Public Works Minister Undermines NRF

Independent investigation conducted by the Hot Pepper suggests that the Minister of Public Works, Ruth Coker-Collins, is continuously persistent in her self-seeking agenda to undermine the National Road Fund (NRF) of Liberia in particular and the development agenda of President George Manneh Weah in general.

  Recently the Hot Pepper revealed an on-going rift among stakeholders of the road sector, with a conspiracy to have the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NRF, Boniface D. Satu, booted out. The paper accused officials of the Ministry of Public Works with close proximity to President Weah of being the masterminds behind the conspiracy.

   Further investigation conducted by the paper has unearthed that the NRF boss is being targeted for allegedly “not hanging around like the regular CDCians would do”, and for not yielding to the request of some individuals who feel entitled to the funds generated by the NRF from international partners.

   The investigation accused Minister Collins of showing disapproval of Satu being the head of the NRF, and plotting his removal. She stands accused of agitating that, while the Ministry of Public Works is carrying out the road projects the NRF boss is getting all the praise from the media, expressing her disappointment for not being hailed.

    In her quest to have Satu booted out, Minister Collins has hastily written the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah, Jr., to request that they begin the advertisement process for the selection of a new NRF manager.

   Her letter argued that “this is a major governance issue that, if not address expeditiously, will adversely affect the smooth operation of the NRF and will lead to the violation of the National Road Fund Act of 2016”, which only validates that it is at her interest to see Satu gives way to another NRF boss.

   Minister Collins’ letter relied on the fact that Satu’s first five-year performance contract is expiring few months from now, but knowing fully that President George Weah has the authority to renominate Satu for another five-year term based on his performance, according to the act creating the NRF.

   Unfortunately, the Hot Pepper has been hinted that Minister Collins is doing so not in the interest of the NRF, but is said to be pushing the interest of her “female stooge” (name withheld), whom she has promised she would do everything possible to ascend to the echelon of the Road Fund Office, even though she lacks the qualification and experience to hold such a position.

   If Minister Collins is successful in her ploy to give the NRF to a stooge only because she chairs the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee of the NRF, President Weah can kiss goodbye to achievements in the road sector, as the lack of competence and qualification could hinder international donors partnering with the road fund office.

   However, the minister’s plan is not being welcome by some members of the road fund board, as some members of the board have expressed explicit confidence in the NRF boss, and are said to be willing to renominate him for another five-year term.

   Major civil society actors, upon reading the Hot Pepper’s previous story on the road sector matter, termed Minister Collins an “ingrate” and a “power greed”. The CSO actors opined that Minister Collins was stuck in the position of acting Minister of Public Works for almost a year, running to individuals with close ties to the President, the media and civil society organizations to make her case for appointment as minister-proper, but now that she has been appointed she is undermining other active development drivers of the Weah administration.

   The CSO actors said the NRF office has been instrumental in providing funds for road projects, with the Ministry of Public Works, which is a beneficiary of the funds, carrying out the road projects, and if for any reason Minister Collins has unsettled matter with Satu she should take it at the individual level and not institutional, as it could cost the entire administration a downtrend effect.

   The individuals said road has been President Weah’s biggest achievement over the past five years, and tempering to remove those who are working toward this achievement only shows how “evil” and “wicked” Minister Collins is, or she could probably be a “planted agent” in the Weah administration to stir uproar in the regime’s most revenue-generating sector.