Commerce and Industry Minister Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh is facing mounting scrutiny over the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's (MoCI) authorization of nearly US$429,000 for renovation work at the Monrovia Industrial Park. The expenditure was approved just two months before the end of fiscal year 2025.
According to internal documents and communications obtained by reporters, the Ministry issued a resolution approving the funds for renovation and related works. The contract has been awarded to WreYoh Construction Company, a firm based in Grand Bassa County that is also allegedly constructing a private guest house for Minister Dagoseh in the same county, raising conflict of interest concerns.
Sources within the Ministry confirmed that construction began before the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) had formally granted its approval. The PPCC’s authorization was reportedly issued only today, weeks after work commenced. The resolution's legitimacy is now in question.
Senior government officials listed as signatories—including the Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of Finance and Development Planning—have reportedly denied participating in the decision or authorizing anyone to sign on their behalf. Despite these procedural issues, renovation activities are ongoing. Contractors have already removed the roof of one building and begun other work, allegedly without the required approval from the Minister of Finance, whose consent is mandatory for all expenditures of public funds.
Officials from the LRA and Ministry of Justice have distanced themselves from the resolution, describing the signatures attributed to them as belonging to "unauthorized proxies." Their statements have fueled suspicions that the process was manipulated to create the appearance of broad institutional approval.
Governance analysts and civil society groups have warned that proceeding with the project so close to the end of the fiscal year could violate budgetary compliance rules and undermine public confidence in the government's fiscal integrity. The controversy emerges as the General Auditing Commission (GAC) is already conducting an audit of the Monrovia Industrial Park's operations.
As public pressure intensifies, insiders at the Commerce Ministry warn that failure to address the controversy could erode public trust and raise further questions about fiscal discipline and governance standards across the government. All efforts to reach Minister Dagoseh for comment have been unsuccessful, as repeated calls and WhatsApp messages have gone unanswered.
Author: Melvin Jackson
