Managing Director, National Transit Authority NTA, Hon. Edmund Forh Forh, is not a new comer to the entity. He knows its nitty gritty. When he was appointed by President Boakai on March 1, 2024, he was battle-ready to face the burning challenges on ground. In this interview with ABUBAKAR HASHIM, he spoke on the mess he met on the ground, how he turned around the mess, to where the entity is today, operating, to restore past glory
What did you inherit at the National Transit Authority NTA?
I inherited a very deplorable entity. The building was burnt down and the buses were vandalized. Staff were demoralized and hardly came to work. The entrance of the compound will tell you what you can expect to see in the compound.
The entity was taken over by the civil service agency due to maladministration by the past management.
We met lots of severe challenges. The fuel station was abandoned. We met 34 buses, 5 were on and off the roads, 5 were fully depreciated, about to be scrapped, and 44 could be repaired, but no spare parts were available to be repaired.
We inherited huge backlogs of payments to contractors leading to several riots and damage to our properties due to non-payment of their dues.
There was no functional electricity in the compound, and no water for restrooms. The compound was completely abandoned by the past management.
When you met this horrible situation on the ground, what were your first steps?
Our first step was exploring funds availability. But we were surprised to find out all the bank accounts were depleted. The entity, up to December 31, 2023, was having a bank balance of USD 41 and LRD 112.000. We then knew we were for a tough ride and how to turn things around was our immediate challenge. The entity’s image and relevance were completely lost. No commercial venture was willing to transact business with the NTA. For instance, we attempted to procure a 20KVA generator to commence operations; no business entity could give us a credit line.
We then strategized to overcome the challenges. We visited the then Minister of Commerce, Amin Modad, to ask for his intervention. He stood as a guarantor to purchase, on credit, a 20KVA generator from a vendor; to provide electricity to this compound after several years. This was just the beginning of bringing back life to NTA.
We then put some staff together, with some incentives. It took us one month to clean up the mess we inherited in the compound. Then we commenced rehabilitation of the 5 buses we met on the ground. We negotiated with vendors who trusted our ability. They provided us with some engine oil, lubricants, and petroleum products on credit, about 1,000 fuel oil to commence operations. Before that, the past administration purchased sub-standard oil from roadside vendors, which had disastrous consequences on bus engines. Even fuel oils were bought from the streets. So, we contacted a friend who is in the petroleum business to sell to us, on credit, 1000 gallons of fuel oil to begin operations. That was how we commenced the operation of these 5 buses and generated some initial revenues.
We then immediately initiated the banking system. All monies generated went directly to the bank. No staff was allowed to use cash in the field. We developed a mini budget because we came in almost in the middle of the budget year, to guide our operations while we await a full budget for the New Year. This process led us to raise more LRD 300,000 in terms of revenue, weekly. In two months, we paid back our debts on the generator, 1000 gallons of fuel and other allied debts. At that point, we began to improve the image of the entity, turning it into a trustworthy and credible institution to do business. We also re-calibrated the 50,000 fuel tank and the fuel vendor, having developed pay-back confidence in us, credited us another 10,000 gallons of fuel oil.
When we took over management on March 1, 2024, we assessed repairs of the 24 buses at USD 650,000 contrary to USD 250,000 previously assessed by the transition team in January 2024. USD 300,000 was approved. So, we repaired only 15 buses. We contacted a local vendor who has direct contact with the manufacturer, TATA, in India, to order the parts. In the USD3000,000 we also purchased a 100KVA generator, because the 20KVA could not stand the capacity for the repair works. We also purchased a pickup van, for operations purposes, due to the unavailability of vehicles at NTA.
Today we have repaired 13 of those buses, fully operational, nationwide. We are running in 7 counties out of 15 counties. We are in Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Bong, Nimba, Bomi and Grand Bassa, fully operational. In the next month, we will commence in Maryland, Rivergee and Grand Gide. By then, 17 buses will be ready and fully operationalized.
