By Jeremiah Gayflor
Nimba County Senior Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr. and River Gee County Senator Francis Saidy Dopoh II have attributed the growing influx of Burkinabé nationals in parts of southeastern Liberia to decisions by local residents to lease or sell customary land to foreigners.
The two lawmakers issued separate but coordinated warnings over the weekend, urging citizens to halt the practice, which they say is fueling tensions and accelerating forest encroachment in their respective counties.
Speaking Saturday, April 18, during a citizens’ engagement in Tappita, Senator Twayen criticized residents of Kparblee District for allowing foreign nationals to acquire land for cocoa farming and other agricultural activities.
“I am warning the people of Kparblee District and Nimba at large: stop giving your forests to these people,” Twayen said. “I will not hesitate to take action against anyone who continues this practice.”
For months, the dense forests of Kparblee District have reportedly become a hotspot for settlement by Burkinabé migrants, many believed to be entering through Liberia’s porous border with Ivory Coast. The migrants have established cocoa farms and informal communities, raising concerns about land ownership, environmental degradation, and local governance.
Twayen, speaking as part of an ongoing chieftaincy tour across Nimba, warned that continued land transactions could prompt intervention from the Liberia Land Authority, including a possible moratorium on customary land allocations.
In River Gee County, Senator Dopoh echoed similar concerns while addressing residents of Graie Township. He acknowledged the importance of foreign investment but cautioned against undermining indigenous land rights.
“Development is important, but it must not come at the expense of our people losing control over their land,” Dopoh stated.
Burkinabé migrants often referred to locally as Mossi, have a long history of labor migration within West Africa. Many first moved to Côte d’Ivoire in the 1930s, where they became a backbone of the country’s cocoa industry. In recent years, however, increasing numbers have crossed into Liberia, drawn by relatively higher cocoa prices, vast forest reserves, and limited land monitoring.
Reports indicate that thousands have entered Liberia since the 2010s, with some estimates placing the number at around 25,000.
Environmental experts warn that the expansion of cocoa farming poses a significant threat to Liberia’s forests, mirroring trends seen in Côte d’Ivoire, where decades of cocoa production have led to severe deforestation.
Data from Global Forest Watch shows that Liberia lost approximately 386,000 hectares of primary forest between 2002 and 2024, raising alarms about sustainability and conservation.
In neighboring Grand Gedeh County, authorities report that the number of registered Burkinabé nationals has exceeded 36,000. Immigration officials have since established multiple registration centers to manage the growing population.
As pressure mounts, both senators are calling for stronger community awareness and stricter enforcement of land policies to safeguard Liberia’s natural resources and customary land ownership systems.
