The National Administration of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA), Inc., after consultations with stakeholders and lawmakers of Grand Gedeh County and after reviewing public communications and references to the Liberia Land Rights Act, strongly condemns the unauthorized leasing of 500 acres of customary land in the B’hai Administrative District, Gbarzon Statutory District, Grand Gedeh County, by the county authority. The Association welcomes and applauds the swift intervention and decision to terminate the lease agreement.
The action taken to lease the land was in clear contravention of the 2018 Land Rights Act of Liberia. According to Article 39 of the Act, a county superintendent does not possess unilateral authority to lease customary land without the legally mandated community approval process. Hon. Samuel F. Kpakio, Chairman of the Liberia Land Authority, has affirmed that Superintendent Alex Chersia Grant acted without the required legal authorization in signing a 30-year lease agreement with a Burkinabe national, constituting a direct violation of Liberia’s land governance framework.
According to Articles 32, 36 and 39 of the Land Rights Act, the Governance and Management of Customary Land is solely in the hands of the members of the community acting collectively, and not the authority of the county to lease. The provisions also held that community members, through a two-third majority vote, must approve “Any sale, lease, or transfer of customary land to non-community members; any sale, lease, or donation of customary land to the Government, any lease request involving more than fifty (50) acres…any sale of customary land, subject to statutory limitations.”
The GGAA reaffirms its commitment to defending the land rights and interests of the people of Grand Gedeh County. The Association urges all local and national authorities to fully uphold the Land Rights Act and ensure transparency, accountability, and the protection of community-owned or customary land across Grand Gedeh County. “Leasing such a vast customary land without the input of our people is not only disrespectful, but also in gross violation of their rights,” the GGAA Administration said.
