MONROVIA, Liberia — A Paynesville business owner has appealed to the Government of Liberia to revisit an eviction order affecting businesses near the 72nd Junction area by the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), saying she received no formal notice and risks losing a US$1.5 million investment.
In an emotional interview with reporters, Madam Frances Yonger Morsay, owner of Help Yourself Business Center, said her establishment sits on land adjacent to the AFL’s Camp Ramrod (commonly called the 72nd Barracks), where the Ministry of National Defense has ordered the “immediate evacuation of all illegal occupants.”
“I am not on the properties of the AFL. Even if we are asked to leave, we must be given notice,” Madam Morsay said, breaking down in tears. “As a Liberian businesswoman, I have invested over US$1.5 million. I was not notified of any eviction plans.”
She explained that she obtained the land from a family that, she said, holds deeds dating back to the 1970s before the civil conflict. According to her, the family—now residing in the United States—asked for two weeks to return with documentation, a request she claims the AFL is unwilling to accommodate. “Since I acquired the land ten years ago, at no time was I informed the place belonged to the Army,” she added.
Madam Morsay said business at the center has stalled for over a week, citing barricades erected near the property. She said affected proprietors contacted Montserrado County District #4 Representative Priscilla Abram Cooper but have not yet received redress. She said she intends to petition President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the Ministry of National Defense for a review. “If my property is confiscated, I will lose US$1.5 million,” she said. “I reached this far with no support.”
Defense Ministry reiterates evacuation of Camp Ramrod environs
The Ministry of National Defense recently restated its instruction for the evacuation of civilians unlawfully occupying Camp Ramrod and adjacent AFL property, citing long-standing postwar encroachments that have “constrained the AFL’s ability to rehabilitate the facility and undermined efforts to expand accommodation for newly recruited personnel.”
In a public notice, the Ministry said civilians “within and around the barracks unlawfully” are to vacate within fourteen (14) days beginning Monday, January 19, 2026. During the voluntary evacuation period, the AFL Engineering Battalion will begin erecting physical barricades to demarcate the property, the Ministry said.
Camp Ramrod has been occupied by civilians since the war years, with multiple government drives to reclaim the site reportedly faltering due to the scale of settlement and disputes over land records. The ministry’s latest statement underscores a renewed push to reestablish exclusive military control.
Call for due process and clarity
While the Defense Ministry has emphasized the AFL’s need to secure and rehabilitate its bases, affected residents and business owners are urging clear notice, verification of land titles where claimed, and orderly transitions to minimize economic loss. Legal observers note that under public land and security laws, state interests in barracks property generally supersede private claims, but authorities should still communicate timelines, provide lawful notice, and ensure enforcement is conducted safely and transparently.
As barricades go up and the 14‑day clock runs, Madam Morsay says she remains hopeful for a mediated solution. “We accept the government’s authority,” she said. “All we ask is fair notice and a chance to resolve the documents with the family.”
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