Gompa City Mayor Under Attack 

A citizens of Nimba County, Jurah Sanoe, has alarmed over what he called the refusal of the City Mayor of Gompa City, Nimba County to carry out the mandate of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ambulai Johnson to nullify all squatter right given people in that city.

On February 18, 2008, Minister Johnson wrote Mayor Nohn Tensonnoh authorizing her to cancel all squatter rights issued to people in that city.

Minister Johnson letter reads: “I have the honor to present my compliments and to reiterate that the squatter's rights given to individuals in Ganta has become problematic to the amicable resolution of land disputes in the city”.

The letter continued, “Cognizant of the negativity of this inhibition and the growing wave of land conflicts it has brought to Ganta, the Ad-Hoc Presidential Commission on the Nimba County Inter-ethnic land disputes has resolved to terminate squatter's privilege, in Ganta City and directs that you immediately implement the following: That you revoke any and all squatter's rights granted to individuals with immediate effect; that such persons be immediately advised thru your office that squatter's rights privilege is no longer valid and they are to vacate those premises and that their failure to vacate those premises will subject them to forced removal by Government”.

The Gompa City Mayor replied on March 2, 2008 and agreed to carry out the directive of the Minister.

But in an interview with this paper, Jurah Sanoe said Nohn Tensonnoh was dragging her feet in carrying out the mandate of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

He indicated that the City Mayor was very discriminatory in carrying out the directive and called on the Minister of Internal Affairs to re-enforce his mandate to the Gompa City Mayor.

While commending the Minister of Internal Affairs, Jurah Sanoe said it would be good if the mandate of the minister is extended to other parts of Nimba County . He stated that the conflict in the area is not limited to Gompa and called on Minister Ambullai Johnson to include other parts of the county where there are land disputes. Mayor Nohn Tensonnoh could not be reached for comment. Investigation continues.