By Nasratu Kargbo
Head for Truck Owners and Garages at Hastings Sheku Kanneh has asked that the government finds a permanent location for them. He made this call following a press release issued by the Ministry of Transport and Aviation stating that all activities going on in and around the land should be suspended.
Kanneh on the 6th September 2022 told Politico that the country does not have a central lorry park that has a parking space big enough to accommodate more than twenty vehicles, and called on the government to secure them a permanent location.
He said they have been told to leave the area, but have nowhere to go, arguing that the government should have provided a permanent and suitable location for them to do their business. He added that after offloading goods, they need a space where all their trucks will park in order to save them from being harassed on the streets.
He made comparisons to other countries across the region like the Gambia, Liberia, and Guinea that have special places allocated for storing scrap metal, garages, and parks. He stated that their activities in their present location will not affect any new development, highlighting that they are three acres away from the airfield.
Giving a background on how they found themselves around the airfield, Kanneh explained that they use to work at Shell, but got relocated first to Texaco and later to Hastings where they currently work. He further explained that they were relocated to the airfield community by the then government on the grounds that the site belongs to the Ministry of Transport and Aviation.
Kanneh explained that both Shell and Texaco were sold to Lebanese men and added that around 30 acres of the airfield have been sold to a Lebanese man who bought the other place at Shell.
Mohamed Conteh who was farming very close to the airfield admitted knowing that the land belongs to the government, stating that it is part of the airfield. Conteh claimed the reason for farming was to secure the place noting that it was bushy and served as a hiding place for thieves.
However, he explained that the houses built around do not fall under that category, revealing that they had issues with the area, but that the then Minister of Lands Housing and Country Planning Dr. Dennis Sandy had settled their problem.
The government, through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, has set up a special sub-committee to look into claims made on the lands around, and at the Hastings Airfield. The government, therefore, instructed that all activities should stop until the committee submits its report on the decision that was met.
All those who claim to own a piece of land at the site have been asked to ensure that they present all relevant documents to the Ministry of Housing and Country Planning to serve as evidence.
“The attention of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation has been drawn to claims and counter claims by individuals and corporate bodies to ownership of pieces and parcels of Land and around the Hastings Airfields”, the ministry statement reads.
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