– Leaked Documents Raise Questions About Accountability and Public Safety
By Vaye Lepolu
Monrovia – Documents reviewed by this newspaper allege a pattern of questionable transactions, including a US$58,500 payment to an individual linked to a lease agreement, outsourcing of core waste-management functions, and a non-functional quality-control laboratory at the Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA).
What the documents show
The papers reviewed by WomenVoices depict hundreds of thousands of dollars directed toward transactions that warrant scrutiny, set against concerns that LMHRA’s primary quality control laboratory has been rendered non-functional due to shortages of reagents, consumables, and calibrated equipment.
A central item is a US$58,500 payment to an individual named Ousmane B. Kamara, confirmed by an Ecobank check voucher drawn on LMHRA’s general account.
A May 2025 lease agreement lists Kamara as the Lessor and LMHRA as the Lessee, with LMHRA represented by Managing Director Luke L. Bawo and Finance Director Steve N. Bundor. The agreement includes an advance payment of US$195,000 for a three-year lease of a Sinkor property. Observers note the $58,500 payment to Kamara occurred months before the lease was signed, with no clear explanation in the reviewed records.
Other significant outlays
US$67,000, paid in two tranches (US$57,000 and US$10,000), to “Community United for Sustainable Services” and the “Arrow Group” for pharmaceutical waste management services. The LMHRA is legally responsible for pharmaceutical waste disposal, raising questions about outsourcing this core function at such cost.
A separate US$47,500 payment to the Arrow Group for vehicle rental to transport waste. Sources say there have been no functional vehicles for field inspections—including pharmacovigilance and clinical trial monitoring—for more than a year.
US$14,308.63 paid to the “Integrated Group of Contractors” for “construction and repair of pharmaceutical buildings.” Staff say they are unaware of such construction or major repairs.
Leadership, appointments, and audit
Managing Director Luke L. Bawo previously chaired the LMHRA Board before his appointment, prompting concerns about oversight and accountability.
The Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Steve N. Bundor, is reported to have been a previously rejected controller candidate during Mr. Bawo’s tenure as Board Chair. His appointment remains a point of internal friction.
The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) has been engaged to conduct an audit, but sources allege that because the IAA is involved in LMHRA’s day-to-day operations, its independence may be compromised.
A memorandum that alarms insiders
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is alleged to outsource operations of the national Quality Control Laboratory, with claims the arrangement could provide a 30% leverage for personal gain, effectively privatizing a core revenue-generating function.
The lab in crisis
Internal sources say the quality control laboratory is inoperable: equipment out of calibration, no reference standards to test imported medicines, and critical testing may not be conducted. The risk is that substandard, falsified, or harmful drugs could reach the Liberian public.
LMHRA’s denial
LMHRA Communications Director Momo Sirous denies corruption allegations. He states he was unaware of the US$58,500 payment to Kamara and asserts vehicle procurements follow Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) procedures with reputable dealers, not rental vendors. He also claims the laboratory is fully functional.
