Heritage (Monrovia)
14 December 2011
Information gathered by this paper suggests that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf recently overturned the suspension of the Managing Director of the National Transit Authority (NTA), Madam Kau Kidau Joseph. This paper recently reported the indefinite suspension of the NTA Managing Director by the entity’s Board of Directors. But reports later attributed to the NTA boss by some media outlets declared that she was not suspended. However, Madam Joseph later confirmed her indefinite suspension by the NTA Board of Directors in a statement she issued to the media on Thursday, December 8, 2011 in Monrovia.
Madam Joseph indicated in the statement that the decision of the NTA Board of Directors to suspend her was later overturned barely two hours following the pronouncement. But she fell short of stating who overturned the NTA Board of Directors’ decision. The million dollar question that was therefore on the lips of some Liberians is who overturned the NTA boss’ suspension?
But as it seems, that question has now been addressed by the Minister of the Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism (MICAT).
The Information Minister told a regular MICAT press briefing last Thursday that President Johnson-Sirleaf intervened in the situation at the NTA, adding that the Liberian leader’s intervention was predicated upon what he referred to as ensuring the smooth celebration of the festive season.
He said President Johnson-Sirleaf’s intervention to halt the indefinite suspension of the NTA’s boss was because “the President wants to make sure that transport services provided by the NTA are uninterrupted during the festive season.”
However, the MICAT boss stated that the NTA Board of Directors will continue what he called “their findings and in due course, a resolution will be found to whatever it is at the NTA.”
On Wednesday, December 7, 2011, this paper reported that the Board of Directors of the NTA on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 suspended the Managing Director of the NTA, Madam Kou Kidau Joseph, for time indefinite.
The paper, quoting its well placed sources within officialdom, reported that the board took the action during its regular sitting on Tuesday. Among other things, the report added that the board suspended the NTA boss for allegedly approving contracts covering over US$200,000 and increasing her monthly allowance and approving same herself without the knowledge and approval of the board, something, which supposedly contravenes the Act that created the entity.
However, in the statement, the NTA boss described her suspension as totally out of order and that reasons provided by members of the Board of Directors are “concocted fallacies designed by envious individuals who are opposed to the transparent manner in which she is handling affairs of the NTA since her ascendency at the helm about a year ago”.
She said members of the BOD are fully knowledgeable of the financial discipline her administration has restored within the NTA, but regretted there are few with personal agenda bent on doing everything to undermine rapid transformation at the institution.
Madam Joseph denied ever been involved in any act of corruption as was alleged by members of the Board of Directors.
Additionally, the NTA boss also denied ever unilaterally consummating contracts as was alleged. Further, she disclosed that the contract in question was signed by the institution’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Martin Kollie when she was out of the country. Madam Joseph expressed regret that her principal deputy would move ahead to enter into such contract that does not meet the basic requirements suiting the desire of the NTA.
When this paper contacted Mr. Kollie yesterday’s evening concerning his boss’ claim against him as it relates to the signing of the contract, he said he will speak to the press on the matter when the time comes. He added: “The truth will come out, so no need to make noise now.”
However, Madam Joseph said the contractor has since been notified on the need for renegotiation, noting that the process was now underway with the aim of inserting the required instruments that suit the best interest of both parties.
In a related development, the NTA boss has rejected claims that she was running the institution without an approved budget. According to her, budgets of the NTA are prepared by the Internal Auditor, who reports directly to members of the Board.
Meanwhile, Madam Joseph has described the recent development between she and the institution’s Board of Directors as sad, but assured that such will not dissuade her from moving ahead with institutional reforms embarked upon about a year ago. At the moment, she disclosed that plans are underway to strengthen public transportation system across the country.
AllAfrica – All the Time