Deepening land crises are causing chaos by the day, especially in Southeastern Liberia, where scores of clans, districts and counties are said to be neck-to-neck in the battle for land ownership.
The conflict is being exacerbated in that part of the country, with River Gee County Electoral District #3 Representative Johnson Williams reporting the death of five persons in the last three weeks.
The River Gee lawmaker made the heart-jerking revelation on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, during a Committee on Mines, Energy, Natural Resources and Environment meeting with the Commissioners of the Liberia Land Authority (LLA). The session aimed to address the growing concerns surrounding land disputes across the country.
The hearing marked the Committee’s inaugural engagement with the LLA, focusing on updates regarding land rights, dispute resolution, and decentralization efforts. “Seven persons have so far lost their lives in land conflicts in River Gee County. Just three weeks ago, five persons died in land conflicts. We need concrete steps in addressing land issues in River Gee and the country at large,” reported the River Gee County lawmaker.
Committee Chairperson, Grand Gedeh County Electoral District #1 Representative, Jeremiah Garwo Sokan, explained that the meeting was intended for members of the Committee to listen to the LLA’s progress in addressing land issues, from customary land rights and private property to disputes arising from contract reversion and inter-community conflicts.
He pointed out that land-related issues such as tenure insecurity, boundary disputes, corruption in land transactions, and the clash between customary and private ownership are not only developmental concerns but also threaten Liberia’s cultural and social fabric.
“We also expect updates on the decentralization of your operations—whether the LLA is fully represented and functioning in all counties, the staffing levels, and the steps being taken to tackle criminal conveyance where land is sold multiple times,” Chair Sokan said.
As gathered during presentations by LLA Commissioners and lawmakers, most of the growing land conflicts, particularly in the Southeast, hinged on the account of Burkinabe’s encroachment in that part of the country. It was also established that some of these Burkinabe, who don’t know the various boundary lines, are being hired to farm for people in the Southeast.
Responding to the Committee’s queries, LLA Chairman Samuel Kpakio thanked the lawmakers for the timely engagement, noting the urgency and national importance of land matters.
“The land situation in Liberia is critical. We’ve heard of incidents, including violence and even deaths, linked to land disputes. It is our duty as Liberians to address these issues collectively,” Chairman Kpakio said.
He acknowledged that many of the land conflict hotspots are in the southeastern region, although similar issues are prevalent nationwide.
On decentralization, Chairman Kpakio confirmed that while the LLA has established county offices in all 15 counties, only five are adequately staffed and equipped to implement their full mandate. The remaining offices face financial and logistical constraints.
Addressing concerns about criminal conveyance, Chairman Kpakio acknowledged the problem, highlighting Montserrado County and surrounding areas as the most affected. “Yes, we are aware of repeated illegal sales of land, especially in Monrovia and nearby communities. It is a serious issue, and we are working to tackle it with the help of our Commissioners and relevant departments,” he said.
The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to working with the LLA to ensure lasting solutions to land conflicts and urged increased public education and stronger enforcement of the Land Rights Act.
Other commissioners including Mr. Ali Kaba and Dr. Matthews Solomon, Commissioner for Land Administration among others provided reasons that land issues in the country must be addressed with urgency.
If not managed, one of the Commissioners contended that there will be serious crises in the next five years.
One of the stumbling blocks, the Commissioners opined, is the lack of coordination and collaboration among government institutions in the management of land-related matters as there are serious overlapping of each other’s functions.
