Liberia Halts Public Land Sale

Liberia has placed an indefinite moratorium on public land sales and all transactions including the issuance of tribal certificates and town lot certificates. The moratorium takes immediate effect.

In Executive Order NO.53, issued Monday, December 23, 2013, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf insisted that this moratorium applies to all individuals, government functionaries, local officials, traditional authorities, communities, groups, businesses and associations involved in public land transactions.   

According to the President, the moratorium applies to all activities involving the issuance of tribal certificates by traditional and other governmental authorities or the issuance of town lot certificates by municipal authorities.   She then ordered the relevant ministries and agencies of government to closely monitor the situation to ensure compliance with this moratorium. 

President Sirleaf has warned that all tribal certificates and town lot certificates issued by any local authority during the period of this moratorium shall be considered illegal and void.
 

According to the Liberian government, its latest decision is based on emerging issues surrounding public land sale, which it said, poses serious challenges to ensuring equal access, security of tenure and the rule of law with regards public land sale. There is recognition that issues involving public land are complex and entail current procedures that contribute to many of the problems and abuses associated with public land sales, the government said.  

It added that there need to address and investigate these procedures, recognizing that there are technical and social issues involved in identifying available public land, including the issuance of tribal certificates and town lot certificates.  The continuing issuance of tribal certificates and town lot certificates for effecting public land sale, if left unchecked, will significantly hamper implementation of the National Land Rights Policy, specifically diminishing the benefits of customary land rights, observed the Liberian government.