By Saio Marrah
As a way of minimizing the huge controversy over land ownership in the country, Parliament of Sierra Leone on Wednesday 15th December, 2021 approved the biometric property registration agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and Landreg SL Limited for the establishment of property registration for especially land and housing across the country.
The agreement seeks government support relating to the procurement of Biometric property registration project on a build, operate and transfer basis.
MPs from both sides of the aisles while applauding the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie, for accepting their suggestions in the agreement, expressed eagerness to approve the agreement.
Speaking to journalists after the approval of the document, the Minister said that over 60 percent of cases in court are land related, “So when once we introduce the property registration, it \is going to be biometric. We are going to reduce the conflict over the ownership of land drastically over 80%. We are going to make sure that we ease the burden on the court at the same time we are now going to also generate funds for the government of Sierra Leone,” he said.
Dr. Senesie said he had to review the agreement which had been signed already by his predecessor. This he said led to the reduction in the number of years of operation from 20 years to 10 years, the minimum guarantee from four million to two million dollars, and increasing the government’s share of the registration fees from 20 to 30 percent after an engagement with the service providers.
The Chairman of the Committee on Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Quintin Salia Konneh of constituency 007, Kailahun District said they are totally pleased with the document.
He therefore described Dr. Senesie, as a listening minister because he ensured that all monetary terms in the agreement are represented in the country’s domestic currency which is the ‘Leones’.
He also applauded the Minister for not accepting what he described as “sovereign guarantee” which commits the government to be paying a certain amount whether or not they make profit.
Another Member of Parliament, Dickson Rogers of constituency 100, Pujehun District, thanked the implementing agency of the project for accepting the recommendations of the minister after it had been accepted by the then minister of the past regime.
He commended Dr. Senesie for being the first minister to take all recommendation made by MPs before tabling a bill.
Member of Parliament, Abdul Karim Koroma of constituency 070, Port Loko District, said their debate has turned to a vote of thanks because the minister accepted all their suggestions. He also called on his fellow MPs to focus on the first benefit of the agreement when it will be handed over to the people .
The Acting Leader of the Main Opposition, All People’s Congress party in Parliament, Abdoul Hassan Sesay of constituency 050 Tonkolili District, called on other ministers to emulate Dr. Senesie in accepting their recommendations as it is now acceptable by both side of the aisles and the executive, for the benefit of the country.
Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Mathew Sahr Nyuma, from Kenema District, after highlighting the land issues in the country urged the minister to bring the land laws that needed review to parliament.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online 17/12/21
