MONROVIA-Representative Roger Domah, a Lawmaker of Nimba County has called for clam among citizens of Nimba County as he assures petitioners of the Nimba Legislative Caucus’ prompt intervention to arrest the situation.
The Nimba County District Seven lawmaker was responding to a petition presented to members of the Nimba County Legislative Caucus over a claim of that the Mayor of Saclepea City, Jeremiah Yangean, entered into several squatter right agreements for an indefinite period with some selected private individuals.
The Lawmaker promised that they will work with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to amicably resolve the situation.
Presenting their petition statement earlier, the aggrieved citizens of Saclepea under the banner ‘concerned citizens of Saclepea Mah Statutory District called on a complete halt to the ongoing construction of stores and shops in the civil compound in Saclepea City, Nimba County.
The aggrieved citizens alleged that at the beginning of the year 2022, the Mayor of Saclepea City, Jeremiah Yangean, entered into several squatter right agreements for an indefinite period with some selected private individuals.
According to them, those individuals are currently constructing stores and shops in the civil compound without legal capacity or authorization.
Presenting their petition to Nimba County Electoral District #7 Representative Roger Domah on Tuesday March 22, 2022, the aggrieved Saclepea citizens revealed that as it stands, construction works are going on in the civil compound despite the objection of concerned citizens of Saclepea Mah Statutory District.
They recounted that “the civil compound in Saclepea City, Nimba County, was donated to the
Government of Liberia by our forefathers for local government administration purpose in Saclepea Mah-Statutory District long before Nimba gained county status in 1964. The civil compound has therefore over the years hosted Paramount Chiefs, District Commissioners, City Mayors and now Statutory District Superintendents.”
“The compound also hosts the district police headquarters, presidential guesthouse, Radio
Saclepea, Land Commissioner, district palava hut, City Hall, and other local government offices. At the beginning of the year 2022, the Mayor of Saclepea City, Jeremiah B. Yangean, entered into several squatter right agreements for an indefinite period with some selected private individuals including Mr. Tom G. Myers and Rose Myers to construct stores and shops in the civil compound without legal capacity or authorization. As it stands construction works are going on in the civil compound despite the objection of concerned citizens of Saclepea Mah Statutory District,” the petitioners said in their petition.
The aggrieved citizens further said, “Whereas, upon receiving information about the construction of commercial units (stores/shops) at the Saclepea civil compound, we, the concerned citizens of Saclepea Mah Statutory District invited the Mayor at the Corina Hotel, in Monrovia on February 15, 2022 for a consultative meeting, at which time we expressed our out-right disappointment and rejection of the encroachment by private constructions being executed at the civil compound under his watch.
WHEREAS, in continuation of the Monrovia meeting, we converged in Saclepea on
February 27, 2022 for a mass citizens’ meeting, which was presided over by the Scalepea Statutory District Superintendent, Arthur Gonkartee Sahn.”
“Whereas, a seven-member technical committee was constituted from the concerned
Citizens to work along with the city authorities to review the squatter right agreements and other relevant documents pertaining to the construction, and to consult with other stakeholders regarding the encroachment on the civil compound,” they added.
They alleged that Mayor Yangean has refused to honor the fifteen-day moratorium and has also refused to work along with the technical committee constituted at the February 27, 2022 meeting.
According to them, the commercialization of the Civil Compound has the potential to desecrate the compound and defeat the purpose for which their ancestors donated the land to the government for local government administration.
They want the squatter right agreements entered into by the City Mayor and the squatters be nullified with immediate effect.
The aggrieved citizens believe this will serve as a deterrent against future occurrences in order to protect public properties from abuse.
“We the concerned citizens of Saclepea Mah Statutory District here assembled do hereby seek your timely intervention to stop the ongoing construction of stores and shops in the civil compound in Saclepea City to avoid an adverse public reaction. That the so-called squatter right agreements entered into by the City Mayor and the squatters are illegal and therefore, should be nullified with immediate effect. To take appropriate action(s) to serve as a deterrent against future occurrences in order to protect public properties from abuse.
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