“Total Witch-hunt”

Jakona Kelvin Buima, General Manager, East International

— East Int’l manager clarifies 

The General Manager of East International Construction Company and Quality Construction Company, Mr. Jakona Kelvin Buima, has termed as ‘total witch hunt and falsehood’ the allegations on social media, that he manages several businesses owned by the suspended Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill. 

In a statement on August 28, 2022, Mr. Jakona Kelvin Buima said he has friendships with many government officials, both former and present, including Mr. McGill, as well as other senior government officials and legislators. But he said it was shocking for him to have heard of his companies being attached to Mr. McGill, a notion he described as “laughable and does not make sense at any level”.

Responding to the allegation of the involvement of the suspended Minister of State for Presidential Affairs with his companies, Buima said: “I see McGill as a big brother, he's a good man; I have seen lots of people around him and he’s my friend. McGill has never asked anyone to give me a project or contract to my companies before to even speak about having shares in my companies; I can sometimes beg him for money. I am a businessman and I will do business with any administration that will come to national power. I did business with the Unity Party, I am doing with CDC’s led government and I will do business with any administration that will come to power,” 

"What about the Lebanese that are closed to people in power? Why is that they continuously attack Liberians?  We are not deterred by anybody and nobody can run us out of here, I’m a Vai, Gola and Mandingo man, a true Liberian and I will continue to do business and create employments for other Liberians,” he said.  

The it was posted on social media that Jakona Kelvin Buima, is reportedly the manager of suspended Nathaniel McGill ‘bogus companies’ in Liberia where all major government contracts were directed and awarded. The post suggest that some of those contracts were either not carried out at all, or were carried out without the right specifications.

“Recordings in my possession have Kelvin on calls striking deals and boasting of his proximity to McGill. He runs all McGill undercover operations and was influential in the appointment of the Minister and a Deputy Minister of Public Works for the purpose of awarding government contracts to McGill companies he runs. In addition, Kelvin went on several trips with McGill out of the country and was introduced to would be investors as his point of contact in the country. Accounts associated with McGill are in Kevin's name, and the companies he run on McGill's behalf,” the post indicated. 

According to him, his companies were awarded contracts during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at which time there was no Nathaniel McGill or the current ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.

Commenting on the issue of him been deported from china, “I have never been deported from China before some of business partners are Chinese. I most often visit China for equipment and for investors. I have no idea of what they are talking about, he added.

Explaining to this paper, Mr. Buima indicated that both East International and Quality  Group Construction Companies were registered since 2010 and 2013 respective, during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration. Buima, who earned a Masters Management from the Cuttington University urged investigators and well meaning Liberian to go to the Liberia Business Registry for verification.

“Liberia is a society where some Liberians find it pleasant in bringing each other down for no reason or for just witch hunt or cheap envy,” Mr. Buima said.

Commenting on the issue of him been deported from china, “I have never been deported from China before some of business partners are Chinese. I most often visit China for equipment and for investors. I have no idea of what they are talking about, he added. My companies are open for audits by the General Auditing Commission or private auditing institution.

Refuting the allegation of the Public Procurement Concession Commission being threatened by him, the East International general manager said, authorities of PPCC decided to award a contract to a company established like yesterday, a company that did not have the capacity to do the job, after the evaluation form.

The procurement entity went ahead to award the contract to the construction company (name withheld), it was at that time he (Mr. Buima) raised issues with PPCC, something that resulted to the involvement of Justice Ministry. The head of PPCC, Atty. Roseline Kowo and East International, underwent investigation at the Justice Ministry. 

“I can’t say much because I am a businessman and not into politics. Let people take me and my companies from politics. I will continue to do business here. We have over 130 Liberians and 20  foreigners hired by the companies and these employees have dependents depending on my companies to survive and, as a young Liberian, I go out there to look contract and looking for people to come and work in Liberia,”

“My companies have been attacked several times in the media before, all because I am a young Liberian who has been helping to create jobs. But I will say one thing: I will not be deterred by paid agents, people have been paid to attack my person, character and companies. I won't bow down to them or to their pressure. They can take to Facebook, Instagram, traditional media and media alerts. I don't care. I am open and I win contracts on merits. Most companies that go into bid now are companies that are just registered in recent times, trying to compare my experience, expertise and worth knowledge to companies that were just established four or five years ago, that’s impossible.