Nearly a month after civil society advocate Eddie D. Jarwolo exposed what he described as a US$10 million "Presidential Villa" emerging deep in the forest of Foya, Lofa County, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's hometown, the Liberian government still cannot say who authorized, funded, or owns the sprawling compound, now guarded by state security and shrouded in official silence.
During her weekly press briefing on Friday, Presidential Press Secretary Kula Nyei Fofana said she could not provide any information on the project's financial source, scope, or authorization, even as public pressure mounts for answers.
"As to the presidential project, whether or not it should be called a 'presidential project,' I'll provide more updates in our next briefing," Fofana told reporters. "We've received some information, but I'll be able to give you the full details later."
She, however, pushed back against suggestions that President Boakai was personally involved in any private construction.
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"There's no private construction being done for his personal use or retirement," she said. "The president has not built anything for himself, nor has he indicated any such intention to us. The only personal homes he owns are his existing house at Rehab and another in Bomi County."
Fofana added that, to her understanding, the development was "a government initiative," not a private one, but she declined to specify which agency or ministry was responsible.
Conflicting Explanations
The controversy began in early September when Jarwolo, head of NAYMOTE-Liberia, 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 financing source has ever been disclosed.
"A factory that would create jobs and economic benefits for the residents of Lofa County could be built for US$10 million," Jarwolo said. "What rationale exists for spending that amount on a villa when the people of Foya lack basic services?"
Initially, Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando claimed on the "Closing Argument Talkshow" that the project was funded by the Mano River Union (MRU) and had no personal link to the president.
But by last Thursday, Sando walked back his statement, saying he could not confirm MRU's involvement -- leaving the project's origins even murkier.
Now, with the Presidential Press Secretary also admitting she lacks details, the administration's messaging appears disjointed, contradictory, and uncertain.
Echoes of Weah's Construction Controversy
For many Liberians, the Foya villa saga feels uncomfortably familiar.
When former President George Manneh Weah took office in 2018, he too faced public outrage over rapid and unexplained private construction projects that rose within months of his inauguration.
Weah's multi-million-dollar complex off the Robertsfield Highway, featuring 41 state-of-the-art housing units, became a lightning rod for questions about the funding of the construction. The sprawling site emerged alongside simultaneous renovations of his Jamaica Beach property, a 9th Street mansion, and his Rehab residence, even as Liberia's economy struggled.
At the time, citizens questioned how Weah could suddenly afford such projects when his 2014 asset declaration listed relatively modest holdings, including a US$150,000 property in Sinkor and a US$100,000 structure in Rehab. His only savings declared then were US$50,000 in a Chase Bank account in the United States.
Critics accused Weah of concealing the true sources of his funding, while others argued that the optics of a sitting president expanding his real estate empire amid economic hardship were politically tone-deaf.
The then Finance Minister, Samuel D. Tweah, a close ally and defender, dismissed the criticisms as "fake news," saying, "He was born to make history... The man made millions before politics."
That defense failed to quiet public skepticism, and now, six years later, Boakai's administration faces a similar trust deficit.
A Project Without a Paper Trail
Local reporters in Foya describe the construction site as massive, fenced, and guarded, with state officers restricting access even to local government officials.
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"It's elaborate, people are calling it a US$10 million site, but nobody knows who's behind it," one journalist in Lofa said anonymously. "Local officials aren't briefed, and the public is being kept in the dark."
Even the Lofa County Superintendent's Office, which regularly reports on county development projects, has remained silent.
The secrecy has fueled comparisons to the Weah-era opacity, where similar projects began without public explanation.
Civil Society and Lawmakers Demand Answers
Civil society groups say the government's lack of transparency violates the spirit of the ARREST Agenda (Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism), which President Boakai championed as a blueprint for ethical governance.
"The lack of transparency around this so-called presidential villa undermines the very principles of integrity that President Boakai himself has championed," Jarwolo said. "This isn't about politics; it's about governance. If public funds are being spent, the people have a right to know."
