$US10 Million Project Shrouded in Secrecy -CENTAL Demands Full Disclosure on Boakai’s Foya Villa

MONROVIA – Once again, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the alleged construction of a US$10 million Presidential Villa in Foya, Lofa County. The premier transparency advocate is now braving the storm, calling sin by its name, by calling on the Government of Liberia to provide full disclosure and detailed information about the project. CENTAL’s Executive Director, Anderson Miamen, expressed deep concern about the project’s funding source, procurement process, and economic benefits to the country, and called on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Asset Recovery Task Force to launch a timely probe into the suspicious acquisition. The Analyst reports.

The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is calling on the Government of Liberia to provide full disclosure and detailed information about the alleged construction of a US$10 million Presidential Villa in Foya, Lofa County. This project has sparked widespread concern and speculation about its funding source, procurement process, and economic benefits to the country.

CENTAL’s Executive Director, Anderson Miamen, expressed deep concern about the lack of transparency surrounding the project. “We call on the Liberian Government to provide detailed information about the project, as its continued silence, in the midst of multiple concerns, does not send a good message to the public about full compliance with public procurement and other laws and guidelines.”

The news about the alleged Presidential Villa project was broken by Eddie Jarwolo, a renowned civil society leader and head of Naymote, who claimed that the project is worth US$10 million.

However, when journalists and civil society advocates sought clarification from the government, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture Affairs, and Tourism, Hon. Daniel Sando, denied the existence of such a project, stating that it might be related to the Mano River Union conference.

CENTAL’s review of the 2024 and 2025 approved national budgets shows that there is no such project earmarked under the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs or any other budget line, raising serious questions about the source of funding for the project, the contractor selection process, and the economic benefits it will yield to the country.

“We are deeply concerned about the lack of timely and detailed information on such a massive project,” said Miamen. “The Liberian people deserve to know if their resources are being used for the project.

“If their resources, through the national budget, are not involved with the construction, then what can possibly be the source of funding? Is the project being financed through corruption or money laundering?”

CENTAL is calling on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Asset Recovery Task Force to launch a timely probe into the suspicious acquisition of the Presidential Villa project.

“We await a timely report to the public on its outcomes,” Miamen added.

The organization emphasized that transparency and accountability are essential in government projects, and the government must provide clear and detailed information to the public about the project’s source of funding, contractor selection process, and its rationale and economic value to the country and its people.