-Legal Association Launches Review of 500-acre Deal with Burkinabé Investor; Cites Compliance with Land Rights, Local Government, and PPCC Laws as Essential
Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County — The Grand Gedeh Bar Association (GGBA) has opened a legal review of a 30-year land lease between the county administration and Burkinabé investor Boubou Sebu, calling for full transparency, community participation, and compliance with key Liberian laws before implementation moves ahead.
In a statement issued under the signature of GGBA President Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, the Bar said it acted following “widespread inquiries” from citizens and stakeholders about the agreement, which covers 500 acres in the B’hai Administrative District for cocoa cultivation.
“We welcome any investment that promotes sustainable agriculture and local employment,” Cllr. Gbala said. “However, transparency, legality, and community benefit must remain the bedrock of every concession or lease agreement entered into on behalf of our people.”
Cllr. Gbala said he has spoken with Superintendent Alex Chesea Grant, who “assured the Bar of his commitment to share a copy of the lease agreement and to work collaboratively with the GGBA in assessing the legal sufficiency and long-term implications of the deal.” The Bar said it would issue a follow-up statement after its review once the agreement is formally submitted by the superintendent’s office.
The GGBA emphasized that any land and agricultural development project must adhere to the Land Rights Act (2018), the Local Government Act (2018), and the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCC)—particularly where public assets or communal lands are implicated. It also urged inclusion of local community representatives in oversight to ensure fair participation, environmental protection, and equitable benefit-sharing.
“Our goal is not to obstruct development,” Cllr. Gbala added, “but to ensure that every development is lawful, transparent, and genuinely beneficial to the people of Grand Gedeh—today and for generations to come.”
County inked lease on Oct. 18 The Bar’s intervention follows the county’s announcement that it had finalized the agreement on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at the Superintendent Tubman Palace office in Zwedru. Superintendent Grant said the lease takes immediate effect and is dedicated exclusively to cocoa farming.
Outlining the financial terms, Grant said the county will receive $150,000 over the first 10 years, with the full amount earmarked for the County Development Fund. “Over the full 30-year period, Grand Gedeh County is slated to receive a total of $600,000 USD,” he said.
County Attorney E. Wilkins Nah said the legal instruments include measures “to protect the local forest” as part of the agreement. Sebu thanked local authorities and confirmed the leased land will be used solely for cocoa production.
Public reaction and next steps News of the deal has already stirred debate among residents. Writing on social media, citizen commentator Philip Bas Kamah II criticized the agreement as “deeply flawed, unfair, and potentially damaging to both the people of B’hai District and Grand Gedeh County at large.” County officials, for their part, have framed the lease as a milestone investment intended to strengthen local development through the County Development Fund while pledging environmental safeguards.
The GGBA’s move adds formal legal scrutiny to the process and is likely to sharpen focus on whether the county secured broad-based community buy-in and met statutory procurement and concession standards. While officials have touted the deal’s development potential, they have not yet disclosed detailed implementation plans, governance structures for community oversight, or a public copy of the lease.
What to watch
- Publication of the signed lease and related legal documentation for public review.
- Confirmation of compliance steps under the Land Rights Act, the Local Government Act, and the PPCC Act.
- Composition and mandate of any community oversight mechanism to monitor environmental and social commitments.
- A detailed disbursement and accountability plan for County Development Fund receipts tied to the lease.
As the county awaits the Bar’s findings, pressure is mounting for authorities to demonstrate that the headline figures and development promises are matched by lawful process, transparent terms, and real safeguards for communities in B’hai District.
