Monrovia – Halim Saba, an aggrieved owner of a seven-bed-room apartment in Bong County, has expressed resentment over the Unity Party’s “refusal” to pay rent owed him.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
Mr. Saba complained that the apartment, which is in Gbarnga city, has been occupied by the former ruling party as its sub-office since 2005, but the party has been “reluctant’ to meet its obligation since 2017.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica recently in Monrovia, he said his property, which is opposite the CB Dunbar Hospital, is one of his main sources of income.
“I do not have a job and this is my means of livelihood. I want the arrears to be paid so I can be able to survive,” he said.
“Since they came to power before 2005, they’ve been using my building as party headquarters. When they left power, they have not been able to maintain the facility and have defaulted in payment, so I also want them turn my apartment over as well.”
He disclosed that the party currently owes him US$6,300 for 21 months, after failing to pay US$300 per month for the past months.
“I went to VP Boakai house and he referred me to the Party Chairman, Wilmot Paye but since then Wilmot Paye was paying deaf ears [and] later referred me to Prince Moye, who has refused to have an audience with me since then,” Saba explained.
As a result, Saba said he sort redress at the debt Court in Gbarnga, and the court has sent a communication inviting officials of the party for a conference.
“I decided to come to the media to draw the public attention to this matter, because Moye does not want to honor the court order due to his position,” Saba said.
“The Clerk also called me this morning and informed me that Prince Moye called them and said they are to pay some of the amount which was not specified, but I don’t want the money to be paid in portion. I want all to be paid and that Unity Party should turn my property over to me.”
Meanwhile, the Clerk of Gbarnga Debt Court Joseph N. Kollie on August 8, 2019, told an FPA reporter in the county that Mr. Moye has committed to underwriting the debt.
But Mr. Saba claims he has not received any payment so far as was promised by the Bong County lawmaker.
When contacted, UP Chairman Paye, who did not denied the allegation, said that he needed to contact the party’s Bong County leadership on how far negotiation for the payment has gone.
“It’s possible that we owe Mr. Saba and not only he but other counties and that is not disputable,” Paye said.
“Mr. Haliem contacted us sometimes last year and sometimes early this year and raised the issue with us, [and] we told him that due to the economy, it’s going to be challenging and he should give us some times.
“Mr. Saba should take into consideration the harsh economy condition, we are not refusing to pay him or turn his property over to him, if he wishes.
The good thing is that, if I owed you and you go to court, it’s based on my capacity to pay, but we are appealing to him to be patient and to accept that.”