Monrovia, Liberia – Associate Justice Yamie QuiQui Gbeisay, Chief Justice destined, has tasked the National Government with making sure that “Equalable Land Distribution” is a component of the country’s healing and reconciliation process.
Justice Gbeisay stated during the celebration of Liberia’s National Healing, Reconciliation and Unity program on Saturday, July 5, 2025, that if land is not distributed equally, there might be a spiral of conflict that could eventually destroy the country’s peace. “One individual possesses a thousand acres of land, or at least three hundred acres, and is requesting that the people who live there leave. So, when they’re Liberians, where do they go?” Justice Gbeisay asked.
President Joseph Nyumah Boakai and all other national authorities were encouraged by the Associate Justice to take into account the possibility of land conflicts. “Where do Liberians go if someone claims to have more than 1,000 acres of land and wants the people who have lived there for years to leave? That must be examined as part of our reconciliation process,” Mr. President.
The Associate Justice added that since the courts’ docket is overflowing with cases involving “Land Disputes,” resolving the land distribution issue is essential to fostering national healing and unity.
Justice Gbeisay’s comments neatly capture a developing national issue that has received little attention. Liberia has long had a complex land issue, but it is now becoming more flammable, especially as the country works to restore unity and confidence following years of civil upheaval.
Unresolved property conflicts, many of which are the result of decades-old claims, overlapping titles, and a lack of paperwork pertaining to communal land rights, are clearly overwhelming the courts. A situation that is gradually destroying societal cohesiveness is brought to the public’s notice by Justice Gbeisay’s warning, which also echoes courtroom reality.
Moreover, the call to action directed at President Boakai is not just a legal matter—it is a political and humanitarian imperative. It is clear that true healing cannot occur where access to land remains unjust, imbalanced, and contested. Equitable land distribution must go beyond policy pronouncements; it must be implemented with urgency and sincerity.
If the government doesn’t act quickly enough to put the 2018 Land Rights Act into effect and provide communities the authority to get their land recognized legally, the fragile peace Liberia currently enjoy may be undermined. The warnings of Justice Gbeisay need not only be discussed in public; they also need to direct immediate action.
