By Rational Joe Ks Fineboy
Sinoe County, Liberia: A growing wave of concern is sweeping across Southeastern Liberia as local farmers and residents warn of an impending land crisis. The issue is tied to the increasing influx of Burkinabe migrants into the region, who are reportedly engaged in large-scale cocoa cultivation and other agricultural activities.
These foreign nationals are said to be occupying vast stretches of customary land, sparking widespread fears of future land disputes and the potential loss of indigenous ownership. Citizens across Grand Kru, Sinoe, and River Gee Counties are sounding the alarm, warning that the trend, if unchecked, could escalate into a national conflict.
Many residents are directly accusing local elites and community leaders of facilitating the migrants’ settlement. They suggest this is being done for short-term gains at the expense of their people’s long-term land rights.
“Our own brothers and sisters are the ones encouraging the coming of these aliens out of ignorance,” stated Isaac Sieh Bartu-Bartu, Chairman of the Grand Kru County Platform of the Union of Southeastern Farmers Federation (USEFF).
Bartu-Bartu emphasized the gravity of the situation: “Allowing them to plant trees that last 60 years means we risk losing our ancestral lands forever. Tomorrow, they could legally claim ownership of these lands — and that’s why we cannot remain silent.”
He confirmed that he has officially communicated the matter to USEFF’s national leadership in Monrovia, describing it as a national emergency that could have “long-term native effects” on Liberia’s rural population.
Investigations reveal that the migrants’ settlement often occurs through informal agreements. In these arrangements, Burkinabe migrants retain a portion of the land they cultivate, while local hosts keep the remaining area.
Some residents reportedly justify these partnerships by arguing that the Burkinabes possess superior farming techniques and resources needed to sustain cocoa farming, skills that many locals lack.
However, critics argue that such partnerships, while seemingly beneficial in the short term, fundamentally undermine the sovereignty of indigenous land ownership and could permanently alter traditional land tenure systems.
The national leadership of the Union of Southeastern Farmers Federation is now actively seeking intervention. Isaiah B. Dapaye, National Coordinator of USEFF, confirmed that the organization has launched internal consultations and is appealing to both the Liberian government and international partners.
“This issue is not isolated — it’s a growing national concern,” Dapaye said. “We are in Monrovia to draw the attention of the Government and international partners.”
A formal engagement with members of the Southeastern Legislative Caucus has been scheduled for October 31, 2025, at the Capitol Building. The organization plans to present practical strategies and policy recommendations to address the crisis.
The controversy has been fueled by a recent report that over 48,000 Burkinabe migrants were processed by the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) Grand Gedeh Detachment. This revelation has heightened public outrage and intensified suspicions about unregulated migration and subsequent land occupation.
For the many rural residents whose livelihoods depend heavily on customary land, the demand for urgent national attention to prevent the crisis from escalating is loud and clear.
The immediate question facing policymakers is whether the Legislature will act decisively to safeguard the ancestral lands of southeasterners or allow the situation to fester until it explodes into a full-scale conflict. As the region awaits government intervention, its farmers’ voices grow louder, demanding not only land protection but also a comprehensive plan for agricultural self-reliance and sustainable rural development.
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