VZCZCXRO7361
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0046 0150807
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150807Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0691
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000046 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PLEASE PASS OPIC FOR BRUCE CAMERON 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: EINV EFIN ECON OPIC LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA:  NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY ON OPIC PROJECT 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The new head of National Housing Authority has 
assured Post that the title granting 100 acres of land to the 
National Housing Authority for an OPIC-funded housing project is 
clear, and that title to the remaining 200 acres should be confirmed 
shortly.  Post has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 
Ministry of Land, Mines and Energy to reconfirm that information and 
will convey their results separately.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During a December 16 meeting with Econ Chief, the new 
Managing Director of the National Housing Authority (NHA), Stephen 
Neufville, confirmed the OPIC-supported housing project by Broadcove 
is a high priority and the title to the land is clear.  (Comment: 
Neufville took office after an audit of the NHA revealed systemic 
management problems.  He is committed to putting NHA on a sounder 
footing.  End comment.)  Neufville said President Sirleaf had 
refrained from signing new deeds until the proposed Land Commission 
has had an opportunity to determine a consistent policy.  However, 
given the high priority she attaches to this housing project, she 
made an exception in this case and convened the Minister of Lands, 
Mines and Energy (MLME), the Minister of Justice, and the Minister 
of Public Works to ask how a plot could be selected so the NHA could 
proceed with the OPIC project. 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to Neufville, the GOL's intention to use the land 
was put out for 30 days public notice, and drew no contesting 
claims.  MLME also confirmed to GOL counterparts that there have 
been no surveys of the land by private owners, which would be a 
prerequisite for registering ownership.  On those grounds, the GOL 
is confident it has uncontested title to the land, and the President 
signed the deed for the first 100 acres.  Neufville said the public 
comment period on the additional 200 acres started November 21, but 
so far there have been no credible claims and the President should 
be signing that deed shortly.  (Note: Post is working to determine 
the status of the second deed.  End note.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) President Sirleaf raised the Broadcove project in a 
December 15 meeting with the Ambassador, and reiterated her 
commitment to moving ahead.  Given the history of land disputes in 
Liberia, Post has also asked the Deputy Minister/Legal Counsellor at 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Krubo Kollie, and with the Minister 
of Lands, Mines and Energy, Eugene Shannon, to confirm that 
ownership of the land is undisputed.  Kollie's office has 
jurisdiction of the land registry, is charged with legal oversight 
of the validity of deeds; she is having her staff research the deed. 
 Shannon, in a meeting with the Ambassador, January 7, was familiar 
with the project and said he was not aware of any disputes over the 
land.  We will follow up with working levels at MLME on the status 
of the deed for the second allocation of land. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  There is tremendous demand in Liberia for 
already-constructed housing of the type envisioned for this project, 
and for mortgage financing mechanisms that would make home ownership 
feasible for low-income but employed Liberians.  During our meeting 
with Neufville at the NHA, we also informed him that OPIC is 
interested in a range of projects in Liberia, not just the one 
proposed by Broadcove.  Neufville noted there might be possibilities 
with mortgage or other arrangements with a U.S. affiliated bank or 
other investors, and said Cellcom (a partially U.S. firm) and the 
United Bank for Africa are working to develop a mortgage facility 
aimed at members of the Diaspora.  End comment. 
 
THOMAS-GREENFIELD