Liberia: SDI, LLA and Communities Begin Confirmatory Survey in River Cess

14 October 2025
The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)
By Eric Opa Doue

- Following a day of intensive training, the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), with support from the Tenure Facility and in collaboration with the Liberia Land Authority (LLA), has commenced the confirmatory survey process in Wheasayn and Banana Clans in River Cess County.

The confirmatory survey represents a key milestone in helping communities gain legal recognition and secure tenure over their customary lands in accordance with the Land Rights Act of 2018.

According to Arthur Cassell, SDI's GIS Specialist, the training and survey are critical in empowering communities to understand their land boundaries and manage them responsibly.

"This process is not without challenges -- especially boundary disputes -- but the communities have learned a lot from previous trainings and engagements," Cassell said. "They are now more willing to cooperate and find peaceful solutions for the sake of development."

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Participants from Kahnweh, Wheasayn, and Dowein Clans during the confirmatory survey training held in Yarpah Town: Photo by Eric Opa Doue

Sylvester Kpahn, Chairperson of the Kahnweh Community Land Development and Management Committee (CLDMC), said the exercise will enable communities to take charge of their land-related decisions.

"Once the survey is completed, our communities will have the power to make informed decisions about our land," Kpahn noted. "We thank the government and all partners for their efforts, and we encourage neighbouring communities to resolve their boundary issues so they too can benefit."

Community representatives and facilitators discuss boundary points as part of the confirmatory survey process in River Cess County: Photo by Eric Opa Doue

For his part, Jerome Vanjakollie of the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring tenure security for customary landowners across Liberia.

"The confirmatory survey is an essential step toward securing the tenure rights of customary landowners," Vanjakollie stated. "When communities have clear and recognized boundaries, it reduces conflict and promotes peace and sustainable development."

The confirmatory survey, which began in Wheasayn and Banana Clans, will continue across the Kahnweh, Wheasayn, and Dowein Clans in the coming days as part of the broader effort to promote land ownership clarity and peaceful coexistence among communities.

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