By T. Ezekiel Geeplay
MONROVIA, March 6 (LINA) – The Liberia Land Authority, (LLA) on March 4, 2025, held a partnership meeting with Township Commissioners of Montserrado County aimed to implement squatter rights permits.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the meeting, LLA Chairman, Samuel F. Kpakio, thanked the Commissioners for honoring the Authority’s invitation to sit on a round table to discuss critical issues on the development and management of public land in Liberia.
He highlighted that the LLA cannot work in isolation from the local authority.
“We need your support to achieve our mission at the LLA. We are partners, and we will always be partners. Let me also appreciate Hon. Ali Kaba and his team, the acting commissioner for the Department of Policy and Planning, for making this possible. Since the arrival of Commissioner Kaba, he has pushed lot of our policies to a logical result; his delegation and commitment have warmed and improved LLA’s policy outcomes,” he added.
Moreover, the acting commissioner of the LLA, Ali Kaba, who gave the overview of the meeting, said the LLA regulates land governance in Liberia, including policy development, legal reforms, and land administration.
Commissioner Kaba disclosed that as part of its mandate, the LLA has developed guidelines to govern the issuance of Squatter Rights Permits, allowing Liberian citizens to temporarily occupy public land.
He said the purpose of the guidelines is to provide clear procedures for obtaining a Squatter Rights Permit, ensuring transparency, minimizing conflicts, and informing the public about the proper process for acquiring and maintaining squatter rights.
Commissioner Kaba revealed that the Liberia Land Rights Act (2018) categorizes land into four types, Public Land, Government Land, Customary Land, and Private Land.
“There is a clear distinction between Public Land and Government Land. Public Land is defined as Land held in trust by the government for the benefit of all Liberian citizens. It is owned by the state and managed by the LLA for the public interest; it cannot be sold or leased without due process and is reserved for public, private, and conservation use,” he said.
He said Chapter 13.1–Article 52 of the Land Rights Act 2018 outlines the classifications of Public and Government land in Liberia, providing a framework for understanding land categories under the law and with this classification, it can be repurposed without public consultation if aligned with state functions, but we need a partner for the implementation of Squatter Rights Permit.
Also making remarks at the ceremony, Edward H. Lahal, Chairman of the Township Commissioners Council and Commissioner of Township thanked the administration of the LLA for the collaboration.
He believes that the collaboration will put in place a standard for squatter Rights Permit and improve coordination between LLA and local communities.
Mr. Lahal further noted that the collaboration will also improve government revenue generation.
However, the partnership will officially commence once the Issuance of Squatter Rights Permits are finalized, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed between partners. This MoU will govern permit issuance and define responsibilities for identifying and protecting Government and Public Land.
