically — from initial public estimates of roughly $79 million to about $22 million, structured over a three-year period.
The administration has not publicly released the full renegotiated contract documents, leaving watchdog groups pressing for disclosure of financing terms, supplier identity, and compliance certifications.
The New machines arrived at the Freeport are now stored in Casrreysburg, yet official documentation remained unclear. Critics say this created a spectacle rather than a transparent, accountable transaction.
“Liberians cannot celebrate what they cannot verify,” Briggs‑Mensah said, underscoring the need for full disclosure before any future equipment purchases are approved.
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