LLA Receives Major Boost From GEF By Godgift Harris

The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) has received a significant in-kind grant from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

The grant was channeled through Conservation International (CI), under the Food Systems and Land Use Restoration (FOLUR) project.

The donation, comprising essential equipment, was officially presented on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at the LLA’s headquarters in Monrovia.

The support is intended to bolster the entity’s operations and further the country’s efforts toward sustainable land management and environmental conservation, particularly in the northwest region.

During the handover ceremony, LLA Chairman Samuel Kpakio, extended heartfelt appreciation to the GEF and CI, emphasizing the importance of the intervention at a time when the entity continues to confront operational challenges.

“I am grateful for such a wonderful gesture and the commitment shown to the land sector,” Kpakio stated.

“These contributions will significantly support our reform efforts in the country’s land sector.”

He described the partnership as a critical step toward aligning national development priorities with environmental sustainability.

Kpakio also praised the work of Tom-Wesley Korkpor, LLA director for land use and management, who serves as the focal person for the FOLUR project.

 He said Korkpor’s leadership has been instrumental in ensuring the collaboration between LLA and CI, which “remains impactful and focused on mainstreaming sustainable land use into the country’s development agenda.”

Roger Emmou, CI’s Director for Program Delivery in West and Central Africa, lauded the LLA’s leadership and reaffirmed CI’s commitment to supporting the country’s environmental and land governance goals.

“We are proud of the progress so far, especially the leadership role played by Korkpor; assigning him to the FOLUR project was a commendable decision the LLA took,” Emmou remarked.

The latest grant forms part of a broader initiative under the FOLUR project, which seeks to balance economic development with environmental protection.

Recently, the LLA, in collaboration with CI and other stakeholders, concluded a national validation exercise for the development of a comprehensive Land Use Plan for the Northwest region.

The plan, targeting Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and Lofa counties, aims to establish a roadmap for responsible land use and long-term ecological preservation.