How H.E. President Weah’s Land Commissioner’s Dr. Othello Brandy Must Reduce High Costs of Unscrupulous Land Sales Against the Interest of Liberians: A Few suggestions

The reduction of the high costs of land across Liberia is another area that is adding hardship on Liberians. The unprecedented hike in the sale of land is unbearable. There is an urgent need for very strong austerity measures taken by H.E. President Weah to arrest such an ugly scenario. This situation is causing Malham among Liberians in Liberia. Land prices should be moderate so that it can be affordable by Liberians who have the desire of purchasing a piece of land for their future. H.E. President Weah’s government could also erect low-cost housing facility for poor Liberians across Liberia.

The rationale is to reduce hardship on Liberians. The Government Land Commissioner Dr. Brandy should re-regular land tenures and land prices across Liberia. Let the Land Commissioner creates a condition that will make land purchases more and more affordable by Liberians. Land prices shouldn’t be left to landowners or foreigners to decide.

For example, land situated around the Robert Field High Way should be price tagged between $2,000LD to $3,000LD. Land situated around the Congo settlement should be sold between $500LD to LD800 dollar. Those in the leeward counties should be sold between $200LD and $300LD dollars to ease the land burden problems on Liberia across Liberia. Steps should be taken swiftly by H.E. President Weah’s administration to make Land accessible for purchase by all Liberians ill-respective of creed, status or condition in Liberia.

Lowering prices for rent/land tenures can also reduce hardship on Liberians. H.E. President Weah will need to take series of much stronger measures against Liberians and foreigners who are bent on hiking house rent and the sale of unscrupulous land in US dollars against the will and expectations of very poor Liberians.

First, all house rents should be paid in Liberian dollar and not in US dollar nor its equivalence. There should be a much stronger regulatory rent and land policies put in place by H.E. President Weah that will work towards abolishing the: “no rent pay in US dollar system across Liberia, but rent should rather be paid in exclusive LD.
Housing is one of the major areas of tremendous hardship in Liberia. H.E President Weah should curtail the proliferation of huge rent hikes on poor Liberians by foreigners who owned properties in Liberia and increased their rents straightly in US dollar. Other Liberians who are also in the Estate market business, shouldn’t be charging between $75 to $100 US for a one-bedroom apartment.

Other Liberians and foreigners charged the US $200 the for $300 dollars for a two-bedroom apartment with a tiny pouch with no conducive outside kitchen or bathroom. A whole house is being rented between $1,500 to $2,500 US a month, which is ridiculous. These self-imposed rent hikes activities are causing hardship on Liberians. Worst of it, some unscrupulous foreigners are heavily engaged in the Housing Estate Business. These foreigners hiked housing prices thus making life unlivable for Liberians in their own country.

For example, one-bedroom should be rented at a reasonable price of $1,500 LD; two-bedrooms should be $2,500LD, and a whole house of three-bedrooms should be $3,500LD. The idea of Liberians making compulsory deposits for two to three years advanced rents before they moved into a particular apartment/house. Such an advanced payment arrangement should be canceled by H.E. President Weah in order to make housing affordable to poor Liberians.