-Gongloe Speaks of Foya Villa Project
Human rights lawyer and politician, Cllr.Taiwan Gongloe, has said although President Joseph Boakai had said he knew nothing about the construction of the much talk-about Foya Villa, there is no one is in prison for the questionable circumstances under which what is now known as the Mano River project, was constructed.
Cllr. Gongloe, standard bearer of the Liberia People’s Party, LPP, told a radio talk show during the weekend that the Unity Party government does not seem to be serious in its fight against corruption or comply with the procurement laws because it has failed to hold anyone accountable as far as the resources used to implement the project are concerned.
"The President said he didn't know about the Mano River Project, the project was not in the budget, the Deputy Minister said it was a Mano River Project, the Mano River Secretary said it was not”, Gongloe argued.
He quoted the President’s press secretary, and other senior officials including, the Minister of State and the Minister of Information as also saying that they knew nothing about the Foya Villa project.
The President said on public radio, he didn't know about the project, no one has been held accountable, no one has been jailed, yet we are fighting corruption?,” Gongloe also said.
The one time defeated presidential candidate noted that potential investors only invest in countries where the rule of law is upheld.
The construction of the controversial Foya Villa project was first exposed by the Executive Director of the NAYMOTE Partners for Democracy, Eddie Jarwolo, who reports say, put the cost of the project US$10 million dollars.
Presidential Press Secretary, Kula Fofana, quoted by a statement had said the government could not provide specific details about the project’s financing, scope, or authorization. Fofana, according to statement, stated that more information would have been provided in in news future briefings.
“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 reportedly said at the time.
