Landowner accuses Liberia’s former ruling party of trespassing and underpayment as legal tensions threaten the much-publicized groundbreaking.
Monrovia, Liberia — A major controversy has erupted over the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)’s planned headquarters project in Congo Town, after a man identified as the landowner, Safee Edwardson, accused the party of attempting to hold a groundbreaking ceremony on his property without finalizing payment.
Edwardson claims the CDC offered him US$5,000 as a temporary settlement to proceed with the ceremony, promising to negotiate the remaining balance later, despite the land’s estimated value exceeding US$300,000. According to reports, the landowner has since filed a writ of criminal trespass and related offenses before the Monrovia City Court, effectively placing the party’s long-awaited headquarters development under both legal and public scrutiny.
In response, Eugene Nagbe, Chief of Staff to former President George Weah, dismissed concerns over the dispute, insisting that all preparations for the construction are complete. Nagbe confirmed that the new party headquarters will be built in Congo Town along Tubman Boulevard, adding that similar CDC offices will be established across Liberia’s fifteen counties.
“That thing you see on my page, exactly that’s what we are going to have,” Nagbe stated confidently.
However, the unfolding legal case raises questions about the project’s feasibility and timing. Should the court rule in favor of the landowner, the CDC could face significant delays or even be barred from proceeding with construction until a settlement is reached.
The situation has drawn national attention, with many Liberians watching closely to see whether the once-dominant political party can resolve the dispute and move forward with its ambitious infrastructure plan.
