MONROVIA – The Alternative National Congress (ANC) has formally requested an independent and comprehensive corruption investigation into the construction of the Mano River Union (MRU) Center for Regional Peace and Development in Foya, Lofa County, citing serious concerns over secretive approvals, missing legislative appropriations, and possible bypass of Liberia’s public procurement laws.
In a letter dated May 25, 2026, addressed to the Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the ANC described the multimillion-dollar undertaking as one “striking at the very heart of Liberia’s public financial management architecture, procurement integrity system, and democratic governance framework.”
Publicly available information suggests that construction on the project began around September 10, 2024, under what multiple sources have called a “National Secret” initiative. Subsequent government statements confirmed that the project is fully owned by the Government of Liberia and is being financed primarily through contributions from State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), including NASSCORP, the National Port Authority (NPA), the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).
The ANC argues that no clear legal framework authorized the redirection of SOE resources toward the project, and that no transparent disclosure or independent auditing has taken place.
In its four-page petition, the ANC highlighted five major areas of concern:
- Public funds may have been expended outside the national budget without legislative appropriation, violating the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act and Article 34 of the Constitution of Liberia.
- Mandatory competitive bidding procedures under the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) Act may have been bypassed.
- SOE resources appear to have been redirected without legislative oversight.
- Contradictory official statements regarding the project’s ownership, funding, purpose, and total cost have undermined public trust.
- The reported secrecy may amount to deliberate circumvention of transparency safeguards.
The ANC urged the LACC to:
· Launch a full-scale investigation into the project’s financing, procurement, contracting, and implementation.
· Determine whether the PFM Act, PPCC Act, Penal Law, or anti-corruption statutes were violated.
· Identify all public officials, contractors, entities, and intermediaries involved.
· Examine all financial transfers, procurement records, and SOE disbursement mechanisms.
· Recommend criminal, civil, administrative, or restitutionary actions where violations are found.
· Publish findings in the interest of public accountability.
“No public official, institution, or political interest should be permitted to operate above the law or beyond public scrutiny,” the ANC stated.
While reaffirming that it does not oppose legitimate development or regional cooperation, the ANC emphasized that “development must always proceed within the framework of constitutional governance, fiscal transparency, procurement integrity, and the rule of law.”
Copies of the request were also sent to the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the General Auditing Commission (GAC), the PPCC, the Ministry of Justice, the diplomatic community, civil society organizations, and media institutions. The LACC has not yet issued a public response to the request.
