IPNEWS-Monrovia: The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Liberia Institute for Public Administration (LIPA) to ensure the training of land authority staff in sub-skills and administrative training. The signing ceremony which was done during the official launching and opening ceremony of the LLA sub-office in Gbarnga, Bong County over the weekend, was witnessed by members of foreign diplomatic missions to Liberia, a delegation from the World Bank and UNDP, donors, and partners.

Others were heads of government ministries and agencies, members of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, local county authorities, and representatives of CSOs working in Bong County, representatives from ILAMP, traditional leaders, women and youth groups in the County.

Furthermore, LIPA Director General, Alexander B. Yonly signed on behalf of his institution while Chairperson Adams Manobah signed on be behalf of the Liberia Land Authority.

The LLA was established by an Act of the Legislature in October 2016, thus, all land-related functions previously performed by key land administration agencies, such as the Department of Lands, Survey and Cartography (DLSC) under the former Ministry of Lands, Mines, and Energy, and the Deed and Title Registry of the Center for National Document Record Agency (CNDRA) are now part of functions of the LLA.

Remarking during the signing ceremony, the LLA Chairperson, Adams Manobah appreciated LIPA for joining his entity in signing the sub-skills and administrative training MoU. He added that the LLA has been very effective and committed to discharging its functions as an entity ranging from decentralizing its activities, supporting entities that are in need, and empowering Communities across the Country, and thereby assured officials of LIPA of the LLA commitment to the MoU.

On his part, LIPA DG, Alexander B. Yonly lauded the Liberia Land Authority for the level of commitment and cooperation in its workings thus describing the signing of the MoU as significant to the smooth operation of the LLA and LIPA as a whole.

He said the Liberia Institute of Public Administration is mandated by the act of the Legislature to strengthen the administrative functions and professional capabilities of the Government of Liberia, the public and private services through training of personnel and individual participant. “LIPA also executes research on public administration and consulting to develop maximum utilization of potential sources as it relates to talent and manpower development,” he noted.

According to Yonly, LIPA is a premier Centre of excellence in capacity building and development for service delivery in Liberia. He further revealed that the objective of LIPA is to provide capacity building and development support for service delivery through training, research, and consultancy services to the public and private sectors and civil society organizations and create and improve the capabilities needed for administering economic and social development programs.

The LIPA big man said, there has been a lot of strived at the entity in making sure that its works are effective and efficient in human resource development for the citizenry of Liberia; something according to him needs to be embraced by other supporting institutions in the Country. Professor Yonly then pledged LIPA’s commitment to work in line with the MOU in building the capacity of the Liberia Land Authority and the human resource development of the Liberians.

Additionally, the LIPA boss said the decision to have joined hands with LLA is based on the co-value, good services, integrity, and professionalism exhibited by the Liberia Land Authority over the years, thereby pledging his entity’s commitment to decentralizing its activities across the fifteen counties of Liberia through other functional entities.

Meanwhile, the Director for Administration, Human Resources, and training at the LLA, Aryee K. Williams narrated that over the past few weeks, the Liberia Land Authority has developed a business development unit to strengthen business activities at the LLA. He added that the Memorandum of Understanding signed will help strengthen that unit and seeks to generate revenues for the Liberia Land Authority.