Salayea District Commissioner Distances Himself from Ongoing Leadership Dispute

By: Peter Kollie |Lofa Correspondent

Salayea District, Lofa County |March 8, 2026|The District Commissioner of Salayea Administrative District in Lofa County, Ben Gboluma, has distanced himself from an ongoing leadership dispute involving local traditional authorities in the district.

The disagreement reportedly involves the Acting Town Chief of Kpayeaquelleh Town and the Clan Chief of the area, with both sides raising concerns about their respective administrative roles.

Appearing on the AYR Breakfast Show on Wednesday morning, Acting Town Chief Harris Mayan accused the Clan Chief of interfering in his administrative functions. Mayan alleged that the Clan Chief has been handling cases within his town without his involvement.

According to Mayan, the dispute dates back to shortly after he assumed office in September 2025. He explained that since taking the position, he has faced what he described as persistent challenges, including a formal complaint filed against him on three counts of allegedly undermining the authority of the Clan Chief.

However, Mayan stated that the matter was reviewed by relevant authorities and that he was not found guilty of the allegations.

He further claimed that the root of the conflict lies in overlapping responsibilities between the two offices, particularly regarding who has the authority to hear and resolve disputes within the town.

For his part, Commissioner Ben Gboluma said he is not connected to the dispute and emphasized the need to respect the statutory roles of both traditional offices.

The commissioner explained that cases at the clan level should be handled at the clan headquarters, while town chiefs are responsible for addressing issues within their respective towns.

Despite these clarifications, the situation remains unresolved as tensions continue between the two local leaders.