By Solomon T. Gaye
-Nimba
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) through the county’s administration, handed down a guilty verdict against the Gompa Marketing Association (GMA) in a land dispute against the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) in Nimba County, but the former has taken an exception.
Speaking to the Inquirer Newspaper, the County Administrator, Daniel Zekpeh, disclosed that an investigation has been concluded as a result of a complaint filed by the GMA against the LMA over the ownership of the general market building.
According to the county’s administrator, having exhausted the hearings from all sides, the investigation panel found the Gompa Marketing Association guilty.
According to Administrator Zekpeh, the GMA, backed by traditional elders, is claiming ownership of the market building from the LMA on the ground that the area in question was donated to the government by the elders of the Deakehmehn Community to build a modern market to be placed under the supervision of the GMA.
Zekpeh further revealed that the investigative report uncovered that the GMA backed by traditional chief elders, willingly, willfully, agreed and donated five acres of land to the government for the construction of a modern market house in Gompa during the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
“The allegations made by the GMA against the LMA that the latter is selling land on the market ground is not truth. Investigations revealed that the LMA only leased a portion of the land to businesses, and documents to that effect are in the possession of the county administration,” Administrator Zekpeh ruled.
“There have been previous discussions about this same marketplace place, and it was proven that the market was built by the Government of Liberia and turned over to LMA for operations,” Zekpeh pointed out.
“Note after cross examination by the investigation, which was comprised of 14 members, 4 eminent citizens as observers, we found GMA backed by chiefs and elders guilty. The verdict was done in consultation with Superintendent Kou Gono. Gompa Market is hereby turned over to LMA with immediate effect,” Zekpeh, declared.
The conflict between the GMA and the LMA over ownership of the Gompa Market started at the beginning of 2024 up to date.
Reacting to the ruling, Nathan Suah, speaking on behalf of GMA, described the ruling as not in line with the law and therefore GMA will not abide by such ruling, adding, “We the members of GMA, backed by the traditional chiefs and elders will seek legal action through the court,” Nathan Suah stated.
In separate remarks and on behalf of the LMA, Winifred Gedeh thanked the County Administrations for their timely intervention in the case.
Observers believe that although the case has been declared over at the level of the County Administration in favor of LMA, but the exception taken to said ruling by GMA suggests that the legal battle is far from closure over the Gompa Market.
