Published: July 3, 2026
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – The House of Representatives on Thursday referred the longstanding dispute over the Old General Market in West Point to its Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, even as lawmakers acknowledged an existing court judgment affirming the Liberia Marketing Association’s (LMA) ownership of the property.
The decision followed a communication from Montserrado County District #7 Representative Emmanuel Dahn, who requested that the Liberia Marketing Association and representatives of the Township of West Point appear before plenary to present evidence supporting their competing claims over the market.
After hearing hours of testimony from both sides, the House voted to mandate the Committee on Peace and Reconciliation to engage all stakeholders, review the matter, and report back to plenary with recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful resolution.
Margibi County District #2 Representative Ivar Jones, who introduced the motion, stressed that referring the matter to committee should not be interpreted as an attempt to overturn the court’s ruling.
“I have been listening to both parties and considering the documentation before this body. I move that the matter be dismissed and referred to the Committee on Peace and Reconciliation. That does not negate the fact that the ruling of the Circuit Court cannot be set aside,” Jones told his colleagues before the motion received overwhelming support.
During the hearing, Liberia Marketing Association President Lusu K. S. Crawford insisted that the ownership issue had already been conclusively settled by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court for Montserrado County.
Rejecting the Township of West Point’s claim, Crawford declared: “The market is not for West Pointers.”
She told lawmakers that the Government of Liberia renovated the Old General Market during the regime of former President George Weah and subsequently returned it to the Liberia Marketing Association, which she said has been the lawful owner of the property for decades.
The Association traced its ownership to a Public Land Sale Deed executed on April 6, 1953, by the Government of Liberia under former President William V.S. Tubman.
Documents read before the House indicates that the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, during its June Term, ruled in favor of the LMA in a summary proceeding to recover possession of real property from former West Point Township Commissioner William C. Weah and others.
According to the ruling, the court found that the Government of Liberia legally conveyed the disputed property to the LMA in 1953 and that the renovated Old General Market remains the Association’s lawful property.
The court also relied on testimony from a witness of the Liberia Land Authority, who confirmed that the disputed property falls within the category of public land deeded to a government institution and that the land was legally deeded to the Liberia Marketing Association.
In its opinion, the court cited long-established Supreme Court precedent, stating that “a naked possession of land by an intruder cannot prevail against a paper title,” before ordering recovery of possession in favor of the LMA.
Despite the ruling, representatives of the Township of West Point challenged both the legal process and its outcome.
Speaking on behalf of aggrieved residents, authorized spokesperson Archie Gbaysay argued that the community had historically managed the market before the Liberia Marketing Association assumed control.
“West Point was in charge before the LMA. We did not receive the ruling from the court, neither an eviction notice from the court. We only saw sheriffs who came for eviction, and we resisted,” Gbaysay told lawmakers.
Residents maintained that they were denied the opportunity to participate in proceedings that directly affected their interests and only became aware of the case when court officers arrived to enforce the eviction order.
The ownership dispute has simmered for years and intensified after the Government of Liberia renovated the Old General Market during the administration of former President George M. Weah. While the Liberia Marketing Association argues that the renovation merely restored property it has legally owned since 1953, residents of West Point insist the market has historically been administered by the township and remains a critical source of livelihood for the community.
Although lawmakers recognized the validity of the court’s judgment, Thursday’s decision reflects the House’s effort to address community concerns surrounding the implementation of the ruling while exploring avenues for dialogue and reconciliation.
The Committee on Peace and Reconciliation is expected to consult both parties and submit its findings and recommendations to plenary in the coming weeks.
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