Liberia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Amin Modad, is under immense pressure to exonerate himself from a corruption allegation that seems to have clearly entangled him and tainted President Joseph Boakai’s rescue government.
Minister Modad is in the spotlight for co-signing a deal in favor of MedTech without consultation. Worse still, he allegedly bought a fabulous vehicle that is said to cost US$150,000 through the Liberia Revenue Authority for himself from the deal, much to the disgust of many both in and outside the government.
The LRA has denied this, saying that it did not purchase a vehicle valued at US$150,000 for Minister Modad. However, it confirmed approving a request from the Ministry of Commerce in May 2024 for US$96,000 from its Customs Capacity Building Fund under the Destination Inspection (DI) Contract with MedTech Scientific Limited (MTS) for trade-related activities.
Notably, the pressure is coming from the ruling Unity Party, led by Rev. Luther Tarpeh. In a statement broadcast in Monrovia on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Chairman Tarpeh called on the Commerce Minister, his predecessor from the ruling party, to speak and clear not only his own image but also the image of the government.
The minister has not spoken clearly on the issue except to issue a firing statement against Senator Nathaniel F. McGill of Margibi County, who had accused him of impropriety.
He returned the attack against Senator McGill, reminding him of his (McGill’s) excesses during the past administration that left him sanctioned by the United States for public corruption.
Unfortunately for the former party chairman, he seems to have been deserted. His immediate successor, Rev. Tarpeh, is shouting the loudest, demanding explanations, while other government colleagues are refusing to come to his rescue.
A private investor with many businesses in Liberia, Modad has allowed politics and the benefits of public service to stain his image and drag the party that he has loved so much and supported for years into the mud.
This is what we saw initially when President Boakai appointed Mr. Modad as Minister of Commerce and Industry, pointing out that it would lead to a conflict of interest because he was coming into government as a private investor with a divided mind.
Our alarm was appropriate, but no one seemed to have listened then. Now, the reality has emerged, and all fingers are pointed at him. The Minister must say something more on this because his personal integrity and hands are in the balance.
