By Domingo Dargbeh;
dargbehdomingo@gmail.com

The CEO of Kingdom Business Inc. (KBI), Mr. L. Swansey Fallah, has expressed disappointment over alleged interference by top officials of the ruling Unity Party’s government in the Ministry of Health’s procurement process.

According to Mr. Fallah, the procurement process at the Ministry of Health has been repeatedly manipulated to favor certain companies for government projects, bypassing the rightful bidding procedures. He claimed that contracts were being awarded to companies linked to government officials without following the required competitive process.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Fallah revealed that two major projects—the upgrade of the Boe-Waterside Health Center Civic Work in Grand Cape Mount County and the construction of the Mental Health Hospital, including the completion of the Ministry of Health Partners Building—were awarded to American Eagle Construction Company and Interior Perspective LLC without proper adherence to procurement laws.

He further alleged that despite several letters to Minister of Health Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto and the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) seeking redress, no action has been taken. He blamed the delay on reported lobbying efforts by influential officials within the Ministry of Health.

Mr. Fallah also accused Assistant Minister of Administration at the Ministry of Health, Richard D. Kollie, of a conflict of interest. He claimed that during a site visit, Minister Kollie provided an official government vehicle to transport personnel from Interior Perspective LLC, which he sees as clear favoritism. When questioned, Minister Kollie allegedly responded that the company had no vehicle to reach the site.

Additionally, Mr. Fallah disclosed that KBI had requested the Ministry of Health’s procurement unit to provide a notification of intention to award after the evaluation process. This would allow the company to understand why a competitor was selected and why others were disqualified. In the debriefing letter sent to KBI, the company was informed that its evaluation score of 97.89 out of 100 was reduced because it failed to submit a certificate for a site foreman.

Expressing doubts about the fairness of the bidding process, Mr. Fallah suggested that Interior Perspective LLC received special treatment from the Ministry of Health.

Kingdom Business Inc. is one of Liberia’s leading construction companies, boasting over 25 earth-moving machines and a track record of successfully completing more than 50 governmental and non-governmental projects.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Ministry of Health before press time were unsuccessful.