Kakata, Margibi County – The Ministry of Internal Affairs says a recent FrontPageAfrica publication alleging that the Project Director at the Ministry, Massa Fofana Johnson, was linked to a looting spree at the site of the Millennium Development Villages Project in Kakata, is a bold face lie.
“The Ministry in this public manner describes the allegations as Bold –Face lies intended to ridicule the good work of the Ministry and its hard working director of Special Project,” said the Ministry in a press statement.
The Millennium Villages Project focuses on promoting human security by empowering villagers to implement a comprehensive set of rural development strategies that contribute to Liberia’s Agenda for Transformation (AFT).
The Project focuses on enhancing standard of living at the community level through improved infrastructure; consolidating and sustaining peace through enhancing social cohesion and empowering communities to participate in decision-making process at both district and sub district levels; and providing support to the health and education sectors.
In the FPA’s publication, the residents of the town accused Madam Johnson of taking away equipment that were to be turned over to the local population.
The inhabitants also told FrontPageAfrica that the Ministry promised that would have turned over the equipment and other valuable items that were used during the construction of the Kokoyah Millennium Villages project, but Project Director Johnson allegedly failed to fulfil the promise.
Contrary to the residents’ claim, documents presented to this paper by Project Director Johnson indicate that five of the motorbikes purchased for the project were signed for by officials of the Kokoya Statutory District with recipients including, Mr. Henry Kollie, statutory Inspector, Botota City, Mr. Bruce G. Togar, Hon. Nixon L. Kpee, Superintendent Kokoya Statutory District, Mr. Theophilus N. Mulbah, Development Superintendent, Kokoya Statutory District, and Mr. David Gbokai Acting Development Superintendent.
The motorbikes were accordingly signed for in the presence of the commander of the Liberian National Police detachment assigned in Botota City with receipt in the possession of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and copies also shared with the FrontPageAfrica.
However, the police commander of Botola confirmed that one of the bikes is in his possession via a mobile phone conversation with FrontPageAfrica. He corroborated the Ministry’s claim that he was present when the other bikes were given to the locals as promised by the Ministry.
Residents also accused Madam Johnson of taken away solar lights from the town that were due to be installed.
But the Ministry, in response to the allegation, said eleven solar lights were purchased as a replacement for the generator which the locals said they could not maintain. The lights were accordingly installed as per the MOU reached between the Ministry and inhabitants of the town.
According to documents in the possession of FrontPageAfrica, eleven solar lights were installed and are functional, while the remaining four are installed in Rock Crusher Town as per the agreement. They were dedicated by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The Ministry also clarified that at no point in time any air condition unit was removed from any building in Kokoya by the director of project as being claimed by the residents of the Town.
The Ministry has, however, warned the people of Kokoyah to desist from spreading false information to the media about the project.
The Ministry threatened legal action against any citizen, whether from Kokoyah or any part of the country, spreading misinformation about the project.
“Finally, the Ministry warns Residents of Kokoya to desist from giving wrong information about the project as the ministry will not relent to seek legal recourse against any individual found in maligning the good image of the Ministry,” the statement noted.
