IPNEWS: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has issued Executive Order No. 160, constituting a Technical Committee for the Enforcement and Implementation of the Presidential Decision on the longstanding land dispute in Nimba County, particularly in the Ganta area.
The Executive Order establishes a neutral and professional mechanism aimed at ensuring the peaceful, lawful, and coordinated implementation of the Government’s decision regarding the dispute, which has persisted for decades and continues to pose challenges to peace, security, and orderly development in the region.
According to the Executive Order, the Committee will be responsible for enforcing and technically implementing previous Presidential decisions, the findings of the 2010 Nimba County Presidential Committee Reports, and relevant rulings of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice.
President Boakai emphasized that the establishment of the Committee follows extensive consultations with representatives of the disputing parties and other key stakeholders, with the goal of ensuring a transparent and inclusive process that promotes lasting peace and stability in Nimba County.
The Committee will be chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Liberia, with a representative of the Liberia Land Authority serving as Co-Chairperson. Additional members include representatives from the Liberia National Police, the Ministry of Public Works (Liberia), the Superintendent of Nimba County, as well as members of the Nimba Council of Elders and civil society leaders.
The Committee’s mandate includes conducting legal reviews, verifying land tenure documentation, undertaking cadastral surveys and geospatial mapping, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and ensuring peaceful enforcement measures where required.
Under the Executive Order, the Committee will operate for an initial period of sixty (60) days, renewable upon approval by the President. All Ministries, Agencies, and local authorities have been directed to fully cooperate with the Committee in the discharge of its mandate.
The Office of the Minister of State Without Portfolio will serve as the Secretariat to the Committee and will provide administrative coordination, logistical support, and transmission of reports and recommendations to the President.
President Boakai expressed his Administration’s strides in strengthening the rule of law, promoting peaceful conflict resolution, and ensuring equitable land governance across Liberia.
The President called on all stakeholders and residents of Ganta and surrounding communities to support the work of the Committee and cooperate with the process as the Government works toward a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the dispute.
The announcement of a technical committee followed recent warnings by the Liberia Land Authority unresolved land disputes across the country could spiral into widespread conflict if urgent action is not taken.
Joe K. Williams, Vice Chairperson for Administration and Services at the LLA, sounded the alarm during the 15th Day Sitting of the First Quarter of the Third Session of the 55th Legislature.
Williams cautioned that Liberia’s existing land conflicts could escalate into chaos if the government fails to invest adequately in land administration and boundary demarcation.
“I see danger ahead if we don’t solve the problem now,” Williams told the plenary.
Why the LLA Was Summoned
The LLA appeared before the House of Representatives alongside the Center for National Documents and Records Agency (CNDRA), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the General Services Agency (GSA).
Their appearance followed communications from several lawmakers, including Montserrado County District 12 Representative Jerry Yogboh, Montserrado County District 7 Representative Emmanuel Dahn, and Maryland County District 2 Representative Anthony Williams.
Lawmakers from Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties also raised alarms over what they described as “serious and fast-brewing” land conflicts between communities.
The growing unrest cuts across both private and public land ownership.
Representing the LLA, Williams said the current disputes are only a fraction of what could come if the country fails to properly demarcate county boundaries and strengthen land governance systems.
With rapid population growth, he warned that counties such as Bong and Nimba could face severe boundary disputes in the near future.
“Take, for instance, Bong County, which, within two to three years, might grow to one million people, and maybe Nimba County up to three million. What we will see then is a demarcation war,” he warned.
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Currently, the LLA operates with only 316 employees but says it needs at least 1,500 personnel nationwide to effectively manage land administration.
“There is not much support for the LLA from the government,” Williams said, urging lawmakers to increase funding in the next national budget.
New Safeguards Introduced
Dr. Mahmoud Solomon, Commissioner for Land Administration at the LLA, acknowledged that many of the ongoing land disputes stem from longstanding issues.
He told lawmakers that reforms are being implemented to curb deed fraud and survey-related controversies.
According to him, all deeds submitted for probation and verification must now pass through the LLA, adding that new deed forms with enhanced security features have been introduced.
“These systems are now in place,” he assured the plenary.
Speaking specifically to the long-running Happy Corner land dispute, GSA Director General Galakpai Kortimai told lawmakers the matter is currently before the court.
He explained that one of the key claimants — the Cooper family — allegedly failed to produce documentation to substantiate ownership claims, prompting the government to take over the property. The family subsequently filed a legal challenge.
Lawmakers Demand More Answers
Unsatisfied with the explanations provided, the plenary voted to summon additional stakeholders for further clarification.
In a motion introduced by Grand Gedeh County District 3 Representative Jacob Debee and endorsed by the House, the Ministry of Local Government, the LLA, GSA, and the National Archives will reappear before lawmakers to provide deeper insights and concrete solutions.
As tensions rise across counties, lawmakers say failure to act decisively could trigger broader instability.
The warning from the Land Authority is clear: without boundaries, manpower, and funding, Liberia risks turning land disputes into a national crisis.
