A local social justice advocacy group, Justice Forum Liberia says it attention has been drawn to ongoing projects in the country by two lawmakers; Senator Saah H. Joseph and Representative Thomas Fallah both of Montserrado County and their sources of finance.
In a letter to U.S. Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Michael McCarthy Justice Forum Liberia Executive Maxson Kpakio said Since 2021, his group has been engaging the both individuals seeking clarity regarding their construction projects of which one is putting up a huge building as a university and a Polytechnic school.
The group letter also added that it is very much concerned about the source of their projects money especially given that each of them salary can not afford them to contruct property valued million in short period of time.
According to Justice Forum Liberia, on many occasions they’ve observed ‘acts of corruption’ in Liberia including the printing of billion of dollars that was never infuse into the Liberian market.
“Giving the fact that on so many occasions we have been seeing acts of corruption in Liberia including the printing of billion of dollars but the money isn’t seen on the Liberian market. Government officials being sanctioned because of corruption, coupled with actions being taken against government officials by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission”, the letter adds.
“We are concerned about the source of their projects money especially given that each of them has only been in power for such a short period of time lving on their salaries and to put up such huge buildings”, the communication to the U.S. Ambassador further explains.
Knowing the source of funding
Justice Forum added in its letter that there is a need for clarity on the sources of funding for the two Liberian lawmakers to clarly establish if their construction is privately or public monies have been used.
Montserrado County District #5 Representative Thomas Fallah in 2021 dedicated a 75 classroom junior college building named ‘T-five University’ while Senator Saah H. Joseph of the same county is currently contructing a multi-million dollar university building outside of Monrovia.
In addition, Representative Thomas Fallah also owned more than 100 classroom academy called T-five Academy which has been operational since 2014 and was once subsidized by the government of Liberia between 2015 to 2016.
Senator Saah Joseph recently told journalists that most of his funding comes from trucks rental following the U.S. Sanction on former state and presential affairs Minister Nathaniel McGill and others in Agust 2022.