So, we succeeded in changing the image and optics of NTA. Right from the main entrance, we changed the corporate outlook, to give back full life to the organization and restore its past glory. The administrative building was burnt down by the past management. We asked for the fire service report when we read through the report, it revealed that the fire was induced. It was not an electrical fault. The building was burning, yet the generator was still running. The report also revealed that the then Managing Director instructed staff not to give any such report to the fire service. It’s in the report I received. In addition to that, I revisited the General Audit Commission and asked them to conduct an entry audit, an independent verification of what I met here. It was during this period of verification, that the building was guttered by fire. As we speak, there is no administrative building. Where we sit today, is an extension of the garage. My two deputies and I, are just squatting in the garage. The training hall is now turned into offices for staff. We have now installed central air conditioners and other accessories to ensure proper working conditions.
We have also purchased three brand new buses, from Tata, through the budget. They are at the Port and awaiting the clearing process.
We have also put up a bid for the construction of a new administrative building. There were some defects in the bid as highlighted by the Public Procurement and Concession Commission. We are now correcting those defects; so we now re-tender the bid, to select a vendor to start the construction of a new administrative building. The 3 brand new buses at the Port, proceeds for these buses will be channelled into the construction of the new administrative building.
You’ve chronicled the difficult terrain you navigated when you assumed office on March 1, 2024. What is the magic wand for your achievements today?
First, to God is the glory. When we were appointed by HE President, there were widespread utterances, that we were coming to a dead zone. We put up a formidable management team to navigate a difficult terrain to bring back NTA to where it is today.
Secondly, we were not strange to the terrain. We had worked with the institution before. We understood the environment, so we used the experience to navigate the difficult terrain and bring the entity back to sanity today.
Thirdly, our integrity to financial prudence stands tall. Before we were appointed, vendors who worked with us trusted our ability, sincerity and transparency to run the entity.
Fourthly, we revisited our Corporate Governance, Financial and Human Resources policies. This enables us to restructure our administrative procedures to achieve designated goals. We’ve developed a 5-year strategic plan that was approved by the board.
These, and many more, were among the reasons we succeeded to where we are today, by the act that created the National Transit Authority.
Among our challenges today, are funding, and expansion of our garages, as we believe in preventive maintenance. We also want to rehabilitate our bus terminals. We currently have 3 bus terminals built by Madam Sirleaf. One in Grand Cape Mount County, another in Bong and another in Grand Bassa. The fourth in Kakata, was under construction before the administration changed. We hope to get funding to complete it and build other terminals in other counties. We are constructing a mini terminal at Red-Light near Monrovia but our main terminal for Monrovia will be constructed in Front of this compound, after the construction of an administrative building or possibly simultaneously depending on the availability of funding.
We are expecting more buses before July to ply from feeder roads to main roads, potentially to carry school children. The President is passionate about it. We are having discussions with ABK and Lexus, both Liberian companies to bring some buses from China.
Do you have any working relationships with ECOWAS countries, in terms of training, capacity building, technological and financial exchanges?
It’s good you ask this question. That’s a very good question. As we are now restoring operational sanity, we will commence a working relationship with ECOWAS countries, starting with Sierra Leone, our immediate neighbour. How do they do things, what kind of buses do they use; how do they maintain and schedule the buses? Then to Ghana and Nigeria, to explore exchange programs. How are they operating their transport services? How can we partner in training and capacity building?
I like that question as it is part of our strategic plan, particularly in the technical areas of bus maintenance. Nigeria can be of tremendous help in terms of working relationships in areas of training and capacity building of our personnel.
Are you optimistic about the immediate future of NTA?
I’m highly optimistic. We’ve started seeing signs to restore our past glory. All we need is the support, not only financial but guarantees, to partner with entities to expand our operations. So, Finance and Justice Ministries should give our vendors assurance and guarantee to expand our operations. On our side, we put in the appropriate financial management style to achieve the desired goals. I have the team to achieve this goal.
We are not only bringing more buses to move people, but trucks to move agricultural products nationwide, to ensure farm products are transported to markets. This will reduce the prices of basic farm products and eventually reduce inflation. It will stimulate the economy, to achieve the ultimate goals of the President’s ARREST agenda.