Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph has formally petitioned the Liberian Senate to recognize the Sarpo people as Liberia’s 17th officially recognized ethnic group, arguing that their exclusion from the country’s existing ethnic classification is a historical and administrative oversight.
Senator Joseph’s communication, dated October 29, 2026, was presented to the Senate and subsequently accepted before being referred to the Committees on Judiciary and Local Government for review and a report within two weeks.
In his proposal, Senator Joseph argues that although Liberia is commonly recognized as having 16 indigenous ethnic groups, historical records, census data, educational materials, and previous government communications have documented the Sarpo as a distinct indigenous community.
He maintains that the absence of the Sarpo people from the official classification does not reflect their historical existence or identity but rather an administrative lapse that requires legislative intervention.
To support his argument, the Montserrado County Senator referenced a July 11, 1989 communication from the Executive Mansion under the administration of former President Samuel K. Doe, which formally acknowledged the Sapo Community and its traditional leadership.
He also cited the 2008 Liberia National Population and Housing Census, which reportedly listed the Sapo as a distinct ethnic category under ethnic code 16, as well as a Ministry of Education civic textbook that identifies the community among Liberia’s ethnic groups.
Senator Joseph further referenced a December 18, 2025 ruling by the Supreme Court of Liberia in the case of Sapo Community v. Central Bank of Liberia, arguing that the Court affirmed the community’s legal standing while maintaining that formal recognition of ethnic groups is a political question reserved for the Legislative and Executive branches of government.
According to the communication, the Supreme Court’s position places responsibility on the Legislature to consider the community’s formal recognition.
The senator also invoked Article 5(a) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which calls for national integration and unity regardless of ethnic, regional, or other differences and mandates the Legislature to enact laws promoting national unification.
He insists that recognizing the Sarpo would strengthen national inclusion rather than create divisions among Liberians.
The communication further outlines the community’s distinct linguistic, cultural, historical, and territorial identity, particularly its ancestral connections to southeastern Liberia, including areas around Putu Mountain, with communities in Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, and River Gee Counties.
Citing a 1974 ethnographic study titled The Liberian Kran and the Sapo, authored by Günter Schröder and Dieter Seibel, Senator Joseph argues that the Sarpo people’s distinct language, social organization, and geographical presence have been academically documented for decades.
To prevent what he described as frivolous future recognition claims, the senator has proposed four criteria for recognizing any ethnic group: a distinct and historically documented language or dialect, traditional governance structures, ancestral ties to specific territories, and consistent self-identification supported by community consensus.
As part of the requested legislative action, Senator Joseph wants the Senate to invite the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) to produce the complete ethnic classification table from the 2008 census and explain why the Sapo category was omitted from the officially published list of 16 ethnic groups.
He also called for consultations with Sarpo traditional and community leaders and consideration of a Joint Resolution that would direct LISGIS and relevant government institutions to reflect the community in future censuses and official state documents.
The proposal now rests with the Committees on Judiciary and Local Government, which are expected to review the communication and report to the Senate within two weeks.
