IPNEWS: The plenary of the House of Representatives Thursday voted to summon Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia over complaints of Demolition of several Properties along the Duazon area by AFL Personnel on the order of the Minister of National Defense.
According to the House public affairs section, plenaryโs decision was triggered by three separate complaints from the citizens of Duazon by and through their direct Representative Roland O. Cooper and another from Sinoe County Electoral District 1 Representative Thomas Romeo Quioh.
In their communications to plenary the citizens of Duazon complain that on May 30, 2024 some armed AFL Personnel led by Col. Roland T. Murphy demolished lots of people properties on land where the Millennium Construction Company is situated.
For his part the Sinoe County lawmaker communication to plenary also stated that on May 30, 2024, whilst in section exactly at 1:38 pm, he received a call from his construction engineer on the site of his construction informing him that armed soldiers under the command of Major Col. Davidson T. Forleh, Chief of Star of the Armed Forces of Liberia, pulled out of the Edward Beyan Kesselly Military’s Barrack, allegedly on the order of Hon. Geraldine George, Minister of National Defense, and marched on his 4-bed room, State-of the- Art, residential building under construction.
He told plenary that the building sits on 1 acre of Land, situated at the back of the LTA Headquarters currently under construction as well, adjacent the commercial Complex (Millennium Group of Companies), opposite the Edward Beyan Kesselly Military Barracks on the RIA High Way, owned by a Ghanaian Businessman who is the CEO, known as Mohammed Abdullah who is allegedly a personal friend of the Chief of Star and Hon. Joe Dorah, former Land commissioner of Margibi County.
According to Rep. Quioh the land on which the construction at bar is taking place, as a government official and a law-abiding citizen, cognizant of the legal means to acquire property, he sought advice and inquired on the legitimacy of the property in question before investing his resources, void of the use of political influence, he acquired the property through all legal means before erecting his house.
โMy land was purchased on February 27, 2024, probated on March 18, 2024 and registered with the Liberia Land Authority on March 19, 2024, Vol.3-2024, Page 0300005039โ. His communication noted.
He said the Land was bought from one Mr. J. Robert Johnson, Administrator, while E. John Jaywheh and Youmonyou P. Shideryou are the Administratress. Hon. Roland Opee Cooper, Representative of Margibi County District 1, Emmett Rose, Konah Peter and Saybah Saryon witnessed the process.
โHon. Speaker and Distinguished Colleagues, the demolition of my house and a warehouse, stocked with building materials cost is put at $121,943.00 USD. When the warehouse was demolished, the solider that went with a yellow machine for the demolition exercise were seeing looting the materials and taking them away in pickups. My construction engineer who was videotaping the event, phone was seized by the armed soldiers. As we speak, they are still in possession of the phoneโ. Rep. Quiohโs communication.
Both Citizens and the lawmaker pray the plenary to cite the Minister of National Defense, Hon. Geraldine George, The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Col. Davidson T. Forleh to show cause why these officials should not be held liable for bringing wanton and unwarranted pain to they and their families.
Meanwhile, following the reading of the communications, a motion was proffered by Sinoe County Electoral District 3 Representative Hon. Alex Noah to have both Defense Minister and Chief of Staff appear in plenary next Tuesday 11 June.
