By Mohamed Macarthy
In what was an unprecedented move in the history of land possession in Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning on the 9th of December 2021 conducted its first ever raffle draw for the allocation of two hundred (200) plots of state lands to citizens.
The ceremony which took place at the Youyi Building in Freetown received 7,000 applicants from various backgrounds. The application letters were displayed in the full view of the general public and media houses.
The Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turah Senesie assured those present that the plots of land would be allocated to citizens through a public raffle draw to ensure transparency and fairness in the whole process. The minister himself then did the first hand-deep blind selection and took out one application from a revolving drum full of the documents, in the full view of the public. He then urged those volunteering from the public to follow same so that no one will be doubtful of the selection. Winners were announced one after the other, as their forms were picked out of the drum by members of the public.
A total of 200 Sierra Leoneans from various backgrounds each had a fair and transparent possession of two towns plot of state lands. The list of winners would be published by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning early this week and the handing over of their plots done formally. Land acquisition has become a contentious issue especially in the Western Area over the years. Some bloody confrontations over land had led to fatalities, with some officials in the ministry accused of being corrupt.
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