Published: April 7, 2025
As the yellow machines roll back into the center of Liberia’s political discourse, we find ourselves once again confronted by a familiar national dilemma: development pursued without transparency, governance conducted by informal handshakes, and a government asking its people to trust before verifying.
The Liberian Investigator acknowledges that Vice President Jeremiah Koung has been commended in some quarters for reportedly renegotiating a better deal—one said to be significantly cheaper and structured across a three-year budget cycle. If true, this would represent a substantial fiscal reprieve for a struggling economy.
But that is precisely the issue: we still don’t know for sure.
No contract has been published. No procurement documents have been shared. No independent verification of the alleged $22 million price tag has been provided. Yet machines are being moved, praises are being sung, and legislators are being asked to approve what remains, in essence, a mystery deal.
We must be clear: This is not an indictment of the Vice President or of the intention to improve Liberia’s road infrastructure. Roads are a national emergency. Equipment is essential. But Liberia has been here before—time and again, we have watched well-intentioned plans mutate into scandals, precisely because they were allowed to operate in the shadows.
If this new deal is better, why is it being kept hidden? Why are journalists, civil society actors, and even some lawmakers forced to rely on social media leaks and vague press briefings to understand how their country’s resources are being committed?
Transparency is not optional—it is the foundation of legitimacy.
Furthermore, this moment should not be sanitized into a political victory for any one actor. The original handling of this deal was deeply flawed: the equipment was imported before legislative approval; the PPCC was bypassed; and President Boakai himself acknowledged “errors” had been made. These are not procedural hiccups. They are constitutional red flags.
As the process moves forward, we at The Liberian Investigator call on the following:
- Full Disclosure – The renegotiated contract, including all procurement steps, cost breakdowns, and payment schedules, must be published immediately.
- Legislative Scrutiny – Lawmakers must not rubber-stamp this deal. They must demand hearings, pose tough questions, and ensure that the deal is not used as a backdoor for political patronage.
- Institutional Oversight – The PPCC, the Ministries of Justice and Finance must all be part of this process—not as observers, but as guarantors of due process.
- Accountability for Past Missteps – Those who facilitated or authorized the initial unauthorized importation of the equipment must face consequences. Development cannot be built on impunity.
Liberia has wasted too many opportunities because we failed to draw a line between expediency and legality. If the Boakai administration truly seeks to rescue Liberia, then this is the moment to prove that infrastructure can be built not just with iron and engines—but with integrity.
The yellow machines may pave the roads, but transparency must pave the way forward.
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