Amidst reports of unsettled land disputes, an exercise has begun in Liberia to educate citizens on Self-Identification of land.
The Catholic Agency for Oversees Development (CAFOD) in partnership with the Development Education Network-Liberia (DEN-L) recently ended a day-long meeting with people in Bondi Clan in Voinjama district, Lofa County about the importance of self-identification.
According to CAFOD Project officer to Liberia Madam Jennifer Mbiti, the forum was held ahead of the passage of the proposed Land Rights Act and its current status, which continues to suffer serious setback at the Liberian Senate.
The activity she said is part of a three year Land rights for Liberia project Funded by the European Union which is being implemented in four Counties of Liberia (Bong, Lofa, Nimba and Margibi) particularly for marginalized women and youths.
“If communities can be able to self identify their land, they will have better understanding on how to use it so that it don’t bring about conflicts” she added.
According to her, the three-year project is being implemented using multi-faceted approach of awareness-raising, advocacy and Capacity strengthening across three levels: communities, civil society and duty bearers.
Bondi clan in Voinjama district comprises 27 big towns and several other smaller villages with a vast land space.
There have been reports of land disputes across the clan amongst towns and also individual citizens some of which have been manically handled while few others are still pending investigations.
Speaking at the forum, the locals expressed appreciation to the European Union through the Development Education Network Liberia (DEN-L) and the Catholic Agency for Oversees Development (CAFOD) for the project.
According to them, the intervention by these partners is very timely as they eagerly await the passage of the Land Rights Act into law by the National Legislature.
In recent times, CSOs in Lofa and citizens attending the launch of the three years project at the William V.S Tubman County Hall in Voinjama presented a petition statement to lawmakers of their county, through the office of the county superintendent, calling on their elected representatives to use their good judgment in ensuring that the Land rights Bill is urgently reviewed and corrected.
This is in order to make the Bill pro-community land rights and passed into law.
“If there is anything genuine that their law makers can do for we who voted them to office and are still capable of again voting them in or out of office, we say is the passage of the rightful Land rights Bill,” the citizens said. Report by Tokpa Tarnue in Lofa, Liberia