Whede Town, Lower Careysburg – John Kollie, a veteran Liberian journalist and vocal advocate against unjust demolitions, has raised serious allegations against the University of Liberia (UL) administration.
Speaking from the Louisianna extended FENDALL campus, Kollie accused the UL Administration of colluding with unscrupulous land dealers to excavate and sell off land, thereby destroying natural vegetation, landscape, and terrain.
Kollie, Founder and Director of the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives (LMDI), highlighted that the UL administration’s actions contradict their purported goal of expanding the FENDALL campus.
He pointed to ongoing activities where dirt from the demolished areas is allegedly being sold to road construction companies and individuals for backfilling wetlands across Monrovia and its environs.
“The UL Administration’s complicity with former land dealers in selling dirt from FENDALL at $10 per dump truck undermines their commitment to community development,” stated Kollie.
He challenged UL to refute these claims by halting the visible excavation and sale of land.
Expressing dismay over the deviation from promised campus expansion, Kollie emphasized the university’s previous pledge to establish agricultural projects on the FENDALL land.
The veteran Liberian Journalist however condemned the displacement of thousands of residents in 2016 without proper notice or compensation, in defiance of international human rights norms.
Kollie called upon President Joseph Nyumah Boakai and the current government to intervene, urging UL to cease land destruction immediately.
He referenced former President George Weah’s government’s partial reparations to victims, asserting that no entity besides UL should lay claim to FENDALL.
In 2016, influenced by then-Vice President for Administration Weade Kobah Wureh Bolay, the UL Administration, supported by the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government, razed over 3,000 homes and displaced tens of thousands, purportedly claiming ownership without legal documentation.
“It’s evident UL and the government lack legal ownership of the land, failing to produce a valid title deed,” Kollie added, questioning the legitimacy of their actions in Liberian courts.
In light of this, LMDI through its Executive Director expressed commitment to fostering dialogue and debate through platforms such as The Dialogue, Ducor Debates, and Tomorrow’s People, supported by USAID INTERNEWS-Liberia Media Activity.
