By Augustine Octavius
Documents available show that the former ruling Unity Party (UP) administration unilaterally provided a private property belonging to the Montgomery family to “More Than Me,” a nongovernmental organization.
Documents in the possession of this news organ show that a memorandum of understanding was entered into .by the organization and the government since 2012 without the legitimate owners’ consent.
During the signing of the MOU, Grace Kpan, former Montserrado county superintendent signed on behalf of the government, while Kartie Meyler, chief executive officer of the More Than Me Foundation represented her organization.
The building, which is owned by the Montgomery family and located on Ashmun Street in Monrovia, was abandoned during the country’s civil war. But when normality returned, it was occupied by criminals and drug dealers.
During the cleaning of the city by the Monrovia City Corporation, the criminals and other occupants were driven and the building given to the MTM.
Now, the Montgomery family is in the country demanding the building; but the MTM is saying that it has never claimed ownership of the land because the property was “ granted the right of occupancy of the house by the government.
The MTM, in a statement, said anyone who claims that the organization does not have the occupancy rights to the property, should submit to a legal process .
The legal system in Liberia is widely believed that is characterized by prolonged delays, cash intensive and docket over crowded with aged old cases.
The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) in its investigation observed that the government has no deed, lease agreement or any document to substantiate her ownership of the property.
The LLA also observed that the government or the General Service Agency could not tell how government acquired the property in question and which institution of government constructed the building.
The land authority said the deed submitted by the Madam Montgomery- is said to be genuine and authentic by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Based on this, the LLA called on the Ministry of Justice and the Montgomery family to a round table conference to amicably resolve the dispute.
But despite these observations and recommendations, the Unity Party-led government has been reluctant for reasons that have not been made public until its tenure expired.
The Montgomery family is therefore calling on the CDC–led government to intervene, in order to resolve the matter that has dragged on for more than eight years now.