The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) has disclosed that the government has filed a lawsuit against Green Park Management (GPM) to re-possess all the public parks constructed during the past administration.
Speaking at MICAT Regular press briefing on October 29, 2024, Information Minister Jerolinmek M. Piah, stated that the Government of Liberia action is necessitated by a General Auditing Commission Report (GAC) which uncovered that the Ministry of State (MoS), Special Presidential Project constructed the parks during the past administration.
The parks to be reclaimed by the government, according to Minister Piah, include the Invincible Sports Park in Sinkor, the Doe Community Sports Park (Survivors Sports Park) on the Bushrod Island, the New Kru Town Park, the West Point Sports Park and the Liberia National Unification Sports Park, in the PHP community.
Minister Piah said the parks were constructed using public money to be turnover to the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) but unfortunately the past administration entered a 20-year management contract with a local company called ” Green Park Management” which is owned by an individual identified as Wilfred Paul with a 60% share and Fatu Kromah with 40% share respectively.
He noted that the Green Park Management was established on August 23, 2023, with the mandate to manage all public parks constructed using government funds, adding that, both the past administration and the management of Green Park had entered in an agreement on September 1, 2023 – nine-days after the company was founded.
The Minister said Green Park Management has shown no record of competence or experience in park management or any business in Liberia, and according to him, it appears that the company was established for the sole purpose of managing the parks and to also siphoned money from the Liberian people by placing it into private pockets.
Minister Piah further noted that the GAC reports has revealed that the entire arrangement surrounding these state-owned parks is “faulty” and has advised the Government of Liberia to reclaim the parks.
He said under the current arrangement, most of the money to be generated at these parks will be retained at Green Park Management, adding that the Liberian people resources were used to construct the parks.
Meanwhile, Minister Piah indicated that the Ministry of Justice is representing the Government of Liberia in the case to recover the parks and return the management to the Ministry of State who will make the appropriate arrangements to secure the public investment benefit the Liberian People. LINA