A reported multi-million-dollar construction project in Foya, Lofa County, has sparked controversy and debate, with claims that a "Presidential Villa" is being built in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's birthplace. The project, said to be valued at more than US$10 million, has raised questions about ownership, funding, and transparency.
The debate was ignited by Eddie D. Jarwolo, Executive Director of NAYMOTE-Liberia, who alleged that the facility is a Presidential Villa linked to President Boakai. Jarwolo claimed the project is being undertaken by MUSONS Group Incorporated, led by businessman Joe Gene Mulbah, with Edward Yamba as Chief Engineer. According to Jarwolo, construction began in September 2024, though details about financing and compliance with procurement procedures remain unclear.
"State Security now guards the location," Jarwolo wrote on social media, arguing that such an amount could have been used to build a factory to create jobs and improve livelihoods in Lofa rather than on what he described as a "luxury" villa.
Responding to the allegation, Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando dismissed the claims as misleading and politically motivated. In a live radio interview with Harris Gballey, Sando said: "To say President Boakai is building a ten-million-dollar presidential complex will mean he is building it for himself. That motive is very evil. There is no such presidential project. What I know is that it has something to do with the Mano River Union conference, given Foya's geographical position at the border with Guinea and Sierra Leone."
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He added that President Boakai has lived in the same house for 37 years and has no personal interest in constructing a lavish complex at his age. Sando stressed that the public should hold individuals accountable for spreading unverified claims.
However, local journalists and residents in Foya remain skeptical. OKAY FM correspondent James M. Kollie reported that even county officials and the press have been barred from accessing the site, which is heavily secured. "It is elaborate, huge. People are placing $10 million on it, but nobody is talking about it. It is almost like a secret 'bush' project," Kollie said.
Kollie noted that the Lofa County Superintendent has frequently updated citizens about other projects, including plans for a regional university, but has never mentioned the construction underway in Foya. "Even top local officials are restricted, raising more questions about what is really happening," he added.
The lack of official information has left residents and civil society demanding greater transparency. While Sando promised to seek clarity from the Executive and provide updates at an upcoming press briefing, the controversy underscores growing public pressure on the Boakai administration to explain the purpose, cost, and ownership of the project.
For now, the sprawling structure in Foya remains shrouded in secrecy, fueling speculation, denials, and demands for answers.
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