The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) has firmly denied allegations that its Chairman, Samuel F. Kpakio, played any role in an alleged scheme to issue a 500-acre Developmental Grant Deed (DGD) to a Burkinabe national in Tian Town and Bhai-Niko, Grand Gedeh County.
The claims initially reported by The Daylight accused Chairman Kpakio of violating a moratorium on public land transactions.
But in a statement issued over the weekend, the LLA condemned the reports as “baseless” and “malicious,” noting that they were intended to tarnish the Chairman’s reputation and undermine confidence among donors and partners.
According to the Authority, the moratorium currently in effect applies exclusively to the sale and lease of public land, not to the issuance of Developmental Grant Deeds. As such, the DGD in question, the LLA stressed, did not breach any existing policies.
The Authority explained that its approval of the document relied on information provided by the County Land Office in Grand Gedeh, in line with its decentralization strategy.
However, subsequent investigations uncovered what the LLA described as a “premeditated and orchestrated plan” by the County Land Administrator, Freeman Paye, and the County Land Dispute Officer to mislead the central office and draw the Authority into public controversy.
Both officials have been suspended indefinitely pending a full administrative probe.
To restore calm and ensure proper land governance in the area, the LLA has dispatched a team of technicians to Grand Gedeh County to carry out a comprehensive customary land formalization process.
The initiative, grounded in Articles 46.1 and 46.2 of the LLA Act and the 2018 Land Rights Act, is expected to fast-track the issuance of Statutory Customary Land Deeds to communities.
Chairman Kpakio, addressing journalists in Monrovia, warned that any staff found engaging in acts that bring the institution into disrepute would face strict disciplinary action.
He emphasized that honesty, professionalism, and accountability remain the cornerstone of the LLA’s operations.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding customary land rights nationwide and ensuring all land-related activities align with national laws and best practices.
