By Precious D. Freeman
The Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) has denied allegations from the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) that it participated in the sale and distribution of land at Omega, a designated market area.
The dispute centers on accusations that portions of the 400-acre site, set aside for public market use, were leased or sold without the LMA’s consent.
The LLA’s Public Relations Officer, Kweshie Tetteh, claimed the land was allocated in line with a mutual agreement between the LLA and LMA, aiming to develop the area by issuing leases to affluent individuals and organizations.
Tetteh, authorized by LLA Chairman Atty. Adam Manobah, said, “This is a development grant land managed by both the LLA and the LMA for development purposes.”
However, he did not directly confirm that high-profile figures, including former President George Weah, Senator Nathaniel McGill, and former Public Works Minister Ruth Cooker, owned properties there, although he suggested that the decision to allocate the land aligned with the goal of advancing community development.
A development grant deed signed only by LLA Chairman Manobah reportedly turned a portion of the land over to a business entity, United Liberia for Business Expansion.
This absence of an LMA signature has raised questions, with LMA Secretary General Patrick K. Sarti refuting any involvement by the LMA in the sales. “We did not give the marketers’ land to anyone. And nobody has any authority to sell it without our knowledge,” Sarti said, demanding that the LLA provide signature evidence if it claims LMA participation.
The 400-acre Omega site was designated as a market ground in 2013, after the dismantling of a U.S. Coast Guard radio tower used for navigation.
Then-U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield transferred the land to former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who pledged that it would serve as the new location for Red Light Market, stating it was public land for market use.
Madam Sirleaf also warned against private development on the land, emphasizing its government-designated purpose.
Following the relocation of five major markets to Omega, Sarti claims the LMA has faced boundary uncertainties between areas controlled by the Transport Union and the National Housing Authority.
“The LLA is at the forefront of the sale and distribution of the land. We have been left out of the process,” he added.
The LLA insists it retains the right to lease portions of Omega for development, asserting that the initiative aligns with broader goals to benefit the community.
However, the LMA maintains its stance, underscoring its lack of involvement and reiterating that it did not authorize or endorse any land transactions in Omega.
