MONROVIA – The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Methods, Means and Finance, Prince Moye, has condemned the Govt Department for renegotiating the controversial International Monitoring & Maritime Options (GTMS) and Cargo Monitoring Be aware (CTN) contract with out the data, involvement, or ratification of the Nationwide Legislature.
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
The Unity Occasion lawmaker mentioned the deal was revised in secrecy, in disregard of constitutional protocols and former suggestions issued by the Senate following its personal probe into the unique settlement.
Talking through the Senate’s common session on Thursday, Senator Moye raised issues over what he described because the Govt’s failure to interact lawmakers or present any type of briefing on the standing of the GTMS/CTN renegotiation course of.
He argued that regardless of the Senate’s earlier decision recommending both a cancellation or renegotiation of the contract to handle recognized flaws, the Govt acted unilaterally with out returning to the Legislature for ratification.
“We didn’t get any redress — whether or not the Govt went forward to renegotiate that exact contract. All we’re seeing on social media and a number of the platforms is {that a} very distinctive contract has now been entered into by the Authorities of Liberia (GoL), represented by the Nationwide Port Authority (NPA), the Ministry of Finance and Improvement Planning (MFDP), the Justice Ministry (MoJ) and the Liberia Income Authority (LRA),” Senator Moye informed his colleagues.
He maintained that the motion by the Govt isn’t solely unconstitutional but in addition exhibits disregard for the legislative function of oversight.
The GTMS/CTN settlement was initially signed underneath the administration of former President George Weah as a 15-year, US$25 million contract aimed toward monitoring cargo shipments into the nation. Nonetheless, it rapidly turned controversial amid public criticism and allegations that giant sums of cash generated via the scheme had been being deposited in international accounts quite than benefiting the Liberian financial system.
The deal was opposed by then-opposition Unity Occasion, whose customary bearer, now-President Joseph Boakai, publicly pledged to cancel it if elected. Regardless of that promise, the Govt in March 2025 introduced that it had accomplished a complete revision of the contract with GTMS Liberia Inc., describing the brand new deal as one that might improve revenue-sharing preparations and enhance regulatory oversight.
Senator Moye mentioned the Legislature has been left at midnight concerning the specifics of the renegotiated settlement, together with what monetary incentives had been granted to GTMS/CTN underneath the brand new phrases. “There have been different incentives supplied to that firm (GTMS/CTN) that we as a Senate or Legislature has that sole authority to present incentive to concessionaires or firms working within the nation — whether or not we had been knowledgeable on these sorts of discussions,” he mentioned.
He additional questioned the dearth of readability on the income the federal government expects to generate underneath the brand new deal. In response to Senator Moye, the nationwide funds solely captured US$1 million from GTMS/CTN underneath the earlier contract, with no up to date figures reflecting potential positive aspects from the revised settlement.
“The general public’s proper to know whether or not or not the renegotiated contract is producing extra income for the nation has additionally been denied,” Senator Moye asserted. “The renegotiation of the contract by the Govt has failed to obviously make public Liberia’s share of the revenues being collected by the corporate.”
He referred to as on the Ministry of Finance and Improvement Planning, the Liberia Income Authority, and different related businesses to elucidate why the Legislature was sidelined in a cope with such monetary implications for the nation.
Supporting Moye’s place, Senator Amara Konneh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, disclosed that the Normal Auditing Fee (GAC) has accomplished an audit of the earlier GTMS/CTN contract.
The audit, which was initiated following legislative issues over the monetary transparency of the deal, is at present being reviewed by the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee. “The audit is at present being reviewed by the committee,” Senator Konneh confirmed.
He careworn that the important thing difficulty now could be whether or not the renegotiated contract consists of the institution of a transitory account to make sure that authorities receives its justifiable share of income. “The renegotiation of the contract should set up whether or not or not a transitory account has been established to ensure that the nation advantages its justifiable share of income being generated,” he emphasised.
Senator Konneh additionally reminded the Senate that following its earlier probe into the matter, a proper suggestion had been made that any renegotiated contract with GTMS/CTN be despatched to the Legislature for ratification.
Nonetheless, he mentioned the Govt has did not adjust to that suggestion. “GTMS/CTN’s earlier contract was not ratified by the Nationwide Legislature as a consequence of incentives supplied to it by the previous administration,” Senator Konneh famous.
In response to the discontent amongst lawmakers, the Plenary of the Liberian Senate has voted to ascertain a particular investigative committee to probe the renegotiated GTMS/CTN settlement. The movement to arrange the committee was filed by River Gee County Senator Francis Dopoh.
The committee might be chargeable for analyzing the brand new phrases of the contract, assessing the incentives granted to the corporate, figuring out anticipated income advantages, and establishing why the contract was by no means forwarded to the Legislature for ratification.
The backlash towards the Govt Mansion follows intently on the heels of reviews that the federal government awarded 100% possession of 4 profitable oil blocks to the state-run Nationwide Oil Firm of Liberia (NOCAL), once more with out legislative approval. This choice has raised alarms amongst lawmakers who concern it might result in mismanagement and lack of oversight within the nation’s petroleum sector.
Observers say the present developments echo the same sample underneath the UP-led authorities, notably the controversial “Yellow Machine” deal—an gear financing association that was quietly negotiated by the Govt and almost handed with out legislative scrutiny. The deal was in the end halted following a powerful media marketing campaign and resistance from the Legislature, led by then-Speaker J. Fonati Koffa.
“The Yellow Machine saga ought to have been a lesson,” mentioned one political analyst. “However as an alternative, it seems the Govt is reverting to the identical opaque practices that put public assets in danger and weaken democratic oversight.”
As stress mounts, civil society organizations and watchdog teams are additionally calling on President Boakai to exhibit a dedication to transparency and good governance by guaranteeing that every one main agreements obtain correct legislative scrutiny.
