The National Road Fund (NRF), legally tasked with collecting and disbursing funds to maintain the nation’s roads and bridges, has become entangled in a litany of corruption scandals under the management of its manager, Joseta Neufville-Wento. Serious allegations suggest that the NRF, instead of fulfilling its mandated duties, has been misused for political agendas and personal gain, sparking public outrage.
Established by the National Road Fund Act in December 2016, the NRF was designed to manage funds for the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges, approve road maintenance expenditure, and allocate funds to undertake such works. Its function was clear and straightforward, as outlined in Section 1.2 of the law. However, these purposes have been blatantly disregarded under the leadership of Neufville-Wento.
In August 2023, the NRF entered into a US$160,000 contract with Asian Liberian Investment Inc. for the provision of solar lights and poles to Grand Cape Mount County. The contract, which was meant to deliver 1,000 solar lamps and poles, has since been mired in controversy. According to reliable sources, only 700 lamps and poles were delivered, and even then, their destination was not the county authorities. Instead, they were diverted to Gargama in Porkpah District, where they were handed over to Idrissa Massalay, the father of Representative Bintu Massalay of District #1 in Grand Cape Mount.
The arrangement raises serious questions about the misuse of public funds. Idrissa Massalay, who is a former campaign manager for his daughter, is alleged to have received the solar lamps and poles for political purposes, not for public development. In what appears to be a deliberate abuse of office, Neufville-Wento is accused of siphoning off funds meant for road maintenance to finance a political campaign, undermining the integrity of the National Road Fund.
The situation is further compounded by the actions of Representative Bintu Massalay, who reportedly distributed more than half of the 700 solar lamps and poles to Sierra Leoneans, who had crossed the border to vote in her favor. The few items that were delivered to Cape Mount have since been damaged, leaving behind nothing but questions about the whereabouts of the US$160,000. The mismanagement of these resources not only violates the mandate of the NRF but also reveals a larger pattern of corruption at the highest levels of government.
Titus A. Thomas, the Technical Consultant Engineer of the NRF, has bravely come forward with the facts, offering to testify about the blatant theft of public funds. He believes the country cannot continue on this path of unchecked corruption, which he describes as a “blatant robbery of public resources.” Thomas’s testimony could be key in holding those responsible accountable for their actions.
The issue does not end with the solar light debacle. Neufville-Wento has also been implicated in a questionable US$1,460 (LRD 277,619) payment for legal consultancy fees. According to sources, the funds were used to pay a private lawyer, Kanio Bai Gbala, for what was described as a “consultancy” role. The question arises: why is the NRF using taxpayer money to pay personal legal fees, especially when the organization already has a legal team? This raises serious concerns about how public funds are being misappropriated for personal gain.
What’s more, the NRF is also under investigation for a US$410,500 contract, reportedly used to “review roads,” but with no clear explanation of how these funds were spent. Sources suggest that the money was distributed among individuals involved in the scheme, further highlighting the systemic corruption that plagues the organization. These figures, coupled with the mismanagement of road funds, paint a troubling picture of a country where public resources are being diverted for personal enrichment, with little regard for the needs of the public.
This scandal highlights the widespread rot within Liberia’s institutions and the failure of those in power to safeguard the interests of the people. Instead of focusing on the maintenance of critical infrastructure, those entrusted with managing public resources are exploiting their positions for political and personal gain. The National Road Fund’s primary purpose, to improve roads and bridges, has been hijacked by those who view public money as a tool for political maneuvering and self-enrichment.
For ordinary Liberians, this betrayal cuts deep. The National Road Fund was established to address critical infrastructural challenges, but instead, it has become a symbol of corruption and mismanagement. The people of Liberia deserve better than a government that uses their hard-earned tax dollars to fund political campaigns and personal luxuries.
