Monrovia – A decision by the Liberian government to dig up part of the PHP Park to reroute the country’s only fiber optic cable has ignited a heated debate, particularly among supporters of former President George Weah.
By: J.H. Webster Clayeh, [email protected]
The park, which was inaugurated in December 2023, stands as a symbol of progress and urban renewal, but now it finds itself at the center of controversy due to its role in housing Liberia’s critical internet infrastructure.
PHP Park, a state-of-the-art sports and recreation facility, was designed to transform a neglected area of Monrovia into a vibrant community space.
Featuring sports courts, a gym, playgrounds, and other amenities, the park was a testament to the former administration’s commitment to urban renewal. However, the park’s construction has become a point of contention following the decision to reroute the fiber optic cable, which runs through the park, to prevent a complete internet outage in Liberia.
On April 2, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) and the Cable Consortium of Liberia (CCL) began excavating part of the park to repair the fiber optic cable, which had been damaged during the construction of the park.
It has been reviewed that during the construction, large quantities of heavy rocks were placed over the cable, causing it to sink and disrupting connectivity. Since then, Liberia has observed frequent internet outages and that experts are cautioning that a complete cut off is eminent if no measure is taken.” – Daniel Sando, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism
The cable, which connects Liberia to global internet services, has been at risk since heavy rocks were placed over it during the park’s construction, causing the cable to sink and disrupting the country’s internet connectivity.
The government’s actions have triggered a backlash, especially from supporters of former President Weah, who view the move as an attempt to “erase” his legacy.
Wantoe Teah Wantoe, a member of the opposition Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), voiced his frustration on social media, accusing the government of trying to dismantle signature projects from the Weah administration. He claimed that the government’s decision to excavate the park was part of a broader effort to erase the former president’s contributions.
“Previously, I posted that the government, in a quiet effort to erase the imprint of President Weah’s legacy, had launched an orchestrated takedown of PHP Park, a space that once bloomed with promise, now suddenly barricaded under the pretense of technical necessity,” Wantoe wrote.
He went on to question the importance of the fiber optic cable, stating, “Internet at PHP Park is now a national security priority. This sudden epiphany is not just ironic. It is insulting. The government is telling the Liberian people that the nation’s entire digital infrastructure, our link to the Atlantic, to business, communication, and learning, rests so precariously on a single point beneath a recreational park, that it was undone by landscaping?”
Wantoe further emphasized the symbolic value of PHP Park, noting that it was designed to beautify neglected spaces and provide a sanctuary for the community. “It was Weah’s nod to his roots, a vision to make dignity public and green space democratic. Its location was not accidental. It was symbolic,” he said.
The truth is far more tangled than the cable itself. PHP Park stands for more than stone and shrubbery. It was built under a model that sought to beautify neglected spaces, to shape slums into sanctuaries. It was Weah’s nod to his roots, a vision to make dignity public and green space democratic. Its location was not accidental. It was symbolic. Now, with the park fenced off and bulldozers humming, this government wants you to believe it is not erasure. It is rescue.” – Wantoe Teah Wantoe, supporter, Coalition for Democratic Change
Aloysius Howe, another vocal critic of the current government and a staunch supporter of the opposition CDC, echoed Wantoe’s sentiments. Howe expressed concerns over what he perceived as a deliberate effort to dismantle Weah’s legacy.
“The Unity Party government is currently demolishing the PHP recreational and sports park. Next might be the Invincible Sports Park. The folks are desperate and are determined to destroy most of what President George Weah built in that country,” Howe wrote on social media.
In response to the outcry, Daniel Sando, the Deputy Minister for Public Affairs at the Ministry of Information, addressed the public’s concerns during a press briefing. He clarified that the government was not demolishing the park but was instead working to repair the fiber optic cable, which had been compromised during construction.
“The work being done is not to break the park down, as some have speculated. The purpose is to rescue the cable,” Sando explained. He stressed that the cable, which provides most of the country’s internet connectivity, had been damaged due to the construction of the park. “The cable that provides primarily internet activity has been at risk following the controversial construction project initiated by the former government,” Sando added. “During the construction, large quantities of heavy rocks were placed over the cable, causing it to sink and disrupting connectivity.”
Sando also warned that if the issue was not addressed, the cable could be severed completely, resulting in a nationwide internet blackout. “Experts are cautioning that a complete cutoff is imminent if no corrective measures are taken,” he said.
The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), in collaboration with LIBTELCO and CCL, has begun the rerouting process for the fiber optic cable, which has been an essential part of the country’s internet infrastructure since it landed in Liberia in 2011. The rerouting, the LTA said, is necessary because the PHP Park monument, which was built on the cable’s landing point, now obstructs access to the cable.
Henry Benson, CEO of the Cable Consortium of Liberia, explained that the contractor who built PHP Park did not heed the advice from CCL regarding the location of the park’s monument. “We did write a letter, we pushed, but our resistance to this whole infrastructure was ignored unfortunately,” Benson said during a walk-through tour with journalists.
Acting Commissioner of the LTA, Clarence K. Massaquoi, assured Liberians that the government had contingency plans in place to prevent a complete internet shutdown during the repair process. “There are contingency plans in place to ensure that internet services are not completely disrupted during the rerouting,” Massaquoi said.
Meanwhile, the rerouting process has already begun, with technicians working to ensure that the new pathway for the cable will be clear of future obstructions. A ship carrying additional technicians is expected to arrive in Liberia on April 22 to begin the repair work.
While the government’s decision is aimed at securing Liberia’s digital future, it has sparked a broader conversation about legacy, political motivations, and the challenges facing the country’s infrastructure.
