Investor expresses frustration on Gov’t

The General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Avino Hotel, and the YDK Elegance House Incorporated in Ganta , Nimba County, Mr. Prince Howard has expressed his frustration in national government for failing to provide explanation concerning the status of the case involving his damaged hotel and business center in the county.

“It is painful, sad and even frustrating to have a government that cannot respond or investigate issues regarding damages on another man’s properties,” he told reporters here over the weekend.
Mr. Howard’s hotel and business center were burnt down by angry mob in Nimba during a mob violence following the mysterious death of two motor cyclists some four months ago.

Officers of the Liberian National Police or LNP made dozens of arrest following that incident but since then not much has been heard of the case. Liberia has a very slow judicial system, which causes delay in the processing of cases through the court.

Howard claimed to have lost property worth millions of United States Dollars during the bloody incident. He said since the incident not one official both local and national government has gone to make an assessment or ask him about the damages that were done to his business, Howard says this gone weekend was his first time talking to members of the press, adding ” I decided not to even mention it to anyone, (but) all of the people that I thought would have help me in the process of finding fair justice for me are doing nothing to encourage me.”

He said even the county’s legislative caucus have done nothing that will bring relieve to his business after it was damaged by the angry mobs. He cautioned that it was time the Government took appropriate actions to bring these ugly situations under control “It should no longer be the usual pardoning of those who perpetrate these actions. While we do not condone the unlawful killing of peaceful citizens or residents for ritualistic purposes as being alleged; we believe that perpetrating violence is not the answer to the problem,: Howard said.

Howard is not the only businessman to have suffered damages in the hands of angry mob or residents. Arcellor Mittal-Liberia and Golden Veloreome are among concessions which facilities have been vandalized by angry residents or mobs over the last two years .

It can be recalled that on September 30, 2015, violence broke out in the Commercial City of Ganta, Nimba County following the discovery of the body of a man who was allegedly murdered in the city. A group of angry mob most of whom comprised of young people went on the rampage vandalizing and looting the Ganta Police Station as well as setting road blocks throughout the city.

The incident Escalated to a level that the youths started burning important structures such as the Avino Hotel and other properties belonging to Businessman Prince Howard who it is alleged had ordered the killing of the man for ritualistic purpose. The intensity of the violence led to the deployment of officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) elite Emergency Response Unit (ERU) backed by the Ghanaian Contingent of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

The violence spread throughout the city and as a result a man who was one of the two accused of being the killers was murdered by the angry mob. Subsequently, the County authorities led by the county Superintendent imposed a curfew for three days lasting from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning on September 30.

By Lewis S. Teh-Edited by Othello B. Garblah