IPNEWS: On November 9, 2025, the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) took a historic step toward peace and security in Grand Gedeh County. A team of expert technicians, led by Mr. Julius B. Kawa, Director for Policy and Planning, arrived in B’hai Administrative District to begin confirmatory surveys for four clans long plagued by land disputes: Bhai Niko, Mambo 1, Duo, and Tianduogee.
For decades, these communities have lived under the shadows of uncertainty, their forests threatened by the unregulated influx of migrant farmers—mostly Burkinabés—who clear vast tracts for cocoa.
The intervention, supported by the United Nations Peace Building Fund (UN-PBF) and implemented in collaboration with UNDP, comes at a critical time when residents feared losing their ancestral lands forever.
A Dream Come True for Communities
As the LLA team arrived, joy spread across villages. Elders and youth alike described the moment as historic. One elder, Regional, a former Town Chief, expressed heartfelt gratitude.
“This is indeed a great step and a historical event our children must be proud of. Before I die, I am pleased that the land of my fathers will become the land of our children and children unborn,” he said.
Building Trust Through Dialogue
Before commencing surveys, the LLA team held extensive dialogues with stakeholders including traditional leaders, women and youth groups, the Community Land Development and Management Committees (CLDMCs), joint security forces (AFL, LDEA, LNP, LIS), and local government authorities.
These meetings gathered firsthand accounts of forest encroachment and explained the harmonization process in detail.
Director Kawa emphasized the importance of peace and unity, assuring residents that joint security forces would safeguard the process.
He underscored the national significance of the mission on behalf of the LLA Chairman.
Tackling Decades of Disputes
The B’hai and Gbao Administrative Districts, locked in land disputes for over 60 years, became focal points of the mission. Despite not initially planning survey activities, the team was compelled to act due to the volatile situation.
Their swift intervention helped ease tensions and rekindled hope among residents.
Local leaders, including the District Commissioner of B’hai (name to be added), pledged full cooperation. He noted that the influx of Burkinabé nationals had created panic, and securing the land was the only path forward.
Voices of Concern
Community members spoke candidly about the dangers of unchecked land grabs. Rising cocoa prices and political interests have fueled encroachment, ignoring customary boundaries and sparking disputes.
Ma Ruth, a CLDMC member from Tianduogee, warned, “The situation has strained relationships between villages, towns, and clans. If not addressed, it could usher in one of the deadliest land conflicts.”
Achievements Under the Project
This intervention is part of a three-year UN-PBF-supported project, building on the success of a previous initiative that delivered 23 Statutory Customary Land Deeds across Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Nimba Counties.
Key milestones in Grand Gedeh include:
- ✅ Completion of confirmatory surveys for Duo Clan and B’hai Niko Clan
- ✅ Initiation of surveys for Mambo 1 and Tianduogee, pending completion
- ✅ Resolution of the long-standing dispute between B’hai and Gbao Districts, a breakthrough after six decades
Looking Ahead
For the LLA team, the mission is about more than boundaries—it is about securing land rights, instilling peace, and protecting heritage.
By harmonizing boundaries and confirming ownership, the project ensures that the land of the fathers truly becomes the land of the children and generations unborn.
