- ANC Petitions LACC to Probe Secretive Multimillion-Dollar Foya Villa Project Funded by State Enterprises
- Opposition party demands answers over government’s flip-flopping on ownership, procurement, and financing of luxury complex shielded from public scrutiny
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com
Monrovia – The Alternative National Congress (ANC) has formally petitioned the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to launch an immediate investigation into a multimillion-dollar construction project in Foya, Lofa County — a complex of what witnesses describe as luxurious villas that the government initially denied funding before President Joseph Boakai reversed course and admitted public money was involved.
In a letter dated May 25, 2026, signed by Secretary General Desmond U. Nimely and approved by Chairman Cllr. Lafayette E. O. Gould, the ANC called the project a potential blueprint for how not to spend public money — conducted in secrecy, contradicted by officials, and apparently financed through State-Owned Enterprises without legislative oversight or competitive bidding.
From “National Secret” to Presidential Admission
The project, officially branded the Mano River Union Center for Regional Peace and Development, first came to light not through any government announcement, but through civil society group NAYMOTE-Liberia.
In early September 2024, NAYMOTE Executive Director Eddie Jarwolo published aerial photos suggesting that a lavish multi-unit villa complex — allegedly valued at over US$10 million — was quietly being built in Foya by MUSNS Groups Incorporated, a firm led by Joe Gene Mulbah, a known associate of the president. Construction reportedly began on September 10, 2024, under the supervision of engineer Edward Yamba, though no budget line, procurement approval, or source of financing has ever been publicly disclosed. Jarwolo questioned the rationale behind such a large-scale project deep in the forest.
The government’s initial response only deepened suspicion. Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando claimed on the Closing Argument talk show that the project was funded by the Mano River Union (MRU) and had no personal link to the president. Less than a week later, Sando walked back that statement, saying he could not confirm MRU’s involvement — leaving the project’s origins even murkier.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai eventually broke his silence during a live interview on state broadcaster ELBC, insisting the development is a legitimate MRU peacebuilding initiative and dismissing claims that it was intended for his personal benefit.
“The project in Foya is for peacebuilding in the sub-region. It is an international project intended to prepare Foya as a place where crises can be resolved and where international meetings can also take place,” Boakai said.
The president also claimed the initiative was launched without his knowledge. “It is not a Joseph Boakai project. In fact, it started without my knowledge. You can go there — there is nothing in my name,” he said.
On why the project was initially kept from public view, Boakai suggested those behind it deliberately withheld the information from him. “They knew very well that I would have resisted it at the beginning because I did not want anything done in Foya that could be interpreted as being for me,” he said. “But this is not a private project.”
His explanation, however, satisfied few critics. Questions immediately arose about how much each MRU member state is contributing, the source of the funds, whether financing involves loans, and applicable interest and repayment terms. Boakai’s admission that the project proceeded without his knowledge intensified scrutiny further, prompting questions about who authorized such a major undertaking on the government’s behalf.
“I think these clarifications are leaving more room for questions,” said a leading civil society activist who requested anonymity. “The President appears to be saying that a major decision like this can be taken without his consent.”
The activist added that the MRU itself must now speak out. “Citizens deserve to know the full details of this project,” the activist said.
SOEs as a Shadow Budget?
According to the ANC’s petition, financing for the project is said to have been drawn from contributions by NASSCORP, the National Port Authority (NPA), the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) — all state-owned enterprises accountable to Liberian taxpayers.
The opposition party argues this arrangement may have allowed the government to fund a massive project without standard appropriations scrutiny, raising questions about whether the Public Financial Management Act, the Public Procurement and Concessions Act, and anti-corruption statutes were violated.
“The project may have bypassed mandatory procurement and competitive bidding procedures established under the PPCC Act,” the ANC said in its petition, adding that “public resources under the control of SOEs may have been redirected absent transparent disclosure, legislative oversight, or independent auditing mechanisms.”
The party further argued that the series of contradictory public statements about the project’s ownership, funding sources, purpose, and total cost “have materially undermined public trust and raised legitimate suspicion of potential abuse of public office and misuse of state resources.”
Six Demands to the LACC
The ANC’s petition calls on the anti-corruption body to launch a full-scale probe into the project’s financing, procurement, and contracting; determine whether any laws were broken; identify all officials, contractors, and intermediaries involved; examine all financial transfers and SOE disbursements tied to the project; recommend criminal, civil, or administrative action where warranted; and publish its findings in full.
The ANC stressed that its petition is not aimed at blocking legitimate national development or regional cooperation. “Development must always proceed within the framework of constitutional governance, fiscal transparency, procurement integrity, and the rule of law,” the party said.
“Liberia’s democratic future depends not merely upon what projects are undertaken, but how they are undertaken. No public official, institution, or political interest should be permitted to operate above the law or beyond public scrutiny.”
The LACC had not publicly responded to the petition as of the time of publication. The Boakai administration has similarly not issued a detailed accounting of total project costs, the contract award process, or the legal authority under which SOE funds were redirected.
