Acts of corruption at the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) and the absence of sufficient control mechanisms are reportedly hindering effective land governance and administration. This includes ensuring fair access to land, secure land tenure, appropriate land use, and environmental protection.
An investigation has revealed the depth and impact of corruption within the LLA, particularly in the issuance of Development Grant Deeds for leasing public or government land. It uncovers glaring violations of Liberia's Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPC Act) and Public Financial Management (PFM) laws, raising concerns about the mismanagement of public resources at the LLA.
One prominent case involves the lease of a 40-acre portion of the historically significant Hotel Africa Conference Center in Virginia, Montserrado County, to Sea View Golf Course for 90 years. A document obtained by the Daily Observer, a physical copy of Sea View Golf Course's development grant deed, raises questions about its authenticity and legal adherence.
According to the investigation, the deed lacked the required dual authorization. The signing authority of the LLA Chairman alone sparked concerns about whether legal procedures were followed. Article 55 (c) of the 2018 Land Rights Act mandates that any sale or lease of government or public land must be reviewed by the responsible government entity and bear the signatures of both the Chairman and the County Land Administrator.
Atty. Adams Manobah, Chairman of the LLA, confirmed issuing the deed but defended his actions by citing the need for development and claiming legal backing for single-source leasing. However, critics argue that the lease of the Hotel Africa Conference Center did not meet the legal conditions for restricted government land leasing.
Section 2 of the law stipulates that the sale or long-term lease of government or public land must follow a public competitive bidding process, a procedure that was not initiated in this case. Transparency concerns, along with the lack of a competitive bidding process, have led to further questions about the governance of the LLA.
Manobah justified the decision, stating, "I signed the deed and leased the Hotel Africa Conference Center for 90 years because we need development. If we are interested in developing government land, we have to give it to them. Can you not see how developed the area is?"
However, a search of the deed did not reveal how much Sea View Golf Course paid to lease the property. Manobah has denied allegations that he personally profited from the transaction, saying, "If you want to know whether I received money from the lease, check the deed. Whenever land is sold or leased, the amount will be mentioned on it."
Over the past seven years, hundreds of parcels of public and government land have reportedly been sold or leased to prominent individuals and businesses, with a combined worth in the millions of U.S. dollars. The majority of these transactions occurred between 2020 and 2023.
Manobah, who has been the LLA's chairman since its establishment in 2018, has faced accusations of using his position to amass personal wealth. He has consistently defended his record, denying any wrongdoing, but the unilateral signing of multiple development grant deeds without following legal procedures has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the LLA.
The LLA holds the responsibility for overseeing land governance functions, including managing public and government land, except for reserves, protected areas, and diplomatic missions. The lack of transparency in the land sector not only violates the PPC Act but also raises concerns about whether public funds are being properly utilized.
Land ownership and transfer have long been contentious issues in Liberia, impacting social cohesion, peace, and development. The 1979 Hotel Africa Conference Center, once the largest in Liberia, hosted the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) under the leadership of President William R. Tolbert, Jr., just months before his overthrow by Samuel Doe.
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Efforts to reform Liberia's land sector culminated in the enactment of the Liberia Land Authority Act in 2016, which merged all land administration functions into a single entity. The 2018 Land Rights Act further recognized and protected customary land rights and women's land rights for the first time in Liberia's history, with support from the World Bank and other development partners assisting the government in implementing the new land laws.
However, ongoing issues with transparency and governance within the LLA threaten to undermine these reforms and further erode public trust in the authority's ability to manage Liberia's land resources effectively.
