Monrovia, Liberia—The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has received a formal petition from the Alternative National Congress (ANC) to begin an immediate investigation into the multimillion-dollar construction project in Foya, Lofa County. The project is a complex of what sources describe as opulent villas that the government first refused to fund before President Joseph Boakai changed his mind and acknowledged that public funds were involved.
Secretary General Desmond U. Nimely signed and Chairman Cllr. authorized a letter dated May 25, 2026. Lafayette E. O. Gould, of the ANC, described the project as a possible model for how not to spend public funds because it was carried out in secret, officials denied it, and it seemed to be funded by state-owned enterprises without competitive bidding or legislative command.
The initiative, formally known as the Mano River Union Center for Regional Peace and Development, was first made public by the civil society organization NAYMOTE-Liberia rather than a government statement. Early in September 2024, aerial photographs released by NAYMOTE Executive Director Eddie Jarwolo suggested that MUSNS Groups Incorporated, a company headed by the president’s known associate Joe Gene Mulbah, was surreptitiously constructing a luxurious multi-unit villa complex in Foya, purportedly worth over US$10 million. Although no budget line, procurement approval, or funding source has ever been made public, construction is said to have started on September 10, 2024, under the direction of engineer Edward Yamba.
The initial reaction from the government provided increased mistrust. On some accounts, Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando claimed that the Mano River Union (MRU) provided funding for the project and added that the president had no personal connection to the project. The project’s beginnings became even more unclear when Sando retracted that claim less than a week later, claiming he was unable to verify MRU’s involvement.
In a live appearance on official broadcaster ELBC, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai finally spoke out, denying that the development was meant for his personal gain and reiterating that it is a legitimate MRU peacekeeping program. The goal of the Foya Initiative is to promote peace in the subregion. According to President Boakai, the international project aims to set up Foya as a location for international meetings and crisis resolution.
Additionally, the president stated that he was unaware of the initiative’s launch. It’s not a project by Joseph Boakai. Actually, I had no idea it had begun. He answered, “You can go there; there’s nothing in my name. “ The amount that each MRU member state is providing, the source of the cash, whether financing entails loans, and the relevant interest and payback terms were all instantly questioned. Boakai’s admission that the project went forward without his knowledge increased scrutiny and raised concerns about who gave the go-ahead for such a significant project on behalf of the government.
The ANC’s petition calls on the anti-corruption body to conduct a thorough investigation into the project’s funding, procurement, and contracting; ascertain whether any laws were violated; identify all officials, contractors, and intermediaries involved; look into all financial transfers and SOE disbursements related to the project; suggest criminal, civil, or administrative action when necessary; and publish its findings in full.
The ANC emphasized that legitimate national growth and regional collaboration are not the goals of its appeal. According to the party, development must always take place within the parameters of constitutional governance, fiscal openness, procurement integrity, and the rule of law.
