The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) has sharply reacted to Front Page Africa Thursday, February 5, 2026 edition under the caption: “FDA Boss Rudolph Merab Accused of Opposing Gazettement of Proposed Foya National Park, Citing Threats to Jobs, Community Livelihoods”.
An FDA release dated February 6, 2026, said the publication was fabricated to tarnish the reputation of the current Managing Director and paint the country’s forest sector black to the international community. The FDA said, “The unverified and unethical story accused Honorable Merab of steering the FDA away from its long-standing ‘3Cs” approach- Conservation, Commercial, and Community forest toward commercial logging alone. The story further alleged that FDA management had suggested to community dwellers that only through logging revenues would finance roads in the district and therefore, they should deprioritize conservation in favor of commercial logging.”
According to the release, on Saturday, January 31, 2026, the FDA held a day-long forum in Kumbor Town, Komgba District in Gbarpolu County to hear citizens’ views on government’s proposal to declare the Foya landscape a protected park. It indicated that the meeting was characterized by protest from young people against the government’s decision to reserve the Foya landscape as one of the country’s parks, and at no time did Merab suggest to community dwellers that only logging revenues could finance road construction.
The FDA also rejected what it termed a blatant falsehood that the MD halted all project implementations at the landscape. “Following the various opposing remarks by the youth, women, Chiefs and elders at the meeting, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Honorable Francis Sakila Nyumalin, being the senior government official in the meeting, asked Merab to join him to meet President Joseph N. Boakai on the position of community people. Until the meeting with the President is held, the body agreed that any other ongoing project regarding the Gazettement of Foya landscape be placed on hold. Let it be made clear that this decision was not made by MD Merab, as reported by FPA,” the release noted.
The FDA stated Managing Director Merab and his management are strong supporters of the long standing 3Cs -Conservation, Commercial and Community, and will not support only commercial logging as claimed by the writer of the story, addding that efforts by the current management to remove illegal occupants from the Sapo National Park in Sinoe County is a cleared indication that conservation is Paramount to the current management team.
The FDA is therefore calling on the management of Front Page Africa to “retract” the story because it is false and misleading.
