The compound of the National Housing Authority (NHA) down waterside in Monrovia was a scene of drama Wednesday afternoon when employees of the entity prevented an attempt by officers of the Debt Court at the Temple of Justice to seize two buses used to convey workers to and fro work.

The officers were implementing orders from the court to seize valuable items owned by the NHA, until the entity can pay US$19, 000 owed the owner of a parcel of land on which one of the entity’s housing estates is situated.

The employees who spoke to the In Profile Daily said though it was not their intention to stop the court’s order, it was important that the court seize other properties owned by the NHA including jeeps being used by the Managing Director and his deputies, rather than the two buses recently purchased to ease their transportation problems.

The tension which lasted for hours brought to a standstill, normal working operations at the entity, with employees leaving their various offices to join others on the compound where the buses were parked. Shortly, the management intervened and convinced the court officers to take another item rather than the employees’ vehicle.

Speaking to this paper, Deputy Managing Director Stanley Kparkillen confirmed that the NHA owes its landlady whose parcel of land the entity has its Matardi Estate located.

However, he explained that the issue dates back as far as the 1980’s. Deputy Managing Director Kparkillen described as a default judgment, the court ruling handed down in the debt case, on grounds that the NHA was never cited for a trial with its landlady.

He further noted that the entity only saw the ruling from the Debt Court demanding the payment of such amount along with a writ of execution, which calls for an attachment to certify the requirement showing a property value as they go through the proceeding.

Mr. Kparkillen said the NHA could have been willing to settle the payment out of court with the lady whom he did not name as was done in other cases, but he argued that they were surprised to have seen her taking them to court.

He also expressed disappointment over the action of the court officers, noting that the issue was settled to some extent with the intervention of their lawyer. According to him, the court has been asked to take in its possession a truck owned by the company, until the payment is done.

However, Deputy Managing Director Kparkillen assured that their legal team is expected to shortly take up the case at the Supreme Court.