The authoritative sources at the Executive Mansion hinted that each of
the vehicles costs the Government of Liberia not less than US$500,000.
Transport Minister Dr. Vamba Kanneh and General Services Agency officials
have denied being involved into government’s latest arrangement to
purchase bullet proof jeeps for Chairman Bryant in a country already engulfed
by poverty, hunger and disease.
Dr. Kanneh told journalists during a recent talk show on local radio station
in Monrovia that he read about the transitional government’s decision
to purchase the presidential vehicles on the Internet while on his recent
medical trip to the United States of America.
He said though his Ministry has not independently verified the report,
Chairman Bryant was reported to have met with some senior officials of his
government and media representatives in Monrovia to justify the purchase
of the vehicles.
A member of the Good Governance Reform Commission, former Lofa County
Representative David Kortie also hinted that individual members of the commission
were investigating the report.
He said it was unrealistic at this point in time for a care-taker government
which has less than one year in office to expend one million United States
dollars only for the comfort of the Executive Mansion, while thousands of
the citizens languish in displaced camps without adequate daily meal and
civil servants still struggling to get their salary arrears.
