The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), has sounded the alarm over a startling donation by Mines and Energy Minister R. Matenokay Tingban, who reportedly gifted 150 motorbikes to chiefs and elders of Nimba County.
The donation, valued between US$105,000 and US$120,000, has raised eyebrows across the nation. Minister Tingban’s monthly salary is said to be below US$5,000 after deductions — meaning the motorbike purchase far exceeds two years of his official earnings. The burning question now reverberating across Liberia: where did the money come from?
CENTAL’s Executive Director, Anderson Miamen, has formally urged the Ombudsman and the Liberia Anticorruption Commission (LACC) to launch a full investigation. “If this information is true, then it needs investigation to establish the source of the financing,” Miamen declared, citing reports first aired by journalist Nyantee Genero Samuel Togba of OK FM and later circulated on social media by Matthew Konah.
According to Miamen, even at a conservative estimate of US$700 per bike, the donation totals US$105,000. At US$800 per bike, the figure climbs to US$120,000. “Where did he get such money from? From his salary? From his friends? Or other sources?” Miamen asked pointedly.
The CENTAL boss further pressed for clarity on Tingban’s donation history, his declared assets and liabilities, and whether his actions comply with Liberia’s Code of Conduct for public officials. “The public deserves to know the source of funding for these donations,” he emphasized.
This controversy has ignited fierce debate in Monrovia and beyond, with critics warning that unchecked largesse by public officials undermines trust in governance. Civil society groups argue that such unexplained generosity risks eroding confidence in Liberia’s institutions and fuels suspicions of corruption.
Observers note that the case highlights a broader pattern of questionable financial dealings among government officials, where unexplained wealth often goes unchallenged. For many Liberians, Tingban’s motorbike donation is not merely an act of generosity but a potential red flag signaling deeper systemic rot.
As pressure mounts, all eyes are now on the Ombudsman and the LACC. Will they act decisively to unravel the mystery behind Minister Tingban’s lavish gift — or will this scandal fade into yet another chapter of unanswered questions in Liberia’s fight against corruption?
