Monrovia – Squatters accused by Liberia’s Ministry of National Defense of illegally occupying the 72nd Barracks have been given a five-day ultimatum to leave or be forcibly removed by the ministry.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
Minister Brownie Samukai promised to use force if anyone fails to live up to the mandate, declaring that the ministry is resolved in its ultimatum to the squatters.
However, members of the House of Representatives have made intervention, citing the minister to a public hearing through a communication from Representative Thomas Fallah (CDC-District #5 Montserrado County).
The barracks currently hosts approximately one hundred ninety (190) units with huge family size estimation of about one thousand eighty-three occupants including children, women and elderly people according to survey conducted.
As a result of the communication, the plenary of the House of Representatives took a decision Tuesday to have authorities of the Defense Ministry appear before its Plenary on Thursday in the wake of plan to enforce the eviction of non-military personnel occupying Camp 72nd Military Barracks.
The Lower House says it is intervening to avoid possible tensions between the occupants and the ministry in the process of using force to evict the occupants instead of using the courts.
The District #5 Representative argued that the removal of the residents will also affect the academic activities of students who are attending schools in the community as well the October 2017 voting exercise.
“With keen interest Mr. Speaker and distinguished Colleagues, and in keeping with my legislative mandate on oversight, I write to kindly make an appeal through this August body to the Ministry of National Defense so as to relax the decision of eviction considering the timing at this crucial time when Liberia is preparing for peaceful transition through elections,” Rep. Fallah Communication stated.
Representative Fallah added that the decision of the ministry to evict ex-disarmed soldiers from the 72nd Barracks prompted an urgent meeting with the minister at which time appeals were made to the minister to give residents at least until January 2018 to relocate.