MCC Slaps US$1,200 Fine on E.J. Roye Building Caretakers Over Filthy Conditions

Monrovia, Liberia: The historic E.J. Roye Building on Ashmun Street has come under municipal enforcement, with the Monrovia City Corporation imposing a US$1,200 fine on its management and caretakers over the condition of the property.

The MCC said its City Planning Directorate took the action on Friday, October 9, 2026, citing abandonment, unsanitary conditions, poor maintenance and failure to paint the building.

The penalty brings attention to the upkeep of one of Monrovia’s historic buildings while placing its management and caretakers under pressure to address the conditions identified by the city authorities.

In announcing the action, City Manager Jones N. Williams said no property owner or community is exempt from municipal enforcement. He stressed that the Corporation’s regulations apply across the city, regardless of where a property is located or who is responsible for it.

The MCC presented the fine as part of its continuing efforts to improve sanitation, property maintenance and public safety in the capital.

Its message to landlords and property managers was direct: responsibility for the city’s condition includes the buildings they control and the surroundings they maintain.

The Corporation called on owners, businesses and residents to take greater responsibility for their premises and communities. It also warned that enforcement would extend beyond poorly maintained buildings to activities that leave streets and public spaces dirty or obstructed.

Among the violations identified were illegal dumping, littering, washing vehicles in public streets and putting up unauthorized makeshift structures.

The announcement therefore carries implications beyond the E.J. Roye Building. Other property owners and businesses whose activities violate municipal ordinances could also face action from the City Government.

Under Mayor John-Charuk Siafa, the MCC says it is pursuing a cleaner, safer, greener and more orderly Monrovia. The Corporation acknowledged that changing conditions across the capital would be gradual, but said it remains committed to enforcing its regulations.

Williams also called for residents to participate in the effort, including by reporting illegal dumping.

He reiterated the Corporation’s stated policy of compensating people who report such violations, subject to the applicable procedures. The announcement did not give details of the compensation or explain how residents should submit reports.

Williams thanked residents for their cooperation as enforcement activities continue. The Corporation urged the public to work with city authorities to protect shared spaces and preserve Monrovia’s historic character.

For the E.J. Roye Building, the announced penalty puts the responsibility for its condition squarely before its management and caretakers. The MCC’s statement did not include their response or indicate whether maintenance work had begun.

The case now places a historic property at the center of the city’s wider demand for better upkeep, with the Corporation insisting that maintaining Monrovia requires action from both municipal authorities and the people responsible for its buildings.