Rep. Benson Wants Land Rights Law Amended Amid Rising Land Conflicts

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: Montserrado County District #17 Representative Bernard Blue Benson has announced plans to introduce a bill to amend Article 24 of the 2018 Land Rights Law, which he said will help curb the devastating impact of demolitions linked to long-standing land disputes across Liberia.

By: Emmanuel George

The lawmaker said the proposed amendment aims to place greater responsibility on landowners to actively monitor their properties and pursue timely legal action, while protecting buyers who develop land without objection.

“It must be the responsibility of landowners to regularly check their property and initiate early court actions against perceived encroachments, not to wait after 40 to 50 years,” Benson said.

In a recent statement on his social media handle, Representative Benson referenced the demolition of homes in the Saye Town Community in District #8, Montserrado County, and argued that the absence of clear time limits for developing land has allowed dormant land claims to resurface, resulting in the destruction of investments made in good faith.

Under the proposed bill, the District #17 Lawmaker said land purchased and developed without objection or court intervention within a defined period should legally belong to the buyer.

“Any land purchased with structures being constructed without objection or court actions to cease and desist after one year must be deemed the property of the new buyer,” he stated.

He criticized what he termed as a harmful practice in which individuals wait decades before asserting land claims, stating that it abruptly poses setback to the lives of others through demolition exercises.

“People must stop waiting until after 50 years to come and claim properties and abruptly stop the lives of other Liberians by demolition exercises,” Benson added.

According to Representative Benson, the bill would amend Article 24 of the Land Right Laws which addresses the extinction of ownership by abandonment, to ensure fairness, legal certainty, and social stability.

“After consultation with my lawyers, expect a bill from me for the amendment of Article 24 of the Land Rights Law of 2018 that talks about extinction of ownership by abandonment,” he said.

According to him, the proposed reform is intended to protect ordinary Liberians, promote responsible land ownership, and prevent arbitrary demolitions that undermine public confidence in the land tenure system.

The proposed amendment comes amid heightened national debate over land ownership, demolitions, and the enforcement of land laws, with many citizens and civil society groups calling for urgent reforms to address growing crisis.