President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has firmly rejected claims that a development project currently underway in Foya, Lofa County, is intended for his personal benefit, describing such assertions as false and misleading.
Speaking on the ELBC radio program, the President made it clear that he has never used public resources for private purposes and has no intention of doing so. He dismissed suggestions that the project is meant to serve as a retirement facility for him.
“I don’t need a retirement home built for me with public funds,” President Boakai said. “God willing, I plan to retire in Foya. I already have a house there that Samaritan’s Purse used for years, and I intend to rebuild that house myself for my retirement.”
The President stressed that the ongoing construction has no connection to his personal residence and should not be viewed as a private undertaking. According to him, the project is designed to serve a broader regional purpose focused on peacebuilding and diplomacy.
“This project is not for me. I have never taken government money for personal use,” he emphasized. “What is being developed in Foya is meant for peacebuilding in the sub-region, an international facility where crises can be resolved and where regional and international meetings can be held.”
President Boakai further clarified that the initiative neither originated from him nor is registered in his name, noting that it began independently of his direct involvement.
“It is not a Joseph Boakai project. It even started without my knowledge. Anyone can go there and see that nothing bears my name,” he stated.
Addressing concerns about transparency, the President explained that the project’s low public profile was deliberate, as he did not want any development in Foya to be misinterpreted as serving his personal interests.
“They knew I would have resisted it initially because I didn’t want anything done in Foya that could be seen as being for me. But this is not a private project,” he said.
On funding, President Boakai clarified that the project will be financed through regional cooperation under the Mano River Union framework, with contributions from member states.
“This project will be funded collectively by Mano River Union countries,” he concluded.
