The group early last month petitioned the Legislature to allot US$1,006,055.18 or 30 percent of revenue collected from logging companies in the last three fiscal years—2016/2017, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020—to communities as land rental fees. Under the New Forestry Reform Law of Liberia, these CFDCs represent the interest of the communities where logging concession are located. They are entitled to 30 percent of logging revenue as land rental fees in addition to cubic meter fees and social agreements they sign with logging companies. This was a huge part of the forestry reform in Liberia in order to give communities their share of forest resources. The Government of Liberia owe communities US$8.3 million out of the $27.7 million it has collected but only $2.6 million has been transferred to date.

Source: Front Page Africa October 06, 2020 06:33 UTC