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Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Liberia: Asymmetric Media Propaganda and Misunderstanding of Public Governance: The Case with Minister Roland Giddings at Public Works

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By Vandalark R. Patricks

Occasionally, individuals enter government service with the best of intentions, aiming to contribute positively, but they often encounter obstacles that hinder progress and tarnish the government’s image.

The issues within the Ministry of Public Works are particularly acute and require urgent attention to restore confidence in public governance.

I have been following FrontPage Africa’s repeated coverage of events at the Ministry of Public Works.

While I hold the media outlet in high regard, its recent reports on the situation at the ministry imply that the information being provided to the public, possibly by the minister or the ministry itself, may be misleading.

Specifically, today’s FrontPage Africa headline “From Rescue to Combat Mission” seems to highlight the sensational nature of the reporting rather than the facts, leading to a lack of balance and clarity that aligns with the headline.

Link: https://frontpageafricaonline.com/…/liberia-public…/

Historically, it has been observed that ministers appointed by the President often feel uneasy working with their deputies, especially if those deputies are well-educated, technically skilled, and professionally capable of managing the ministry’s responsibilities effectively. This discomfort among ministers is evident at the Ministry of Public Works.

When JNB appointed Mr. Roland Giddings as Minister of Public Works and Mr. Prince Tamabah as Deputy Minister for Technical Services, it was expected that they would collaborate effectively.

However, it appears that Minister Giddings may be experiencing discomfort in working with his deputy, stemming not from corruption but from a fear that his deputy might be seeking his position.

Recently, on Spoon Talk, it was revealed through documentary evidence that the Minister of Public Works issued a warning letter to his Deputy for Technical Services, Mr. Prince Tambah, for refusing to execute certain duties at the Ministry, labeling it as gross insubordination. One instance mentioned in the warning letter involved the deputy’s refusal to sign vouchers for contractor payments.

The question arises: how can contractors be paid when their work is substandard and incomplete? It should be noted that refusal to sign documents, such as payment vouchers for contractors for valid reasons, should not be misconstrued as gross insubordination, contrary to Minister Giddings’ description. An overlooked fact by FrontPage is that these contractors were questionably awarded contracts before the Deputy for Technical Services formally assumed his role at the Ministry of Public Works.

When it was necessary to verify if the roadworks met the required standards or were even completed, some contractors became unsettled and approached their benefactor, the Minister, who had awarded them the contracts. Exerting his ministerial power, he insisted that the Deputy sign off on the payment vouchers, and he refused.

This scenario exemplifies the corruption that plagues public institutions, as deputies often comply due to fear of dismissal recommendations from their bosses.

It is commendable that Mr. Tambah stood against what is ethically wrong, refusing to endorse corruption by signing off on payments for contractors who failed to fulfill their obligations, a stance he firmly maintained.

This is why we have so many incomplete and bad roads in this country. Contractors will eat the money and do nothing because certain people at the Ministry of Public Works who are supposed to hold them accountable are often part of the corrupt cartel.

In another aspect of the Minister’s warning letter, he contends that his Deputy Minister for Technical Services refused to comply with his request to not accompany the President to Canada, an act he (Minister Giddings) describes as gross insubordination.

It must be made clear that the Deputy Minister for Technical Services was formally instructed by the Office of the President, through the Minister of State, to join the President on the trip to Canada.

It is perplexing to see Minister Giddings reprimand his Deputy for adhering to the Presidential directive. This is not gross insubordination; honoring a presidential mandate is expected of all ministers, deputy ministers, and assistant ministers, including heads of agencies.

As previously mentioned, the Minister has access to the Office of the President and can address any issues directly with the President if he chooses to engage the President. Rather than using these available channels, which many ministers vie for, he has chosen to engage in media propaganda, aiming to sway public sentiment against his deputy.

This is misleading. The Deputy would not ignore a presidential order in favor of instructions from the Minister, as both are appointed at the discretion of the President. Minister Giddings’ failure to uphold President Boaka’s directive for his deputy to travel with him reveals his lack of leadership capability.

I urge the President to summon the Minister and his Deputy for Technical Services to establish the truth. The silence of many deputies in various ministries and agencies is often out of respect, but it does not mean they are incompetent or stupid. Their salience should never be overlooked.

This is also true for other lower-level managers and their bosses at different ministries and agencies. They are not captives, nor are they children to be ordered to carry out tasks tainted with corruption or unethical practices.

It is well-known that professionals who are experts in their field often face conflicts with individuals accustomed to issuing unethical and unrealistic directives. Minister Giddings should recognize that his Deputy for Technical Services was a senior and resident engineer at the African Development Bank (AfDB) before his appointment as Deputy Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry of Public Works.

With over 12 years of experience at the AfDB, he has built roads in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Senegal, all to an excellent standard. The ethical practices he adhered to at the AfDB in road construction may have been carried over to his work at the Ministry of Public Works, where he is now encountering significant resistance because some people want to do business as usual.

In technical or medical fields, politics should not interfere, as these areas adhere to specific standards that cannot be overlooked. Using the media to create turmoil within the ministry is utterly unprofessional and the Minister needs to desist from this practice.

If there is a genuine belief that the Deputy for Technical Services is not performing his duties correctly, the proper course of action would be to formally address the issue with the Office of the President, which is open to all cabinet ministers, and discuss the concerns with the President directly.

Numerous allegations of corruption have been leveled against Minister Giddings, including the infamous 22 million dollar contracts he dubiously awarded before his Deputy for Technical Services officially assumed his role. The incident tarnished his reputation. After appearing before the Senate and acknowledging his mistake, he was forgiven.

However, his Deputy for Technical Services is not complicit in this matter. The contracts he dubiously awarded without the deputy’s comprehensive understanding are now being questioned by Mr. Tambah and he has a problem with that.

President Boakai should remind his ministers that their deputies are not adversaries or subordinates to be marginalized. They ought to collaborate harmoniously to enhance government productivity.

It is both disrespectful and unethical for ministers to issue improper directives to their deputies, who, when they decline to comply, are often mischaracterized as insubordinate. This does not reflect the essence of governance.

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