BY VOS Investigative writer
The Hijazi Family who owns a conglomerate of companies known as King’s Foam, King’s Production, and Rockcem, has come under the spotlight for allegedly cornering SLRA officials during a journalistic investigation at the King’s Foam building extension site along main Blackhall Road, adjacent to St. Martin’s Church.
During the inspection, SLRA officials reportedly halted workers at the site and asked whether they had obtained the necessary approvals to continue construction, following a stop-work notice visibly painted by the Authority. Workers claimed they had consulted with higher authorities at SLRA, asserting that they were permitted to proceed.
However, a phone conversation conducted by a Lebanese national at the factory reportedly contradicted this claim. The Hijazi Family is said to have informed the SLRA officials that, although they had met with higher authorities at SLRA a few days prior, no formal approval had been granted to continue the work.
Despite this, the Hijazi family allegedly urged the SLRA officials to meet him at Texaco to discuss the matter further, explaining that he was at the police station attending to a separate issue at the time. The SLRA officials reportedly complied and traveled to meet him, even though they had informed him that journalists had already brought to their attention the workers’ reluctance to continue construction after the stop-work directive.
During the inspection, SLRA officials confirmed that King’s Foam had encroached on the Right of Way by several feet and instructed their engineer to cross-check the measurements. They explained that the stop-work notice was issued for two primary reasons: the company’s failure to submit an approved drainage plan and the encroachment on the Right of Way. According to their survey, the King’s Foam building extension sits partially on the Right of Way.
The incident has sparked concern among observers, highlighting potential tensions between regulatory authorities and private developers, as well as the ongoing challenges in enforcing Right of Way regulations in urban areas.
SLRA boss Alfred Jalil Momodu confirmed to Voice of Salone Newspaper that the marking of “X” at the King’s Foam site was related to the company’s failure to present a drainage plan. He, however, could not confirm whether the company had since submitted the required plan at the time of the interview.
Earlier, Khalil Hijazi, the brother of Alie Hijazi, denied that King’s Foam owned the building in question, adding another layer of complexity to the dispute.
The SLRA has yet to issue a full official statement, and it remains unclear whether further action will be taken regarding the alleged non-compliance at the site.
