…the project is being carried out by MUSNS Groups Incorporated; a firm owned by Joe Mulbah, one of Pres. Boakai’s closed associates.”
A Presidential Villa under construction in Foya District, Lofa County, the birthplace of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, has raised eyebrows with many questionings it source of funding.
The estimated cost of the project exceeds US$10 million, leading to questions about priorities in a region struggling to rebuild basic public services, and economic opportunities.
The latest qualm came from NAYMOTE Executive Director, Eddie D. Jarwolo, who claimed the construction of the project began on September 10, 2024.
Jarwolo said the project is being carried out by MUSNS Groups Incorporated; a firm led by Joe Mulbah, an associate of Pres. Boakai.
Jarwolo said despite its completion, details regarding the financing remain unclear, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Jarwolo however, expressed dissatisfaction with the expenditure, especially considering that the same amount could fund a factory capable of generating jobs, and economic benefits for the people of Lofa County.
He argued that investing over US$10 million in a Presidential Villa when the district lacks fundamental public services, was a misallocation of resources.
”What justification can there be for spending this amount on a villa when Lofaians are deprived of basic needs?” Jarwolo rhetorically asked. He spoke of the urgent need for investment in local infrastructure and employment opportunities.
The role of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) in this project, is also uncertain, leading to further scrutiny of the process involved in awarding the contract. Currently, state security officers are stationed at the construction site, underscoring the significance of the project to the current administration.
As the debate continues, various local and international organizations, including the European Union, ECOWAS, UNDP, and the U.S. Embassy, are being called to examine the implications of the investment.
Jarwolo has meanwhile, called on the Boakai Administration to clarify the matter.
But Gov’t’s Reacts
In a reaction statement, Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando, has reacted sharply to criticisms regarding the construction of a Presidential Villa.
The villa is linked to Pres. Boakai, when Sando appeared on Punch FM on Monday, September 29, 2025, he dismissed the criticism as “politically motivated and misguided.”
“We expect that when Mr. Jarwolo speaks, his utterance should represent him,” Sando said, adding: The criticism attempts to draw a false equivalence, suggesting that because former Pres. Weah built a condominium, Pres. Boakai is now building a villa. “That is evil of Mr. Jarwolo.”
Sando said the construction is part of a broader Mano River Union project, which would have proceeded regardless of the sitting president.
This clash between government defense and civil society critique highlights a broader debate over governance, accountability, and the use of public resources.
While officials defended the villa as part of a regional initiative, citizens are left questioning the prioritization of funds in a nation still struggling with gaps in healthcare, education and infrastructure.
Sando’s framing of the villa as a Mano River Union initiative does little to address public concerns about financial transparency, oversight, or tangible benefits to local residents. Without clear disclosure of funding sources and governance mechanisms, skepticism is likely to persist. The involvement of state security, while presented as protection, only intensifies perceptions of secrecy and restricts accessibility to information.