Mines and Energy Minister R. Matenokay Tingban has clarified that the Ministry of Mines and Energy was not responsible for the donation of 150 motorcycles recently distributed to chiefs and elders across Nimba County, saying the motorcycles were provided by the Office of the Vice President and businessman Pheraze Dekpah.
Speaking during the presentation in Gipo Town, Minister Tingban said the donation followed an appeal from the Council of Chiefs and Elders for transportation support to improve their mobility and enhance their work across Nimba county.
He said the first batch of 100 motorcycles was presented in Sarlay Town, Electoral District #6, while the remaining 50 were officially handed over in Gipo Town, Electoral District #8. “The chiefs and elders are important to our country, and if we are to uphold and maintain the unity of the country, we must ensure that they are equipped to lead the charge,” Minister Tingbah said.
According to the minister, traditional leaders requested that he use his close relationship with the Vice President to advocate for transportation assistance on their behalf. “The Vice President is a son of Nimba, and I am also one of the sons connected to our local chiefs and elders. They asked me to use my close relationship with the Vice President to help improve their mobility so they can visit every part of the county,” he said.
Minister Tingbah disclosed that he and other stakeholders lobbied the Office of the Vice President and businessman Pheraze Dekpah, a former Chairman of the Unity Party, to secure the motorcycles for the traditional leaders. “We have been lobbying with the Vice President’s Office and Mr. Pheraze Dekpah, who, despite being a businessman, supported this effort,” he added.
Responding to criticism surrounding the donation, the minister cautioned against politicizing the initiative, stressing that its primary objective is to strengthen unity and support traditional leadership across Nimba County. “Whoever wants to politicize it should know that we will work hard to unite our people. I don’t have to be an official of the Vice President before representing him,” he said.
Commenting on concerns reportedly raised by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Minister Tingbah said he has not received any official communication from the organization regarding the donation.
He accused CENTAL of failing to conduct due diligence before reacting to media reports. “You can’t just rely on media reports without reaching out to me and then decide to act on them. It shows desperation to use misinformation against people,” the minister asserted.
Minister Tingbah maintained that the motorcycles were donated through the Office of the Vice President and businessman Pheraze Dekpah—not the Ministry of Mines and Energy—and urged the public to distinguish between his role in facilitating the donation and the institutions that provided it.
