By Wholquoi Yeahgar
ywholquoi@gmail.com
Monrovia-A group of Nimba County Citizens named and styled “Ganta Support Group Incorporated” has filed a lawsuit against the Liberian government to the ECOWAS Court.
The case was brought before the ECOWAS Court by the Ganta Support Group and Sekou A. Sanoe who claimed to be suing on behalf of 823 displaced and victimized families family heads of the Mandingo people.
The Group comprising members of the Mandingo community are demanding the return of their properties allegedly seized by some citizens of the county.
They are also requesting the payment of five hundred million United States dollars from the government as compensation for the alleged violation of their rights.
At a news conference Wednesday in Monrovia, the Chairman of the Group, Saidu Kromah complained of them being denied the right to own land and properties among others.
Kromah has accused government of paying late service to the alleged violations of their rights.
He wants the ECOWAS Court prevail on government for the return of their properties illegally occupied as citizens of Ganta City.
According to him, hundreds of Mandingoes from Ganta are currently living as internal or external refugees due to the occupation of their properties.
“There seems to be a long standing land dispute between the Mandingo Community and some citizens of Nimba.”
According to the suit, “The Mandingo people have been the owners of landed properties in Nimba County in Liberia from time immemorial.”
In 2006, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf set up an ad-hoc committee headed by former Internal Affairs Minister, Ambulai B. Johnson, to resolve the Nimba land disputes that had the potential to plunge Liberia into crisis. Another commission was constituted comprising only Nimbaians and presided over by Mr. Musa H. Hassan A. Billity.
The two commissions established that that to achieve peace and foster reconciliation, there was the need to compensate all the squatters to enable them to vacate the properties.
“With particular reference to Ganta and its environs, two hundred and fifty (250) cases out of the two hundred and eight (280) land dispute cases were resolved and the illegal occupants were fully compensated by the defendant,” the complaint stated.
