The newly appointed and confirmed Chairperson of the board of commissioners at the Liberia Land Authority (LLA), Samuel Kpakio, has officially taken over the entity in the face of the many challenges over land administration nationwide.
Commissioner Kpakio was officially sworn in office on Tuesday February 18, 2025 in the auditorium of the College of West Africa, expressed keen interest in monitoring and following the management and administrative sector of lands across the country .
Several employees of the LLA welcomed Kpakio pledging support to the institution’s management team as a way of improving service delivery, productivity and efficiency in land management and administration.
The workers through the union’s acting chairperson and county administrators outlined the series of challenges facing the land governance body urging Chairman Kpakio to take over the office with an opened mind, new policies and good ideas.
Commissioner Mahmoud Solomon and other staffers noted that the ordinary Liberian populations have lost taste in the form and manners in which the commission has been operating over the years.
Commissioner Solomon who is on the entity board of commissioners as Commissioner on Land Administration highlighted that land management from the genesis of the country formation have been a problem which the new chairperson of the board needs to place on his working plate to deal with swiftly and sooner.
He urged the newly inducted chairperson to work collaboratively with the team of employees currently at the entity in solving issues of low salaries, lack of active transportation and lack of health insurance among others that will give rise to the expected results needed from the entity.
“There is a lack of trust in the land authority from the public and we need to work with your leadership to regain our image we lost along the way. This commission is in need of serious reform for land authority to deal with the real issues. Be a mentor and not a tormentor and it is time to roll up your sleeves so we can start working,” Commissioner Solomon urged.
After listening to concerns raised by the staffers of the commission, Chairman Kpakio acknowledged all stakeholders and partners associated with the Land Authority along with the staff for zealously welcoming him as head of the entity.
He expressed profound gratitude to President Boakai for entrusting him with the leadership of the LLA and thanked the Liberian Senate, particularly the Committee on Land Governance, chaired by Senator Simeon Taylor.
Kpakio emphasized the crucial role of the LLA in addressing the nation’s land-related challenges and assured international partners, donors, and civil society organizations (CSOs) in the land sector of his administration’s commitment to collaboration.
“Together, we can make substantial strides in land reform, land governance, and sustainable land management,” he stated.
Addressing LLA staff, he made it clear that there would be no room for complacency.
“There will be no business as usual. We cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results. Our work will be grounded in core values: Quality Service Delivery, Transparency, Fairness, Accountability, Integrity, Professionalism, and Respect,” he asserted.
Kpakio reassured employees that his administration would not engage in intimidation but would ensure that personnel decisions align with regulations and merit-based principles. He stressed the importance of ethics and professionalism in fostering productivity and restoring public trust.
He further pledged to maintain transparency in all donor-funded projects and encouraged continued support from development partners.
Recognizing the deep-rooted challenges in the land sector, Kpakio acknowledged the frustrations of the Liberian public and stakeholders. He vowed to take decisive action against individuals within the LLA who engage in corruption or inefficiency.
“The Liberian people and our partners are becoming frustrated, and we must provide solutions to restore their hope. Under my administration, staff contributing to this crisis will be dealt with according to the law,” he warned.
He assured the public of his commitment to working with relevant institutions, including the Judiciary, to clamp down on fraudulent land dealings.
The commission’s chairman vowed to work with the staff and the board of commissioners to closely review the challenges outlined and jointly cooperate to mitigate and find response to the situations land disputes nowadays.
