By Amos Harris
The Ministry of Labour is facing a storm of public criticism after revelations that Minister Cooper Kruah’s newly acquired official vehicle may have cost nearly double the government’s approved threshold for ministerial cars.
While the ministry insists the Ford Everest XLS 4×4 was purchased for US$45,000, independent market research and pricing documents obtained by this paper suggest otherwise.
Comparable listings abroad put the value of the same model at nearly US$94,000, raising serious doubts about the accuracy and honesty of the ministry’s explanation.
According to Liberia’s procurement rules, the ceiling for government-purchased vehicles stands at US$45,000, a figure the ministry claims it respected.
Yet, research into installment plans shows that owning such a car could cost US$441 weekly for three years, a payment structure that points to a significantly higher valuation.
The Labour Ministry, in its defense, points to a Local Purchase Order (LPO) issued on November 5, 2024, through Prestige Motors and cleared by the Ministry of Finance.
That LPO neatly lists the car’s price as US$45,000, precisely in line with government policy.
But conflicting market evidence, including Australian dealership prices of AUD$54,240 (US$35,410), only deepens the mystery of how the same vehicle could simultaneously cost US$94,000 on the international market.
The situation has sparked demands for greater accountability, especially since Minister Kruah had previously complained of lacking an official vehicle.
In a letter to President Joseph Boakai dated April 4, 2024, he lamented inheriting no car from his predecessor, Cllr. Charles Gibson, who allegedly bought the ministry’s previous vehicle for personal use.
Calling his predicament “quite embarrassing,” Kruah begged for government intervention.
The President later approved a purchase through the finance ministry, and by August 18, 2025, the Labour Ministry had secured duty-free privileges from the Liberia Revenue Authority for the car.
But the apparent inconsistencies in price have left critics asking whether taxpayers are footing the bill for inflated costs or if official records have been deliberately manipulated.
Civil society organizations and anti-corruption campaigners are already voicing concern.
“This is not simply about a car it is about the integrity of government procurement,” one transparency advocate told this paper.
“If the government says US$45,000, but evidence suggests US$94,000, the public deserves a full accounting.”
Pressure is now mounting on the Labour Ministry to release full procurement records, including invoices, valuation reports, and customs documentation.
Until then, suspicion lingers, and the car scandal threatens to overshadow Minister Kruah’s leadership and further erode public trust in the Boakai administration’s pledge of financial discipline.
