By Patrick Stephen Tokpah/BONG
The Liberia Land Authority, in collaboration with partners, has presented a Customary Statutory Land Deed to residents of Nyallai Clan, Sanoyea District 7, Bong County.
At the ceremony, the Chairman of the Liberia Land Authority, Samuel Kpakio, called on Nyallai Clan residents to manage their land not only for themselves but also for future generations to come.
Chairman Kpakio, at the same time, expressed gratitude to the people of the Nyallai clan for their cooperation, something which he said led them to obtain their land deed.
He further lauded the Liberia Initiative for Development Services (LIDS) and USAID Land Management Activities (LMA) for their assistance to the Government of Liberia through the land sector.
“I am happy to see for the first time that the Community Land Development and Management Committee (CLDMC) is chaired by women and that the committee is also dominated by women. This shows a high level of support and coordination among the people of the Nyallai clan,” he added.
He said, “I have a high level of respect for the people of Bong County. Traditionally, I’m your uncle.’ I’m proud to see my nephews gaining their land rights during my chairmanship at the LLA.”
However, the Nyallai Clan’s Chief, Joseph Sumowah expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Liberia Land Authority and his team for their support towards his clan by receiving the roadmap to obtain the deed.
“We are also thankful to Mr. Anthony Kollie, who was the former Chair of the LMA Project and LIDS, for selecting our clan to benefit from this project and teaching us about our rights to our land, he helped us understand the Land Rights Law of 2018. The wearers self-elected members of the CLDMC and developed our bylaw and constitution,” Chief Sumowah stressed.
He further said, “I’m also grateful to my people in the Nyallai Clan, the women, the youth, and all our community leaders for helping us achieve this dream. We are now landowners.”
The Nyallai Clan Chief revealed that they walked through their clan land to identify the clan boundaries and established the boundary line with their neighbors before conducting the survey.
However, “We are today the only clan among the five clans that has benefited. We are asking the Government through the LLA chairman to help our four other clans obtain their deeds.”
Also speaking during the program, Josephus Dormeyan, a senior adviser in the Offices of Bong County Superintendent, Hawa Norris urged the people of Nyallai Clan to remain focused on improving their communities with the power they have in their hands, their land deed.
He further thanked Chairman Kpakio and his team for their support to the people of Bong County.
Mr. Dormeyan revealed that the office of Superintendent Norris is pleased with the courteous and outstanding working relationship with LLA Bong County Land Administrator, Amelia D Cassell.
Mr. Anthony Kollie, the former Chair of the LMA, said that the LLA has been very supportive in achieving the objectives of LMA projects in Bong, Nimba, and Lofa Counties.
“Although the project was supposed to cover 53 communities in Liberia, the closure of the USAID program made it impossible. We are grateful to you and your team, especially to the Project Director, Daniela Gray-Johnson, for a proactive working relationship,” Mr. Kollie noted.
Moreover, the LLA Project Director, Daniela Gray-Johnson, and LLA Bong County Land Administrator, Amelia Cassell thanked the people of the Nyallai clan for supporting the women in the leadership of the CLDMC.
“We are very proud of the women of Nyallai Clan. Keep working hard to support your community,” the duo added.
The turning-over ceremony of the customary statutory deed to Nyallai Clan residents was held over the weekend in Beletandai Town, Nyallai Clan, Sanoyea District 7, Bong County on April 26, 2025.
