As the saying goes charity begins at home. So it is good that the President investigates certain civil servants especially the ones currently going on retirement. This is largely because some have managed their ministries in quite dubious and questionable circumstances more especially in the handling of government contracts.
The outgoing Director General of Defence, Mr. Sana Marrah, is no exception. He awarded almost all the millions of dollars contracts to the Ministry, including to Lebanese contractors and personal businesses carrying the names and business registration details of close family relatives and friends.
Mr. Sana Marrah has demonstrated impunity in the management of government contracts over the years. The Ministry has not followed procurement rules and procedures, and has continuously practiced sole sourcing in the award of contracts. Most goods and services contracts, the Ministry awarded, have either not been supplied or the quality of the goods are of a questionable character.
Now that Mr. Sana Marrah and some of his cohorts are out of power, there is every tendency that they would engage in a mission of ‘covering up’ their bad deeds through the destruction of certain key documents within their offices.
It is against this backdrop that, Mr. President, civil servants, who have occupied very strategic positions, should be investigated as they leave office. Lonta
It is our hope that the new Director General at Defense would follow the footsteps of the ‘New Direction’ and not allow himself to be infiltrated by corrupt Lebanese business people/contractors, who have formed an ‘unbreakable cabal’ at the Ministry. We are watching.
We will bring you more details of Mr. Sana Marrah’s shady deals, including contracts awarded and total cost, names of Lebanese businessmen/contractors, goods and services supplied and those that are still outstanding in our subsequent editions.Â