By Bill W. Cooper
The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) bids farewell to the outgoing United Nation Development Program (UNDP) Resident Country Representative, Stephen Rodriques for his continuous support towards the LLA during his stay in Liberia.
The LLA, headed by its Chairperson, J. Adams Manobah along with Cllr. Kula L. Jackson, Commissioner, Land Policy and Planning, Aryee K. Williams, Director Administration, and Emmanuel C. Davis, Communication and Outreach Officer, among others, also gowned and certificated Mr. Rodriques during a brief ceremony held at the LLA office in Monrovia.
Presenting the certificate of honor on behalf of the entity, Atty. Manobah thanked Mr. Rodriques for his support to the country’s land sector, noting that the LLA will forever remember the meaningful achievements made over the years through their friendly cooperation.
Chairman Manobah also used the occasion to express thanks and appreciation to the entire UNDP-Liberia family, emphasizing that the LLA will continue to engage with the UNDP family as Liberia strive towards land reform.
He said, “We are thankful for your time spent in Liberia. We at the LLA are so grateful for your commitment to Liberia land sector. Your role, which includes the successful implementation of the Land Rights Act among others, played in the land sector cannot be overemphasized.”
“Hence, we have come as a family to extend our appreciations on behalf of the Board of Commissioners and the entire LLA family across the fifteen political subdivisions of Liberia, and it is our hope that the relationship we have built will continue,” Atty. Manobah added.
In remark, outgoing UNDP RCR Country Rep. Rodriques praised the LLA Chairperson and members of the Board of Commissioners, including technical staff of the authority for the level of work that is currently being done in the land sector of Liberia.
Mr. Rodriques expressed the need for more support to the LLA, and called on them to continue the good work, and indicated that with the level of work being done, the UNDP family can only hope for more across the country.
“I came to Liberia to do a piece of job for my brothers and sisters in Liberia, and since then, I feel that connection to Liberia. Knowing the history of land and its violent side surely calls for all to pay attention to the sector,” he said.
Mr. Rodriques added, “Mr. Chairman, you and your team are doing tremendously well hence it is upon everyone of us to appreciate what you are doing, and I am thankful that we were able to achieve together. I am truly proud and deeply touched especially seeing what our partnership has done for Liberia through the LLA.”
It can be recalled that the Land Rights Act (LRA) signed into law on September 19, 2018 by President George M. Weah and printed into handbill October 10, 2018 established that customary communities upon the completion of confirmatory survey will be issued Statutory Land Deed.
Thus, in a quest to ensure that customary communities obtain their Statutory Land Deeds, the LLA with support from the UNDP conducted 10 confirmatory surveys in four counties, namely, Grand Cape Mount, Sinoe, Nimba and Maryland Counties, of which eight statutory deeds were acquired.
The presentation of these deeds to the communities is underway, as a grand ceremony is being planned by the UNDP and the LLA to bring together all the project catchment counties and communities along with scores of government officials and eminent citizens who immensely contributed to the historic passage of the LRA and its subsequent implementations that are now directly benefitting the indigenous Liberian Citizens.
Meanwhile, the LLA Director for Policy, Planning and Program, Julius Kawa speaking about the completion of the phase one of the project expressed the need for more communities to benefit, and further disclosed that funding for the full implementation of the law is a challenge, thus customary communities can benefit from concessions when their lands are formalized.
