The Executive Mansion has acknowledged that a nearly completed multi-million-dollar complex in Foya, Lofa County, is a Joseph Boakai administration project.
Conflicting accounts about who authorized and financed the development have continued to fuel public concern.
Deputy Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Anthony Kesselly, speaking during a tour of the site with President Joseph Boakai, said the facility is “not a private stuff” and called it a government-owned venue intended for meetings and regional engagements.
“Basically, this is owned by the Government of the Republic of Liberia. Contributions will come from other regional partners. This is classic decentralization of facilities,” Kesselly told reporters.
The Presidency’s clarification follows months of contradictory statements and growing scrutiny after drone footage and media reports first drew attention to the development, described by some critics as a presidential “mansion” built in Boakai’s ancestral village.
The Ministry of Information earlier released a detailed description of the site, calling it a Government of Liberia initiative and estimating the investment at about $6.1 million.
The ministry said the 7-acre complex will include a 500-seat conference hall and nine secure accommodation units intended to host subregional and international dialogues on mediation, conflict resolution and economic integration. It suggested financing would come from a mix of national, regional and international contributions, private donors and businesses.
Yet a day after that statement, President Boakai told state broadcaster ELBC that he had not known about the project and insisted “it is not a Joseph Boakai project.” “It started without my knowledge. You can go there—there is nothing in my name,” the president said, adding that the development was being advanced as a Mano River Union (MRU) initiative. Boakai suggested project planners had withheld information because they expected he would oppose it.
Independent estimates place the value of the development closer to $10 million — substantially higher than the government’s figure, intensifying questions about procurement, public finance compliance and disclosure.
Civil society group NAYMOTE first publicized the site after the drone footage circulated, prompting calls for accountability.
Critics and opposition figures have raised allegations including procurement irregularities, potential breaches of public financial management laws and a lack of transparency about the source and commitment of funds.
The mixed messaging from government offices and the apparent secrecy around planning and funding has reinforced demands for a full accounting.
Observers have highlighted several unresolved issues: who authorized construction; whether national funds have already been committed; the role, if any, of the Mano River Union; and whether standard procurement and public finance procedures were followed.
NAYMOTE and other watchdogs have called for an immediate audit of the project, disclosure of funding agreements, and a clear timeline of approvals.
The Presidency has not yet released detailed financial records or procurement documents.
