THE ANTI-GRAFT COMMISSION, Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), has disclosed that it has initiated a preliminary assessment of the allegations surrounding the multimillion-dollar Mano River Union (MRU) Center for Regional Peace and Development Project in Foya, Lofa County, to determine whether the matter warrants a full-scale investigation.
THE COMMISSION ASSURED the Alternative National Congress (ANC), which had requested a comprehensive investigation into the construction and financing of the project, that all complaints submitted to the institution are treated independently and in accordance with due process and established legal procedures. The ANC’s petition, filed on May 25, raised concerns regarding the legality, transparency, funding mechanism, and procurement process associated with the MRU Center project.
ACCORDING TO THE opposition party, construction of the facility reportedly commenced around September 10, 2024, under what sources allegedly described as a “National Secret” directive. The ANC contends that the project may have by-passed statutory procurement requirements and legislative oversight mechanisms.
OFFICIALS OF THE Boakai government, however, have maintained that the MRU Center is a government-owned initiative financed through contributions from several State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), including the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), the National Port Authority (NPA), the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).
THE ANC HOWEVER argues that these financial contributions were made outside the framework of the national budget and without legislative appropriation, actions it says could constitute violations of both the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act and the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) Act.
THE OPPOSITION PARTY further cited what it described as contradictory statements from government officials regarding the project’s total cost, authorization, and intended purpose, asserting that such inconsistencies raise concerns about possible misuse of public resources.
THE MRU CENTER for Regional Peace and Development is regarded as one of the government’s flagship infrastructure projects and is intended to serve as a venue for regional peacebuilding, diplomatic engagements, security discussions, and development initiatives involving member states of the Mano River Union.
