Aloysious T. Makor
Source: allafrica.com
Ganta — The Mandingo Community in Ganta, Nimba County, is said to be unhappy with the latest decision the Liberian government has taken in the land dispute in the county.
The Mandingo Community according to our Ganta correspondent is not pleased because the Liberian government has exercised its Eminent Domain power on a land they claimed is there’s.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf during the recent July 26 Independence celebration in the county said the Ganta Market Ground, one of the areas in contention in the Nimba Land dispute, was a public property and that it was the right of the government to decide what to be done with the area, but the decision has sparked concerns amongst members of the Mandingo Community, describing the president’s latest action as worrisome.
The spokesperson of the Mandingo community in Ganta, Mohammed B. Keita told our reporter that the declaration by the president was unfair to them.
Keita, in an interview with The Analyst in Ganta recently, said the land in question was not a public land, rather a private land because they are people who have legitimate deeds, and as such, he said, it would be inappropriate should it be taken from them.
As they have been saying from time immemorial since the land issue erupted several years ago, the spokesman said all of those who are making claims to the land are in possession of the proper deeds to substantiate their claims.
Some of those who according to him possess proper deeds to the land include Mamadu Dorleh, Asumana Keita, Musa Jabayeh, and Musa Kromah among others, adding “all of those I named are confused because of the government’s decision to make the land a public property.”
“If the government can take a land given to the Mandingos and use it as public vicinity, then it means that the government is taking side with one group.”
More than that, according to Keita, those he claimed to be the legitimate owners of the land would be clear to present the deeds to the government if they were provided the chance to do that.
“If the government can ask them to produce their documents for the land, they will be in high spirit to present them to national government. They are awaiting the special presidential committee on land dispute to come out with its findings,” as well as articulating the views and aspiration of his people.
Keita did not hide the intention of the Mandingo community as to what they are capable of doing, saying that they will protest through legal process if any development was to take place on the disputed spot, and vowed that they will waste no time in challenging the government in a court of competent jurisdiction.
According to Keita, they will relax whatever action necessary if the government undertakes any project on the land, but will resist individuals who might want to carry on project on the land.
More besides, he said, due to the fact that the government instructed the special presidential land dispute committee to settle the numerous properties disputes in the county, this was why they have decided to channel their plight through the committee, but added that they will take different trend if the committee comes out with findings that will not go down with them.
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Everyone is a genius
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein
Drawing the line in Liberia
Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause
They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
If Liberia must move forward ...
If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's greatest problem!
While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - Bernard Gbayee Goah
What do I think should be done?
The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Solving problems in the absence of war talks
As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah