Published: June 18, 2025
HARPER, Maryland — The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) has intensified its efforts to strengthen land governance and promote customary land rights in southeastern Liberia, hosting a major stakeholder engagement meeting with local leaders, traditional chiefs, and civil society groups in Maryland County.
The one-day forum, held Monday at the Maryland County Administration Building in Harper, focused on the provisions of Liberia’s 2018 Land Rights Act—specifically customary land ownership, legal documentation, and mechanisms for peaceful dispute resolution.
LLA Chairman Samuel F. Kpakio, accompanied by commissioners and senior officials, led the discussion as part of the Authority’s nationwide campaign to ensure communities understand their rights and responsibilities in managing and protecting ancestral land.
“Land Belongs to the People”
Chairman Kpakio emphasized that Liberia’s legal framework now recognizes land ownership as belonging to the people—not just the government or elites.
“Land no longer belongs only to the elite or the government—it belongs to the people,” Kpakio said. “But to benefit from that right, communities must organize themselves, claim their customary land legally, and resolve disputes peacefully.”
He also highlighted the Land Rights Act’s provisions that guarantee women equal access to land ownership and urged communities to ensure women are actively engaged in land governance processes.
Proper documentation and public awareness, Kpakio said, are essential to securing land tenure, boosting local economies, minimizing conflict, and advancing sustainable development.
Inclusion of Women and Youth
LLA Commissioner for Land Use and Management, Uriaus Garsinii, echoed the call for inclusive participation, encouraging traditional leaders to involve women and youth in the decision-making process.
“If women farm the land, they must help decide how it is managed,” Garsinii said. “Land governance must be inclusive in order to maintain lasting peace and prosperity.”
Garsinii also outlined the LLA’s roadmap for community engagement, including awareness campaigns, training sessions, and facilitation of legal documentation for customary land claims. He noted that the Authority is collaborating with local leaders, security agencies, and residents to address concerns about Burkinabe migrants reportedly occupying Liberian land illegally.
Community Voices Call for Equal Representation
The forum drew participation from traditional authorities, city mayors, women’s groups, youth leaders, and civil society organizations.
Lucy Davis Momo, a prominent women’s advocate, expressed appreciation for the engagement but urged the LLA to take stronger steps to include women at all levels of the land reform process.
“For too long, women have been left out of land decisions, even though we are the ones farming and feeding our families,” Momo said. “This engagement is a step in the right direction. We must be included in every stage of this land process—not just as observers, but as decision-makers.”
She also called on the LLA to produce simplified educational materials in local languages to help rural communities better understand the law.
Addressing Cross-Border Land Conflicts
The issue of illegal migration and land occupation by Burkinabe nationals was a major focus of the dialogue. Harper Acting Mayor Isaac Weah Sr. noted that informal farming agreements between locals and Burkinabe migrants—often involving shared crop production or intermarriage—have complicated efforts to enforce land laws.
“These arrangements make it difficult for citizens to assist the state in taking legal action against illegal immigrants,” Weah said. “Intermarriages and family ties further complicate the situation.”
The Road Ahead
The LLA pledged to continue stakeholder consultations across southeastern Liberia and work closely with traditional councils to ensure that customary land rights are recognized and upheld. As the country implements the 2018 Land Rights Act, engagements like Monday’s forum in Harper are considered vital to making sure rural and historically marginalized communities are not left behind in national land reform efforts.
The Authority said follow-up training sessions and community consultations are planned in the coming months.
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