MONROVIA – The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is calling on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s government to publicly disclose full details about an alleged $10 million presidential villa reportedly under construction in Foya, Lofa County, amid rising concerns over transparency and accountability.
At a press conference held on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at CENTAL’s headquarters in Sinkor, Monrovia, Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen said the government’s silence and lack of clarity regarding the reported project were deeply troubling. The issue came to public attention earlier this week when civil society leader Eddie Jarwolo, head of Naymote, alleged on social media that a multimillion-dollar presidential villa was being built in the president’s hometown.
The revelation has since triggered a wave of questions from journalists, civil society actors, and citizens about the nature, purpose, and funding source of the project. In response, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism, Daniel Sando, was quoted by The Daily Observer as saying that “there is no such presidential project,” and instead suggested the development could be linked to the Mano River Union, citing Foya’s strategic location at the border with Guinea and Sierra Leone.
However, CENTAL noted that independent inquiries made to the Mano River Union Secretariat yielded no confirmation of this claim. The Secretariat reportedly declined to speak on the matter and referred interested parties back to Deputy Minister Sando for documentation, none of which has since been provided.
A review of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets, CENTAL revealed, shows no allocation for a presidential villa in Foya or any similar project under the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs or any other government agency. The absence of a documented budget line, coupled with continued silence from government officials, has fueled suspicion and concern.
“What is the actual source of funding for the project? What are the specifications and what economic benefits will it yield to the country?” Miamen questioned. “How come such a massive project is being undertaken in the hometown of the president, and only after his ascendency to state power? How was the contractor selected?”
CENTAL emphasized that in the 2025 national budget, the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs listed public communication and access to information as key accomplishments for the previous fiscal year. The organization said it was troubling that these principles were not being upheld in the case of such a significant and controversial project.
“The Liberian people deserve to know if their resources are being used for the project,” Miamen said. “If the project is not financed through the national budget, then what is the source of funding? Is it being supported through corruption or money laundering? If not the President or the government, who could possibly be financing such a huge investment?”
In light of these unanswered questions, CENTAL is calling on the government to break its silence and provide the public with full details about the alleged villa project. The organization is also urging the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Asset Recovery Task Force to launch an immediate investigation into the matter.
According to Miamen, continued silence by the government “does not send a good message to the public about full compliance with public procurement and other laws and guidelines.”
As the controversy unfolds, President Boakai’s administration faces increasing pressure to demonstrate transparency, especially as it has made public integrity and good governance central to its policy platform. For now, the public and watchdog groups like CENTAL await answers.
