Liberia: Gobachop Squatters Relieved as LBS Waives Land
— but each squatter will have to pay $200 for public land sale deed from the Liberia Land Authority for a plot of land where their house, shop or shores occupied
When the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) announced a few years ago that Sarah Jackson, and others who had been squatting on the public broadcaster’s property in the Gobachop Community would be paying a monthly rent, her hope vanished.
Sarah regained hope when former president George Weah asked the LBS to waive the land to the squatters because they have been occupying the area for decades with an agreement between the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) to collect $200 from squatters for a Public Land Sale Deed.
“We tell the president thank you for giving us the area,” she said. “ We will look for the money to pay.”
Formerly occupied by thousands of marketers including petty traders, Gobachop, a sprawling slum community in Paynesville, grapples with limited housing and basic services like sanitation, and latrines. The rapid growth in urban communities like Monrovia and Paynesville since the end of the war in 2003 means slum dwellers make up 70 percent of the city’s population, according to a Cities Alliance report.
On Sunday, July 10, 2021, the government relocated marketers from the Gobachop market to Omega market, where they have occupied for decades, leaving Sarah, and thousands of residents who resided and earn a living through commercial activities, vulnerable.
“Since this market left, we are noting anything,” said Sarah.
Most of the people living in the Gobachop community do not have regular jobs and have very little income. They once depended on the market, but says the relocation of the market was a setback to them.
The residents described the decision by LBS to collect monthly rent as inhumanue, and no rest for them, but hailed President Weah’s for mandating LBS to waive the land to them which will make them legitimate owner for life once they paid for the deeds.
Benjamin Massaquoi, Assistant Director for Government’s Project at the Liberia Land Authority said the LLA, said the decision to pay the $200 was agreed upon by the leadership of the community that each identified, established, and vetted land claimant who is considered as the right squatter of the area will get their deed once they paid.
“Each of the deed shall be issued directly in the name of the squatter on a plot of land including house, stores, and shops owners” he said.
Massaquoi added that in 2021, LBS asked the LLA to conduct a survey off 100 acre of land, but after the survey they could only identified 62 acre off land due to encroachment.
“The president [Weah] asked us to reserved 4.3 acres of land in the circle to build public hospital, school, and playground playground inclusive of a sport pitch, and a public latrine,” Massaquoi added.
John Fineboy, the Acting Community Chairman said when LBS asked them to become tenant they had no where else to go, but to former pesident Weah, who intervened and convinced LBS to give the place to them.
“Our major problem is payment.” Our people are complaining about the amount.”
Gobachop community comprises of the Kizito, Outland, and the Reservoir communities. But residents within the Kizito, Outland, and the Reservoir communities’ disagreed that they are squatters. They argued that they are occupying private land which they bought from private individuals, not LBS, But a Memorandum of Understanding seen between the LLA and the community leadership referred to Kizito, Outland, and the Reservoir communities as squatters.
“We have our land deeds that we bought from private individuals,” said Marke Clarke, Kizito chairman. “We made it clear to LBS and the LLA during the survey that we are not squatters.”
Although many have lauded the president’s mandate asking LBS to waiver the land, however, a lot of people are skeptical arguing that LBS has not presented any deed to the community showing that they are the legitimate owner, so what if they paid this $200 and someone come in the future to claim the land.
“The government is their granter,” said Massaquoi, who is responsible for monitoring government’s lands. “The government should be liable for that, and not the individual”
Gobachop, a community situated in Montserrado County, district #4 is faced with many challenges. Limited infrastructure, latrines, and security.
The area has been used by the Paynesville City Corporation as a trash holding point for nearby communities. Priscilla Cooper, who is now the representative of the district promised to work with the community to ensure that their needs are address.
Rep. Priscilla Cooper addressing the community dwellers
During one of her “thank you” visits on Sunday, Feb 2023, she visited the Gobachop, and the Wetin Town Communities. “I have come to say thank you. Thank you so much. I wasn't on a party ticket you decided to vote me. I have cone to apprehending all of you. Thank you, my people.”
The community dwellers complained about trash, water, security, health, and school to Cooper, she then promised to work with the ministries, corporations, and agencies responsible to handles these issues. As part of her thank you visit, she is giving L$50 to each community.
“I brought L$50 for the community right now no budget before the House of Representatives, we na get pay yet. So whatever we doing here coming from our pocket.”
She promised transparency, policies, and accountability with a holistic efforts to address the community dweller plights.