By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning has according to it officials generated about NLE 16 billion (New Leones) from January on to date as revenue generated from the sale of state lands, leasehold, building permits, penalty fees, state land survey fees, and so on.
The disclosure was made during the 2022 budget hearing at the Ministry of Finance's main conference room in Freetown.
In his presentation, Moinina Kopoi, the Principal Accountant of the Lands ministry pointed out that as part of their policy objectives, they are set to enhance effective land administration, land use planning, management, and development controls. He also said that they are also set to control the rapid growth of spontaneous informal urban settlements.
He stated that the ministry is planning to establish new cities, towns, and villages where Lungi is set to be one of the cities being marked to be the new financial city. He went on to say that they are also set to promote effective practices that he said will integrate economic growth, sustainable social development, and environmental management.
Kopoi further said that they have provided policy directives and guidance for effective planning, sound environmental management, land management, and administration. He said they have improved the Geodetic and Topographic activities in the country through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications and Global Positioning Systems (GPS).
He reiterated that they have created and increased public awareness on Land Management issues as well as development control measures. He said they have also improved access to affordable homes and have also incorporated Environmental Management principles into Planning, Land Management Administration.
For the 2021 deliverables, the Ministry's Principal Accountant explained that they have paid for twenty (20) years of lease rent arrears for Government Reservation lands and they have also acquired state lands in Kabala and Kambia. He also said that they have developed a land title Registration Bill where he said they have reclaimed, surveyed, signposted, and registered additional two thousand (2000) acres of state land in the Western Area.
He said the ministry has submitted to Parliament for the ratification of the Land Commission and Customary Land Rights Bill. He added that they have developed Cooperate Strategy, Business and Transformation Strategy for the transition and smooth operation of the National Land Commission. He also noted for the ministry has secured land for the establishment of the new financial city in Lungi.
Speaking on the 2022 deliverables, Kopoi said they have developed a National Bank acquisition and have registered at least ten thousand (10,000) acres of land in the Western Area and ten thousand (10,000) for each district in the provinces. He also said that they have developed a master plan for the Western Area, Bo, Makeni, Kenema, PortLoko, Bonthe, Koidu, and Sefadu.
He pointed out that for the 2023 Fiscal Year, the ministry will continue to develop the National Bank acquisition and registration of at least ten thousand (10,000) acres of land in the western area and provinces. He said they have developed an app to identify plots of land from the site, as they recently did for those that benefited from the land raffle.
Kopoi, therefore, noted that the ministry required a total recurrent budget of about seven billion New Leones (NLE 7) to achieve their 2023 deliverables while assuring that they will end up generating over thirty billion New Leones (NLE 30 billion).
Accountant Kopoi highlighted key challenges faced by the ministry like the outdated laws and legislation. He also said that they are challenged with the poor logistical support of vehicles, machinery, equipment, software, and tools.
He also mentioned inadequate budgetary allocation, poor infrastructural facilities at both headquarters and their regional offices to adequately enhance their work, a huge backlog from the public, lack of synergy between them and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as part of the issues affecting the ministry.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning is mandated to ensure effective land management and administration in a sustainable manner, ensure equitable access to and control over land and ensure effective planning of towns/cities, and provide affordable housing with the view of alleviating poverty and promoting economic growth.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (30/09/22)
