The Liberia Land Authority and the judiciary have launched joint talks to strengthen the handling of land disputes, agreeing on Friday to form a committee to develop a guiding policy for land issues across the country.
The meeting held at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia was presided over by Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay and included representatives from the Liberia National Bar Association, the Trial Judges Association and senior officials of the LLA.
Chief Justice Gbeisay urged the LLA to revisit the fees charged for investigative surveys used in land dispute cases, calling current charges “exorbitant” given Liberia’s economic situation.
He said many litigants abandon their cases because they cannot afford the survey costs and called for a reasonable, affordable investigation fee structure so that land rights claims can be fully adjudicated.
LLA Chairman Samuel F. Kpakio praised the initiative and respectfully asked the Chief Justice for two weeks to consult the Authority’s Board of Commissioners and respond to the appeal. He indicated the LLA would consider options to make investigative surveys more accessible.
To curb the spread of probated fake land deeds, Chief Justice Gbeisay also proposed that all land deeds be registered with the Liberia Land Authority before being probated by the courts. He noted the LLA’s technical capacity to authenticate deeds and distinguish genuine titles from forgeries.
Chairman Kpakio agreed with that suggestion and committed to working with his team to ensure deeds are scrutinized and authenticated by the LLA before they are presented to the courts for probate.
Participants described the meeting as a positive step toward reducing land disputes in Liberia by improving coordination between the judiciary and the Liberia Land Authority. The newly agreed committee will draft the proposed policy framework and report back as the institutions move to operationalize the cooperation.
