City of Hope Ownership Questioned as Clar Weah Says Funding Came Through Official Role

Monrovia, Liberia: Former First Lady Clar Marie Weah has confirmed that funding for the City of Hope Orphanage Home Project was secured through her official position during her time in office prompting calls for the project to be formally transferred to the Government of Liberia.

Government authorities argue that because the initiative was developed and financed under the First Lady’s national platform, the City of Hope is ultimately a public asset belonging to the Liberian people, not a privately owned venture. Officials are requesting that all related documents be turned over to ensure transparency and proper oversight.

Speaking passionately, Madam Weah rejected claims of personal enrichment, insisting that her work at the Clar Hope Foundation was driven solely by compassion and service.

“My heart is clean. There is not a single cent of personal gain in what I do here,” she said, noting that key officials including the Finance Minister and former Minister Nathaniel McGill were aware of the foundation’s financial dealings.

“Every resource we used came from international sources.”

Madam Weah also shared personal reflections on why she championed the project, explaining that the initiative was inspired by her own childhood struggles.

“I lost my father when I was young. We had no one to lean on. I wanted to give others the hope I didn’t have,” she said.

“People talked, but I closed my ears and kept moving.”

“City of Hope” Built Through Years of Sacrifice

The former First Lady credited former President George Weah for supporting her efforts, saying he contributed whenever he traveled and helped sustain the foundation’s work.

“Every trip he made, he brought something back to help push this vision forward. That partnership gave birth to this City of Hope,” she explained.

She also thanked her staff for their dedication in bringing the project to life.

The request for a formal handover highlights a broader national conversation about accountability in public office specifically, whether projects executed with state-linked resources should remain under private control once an administration leaves power.

The Government maintains that such initiatives must remain accessible to the Liberian people, ensuring transparency and preventing future conflicts about ownership.