By Mabinty M. Kamara
Five hundred Sierra Leoneans who won the state Land Raffle in May of this year have yesterday 15th August 2022 been handed their plots of land and documents at a proposed new city around Burreh Town and Kent Village in the Western Area Rural district.
Each of the winners including journalists, medical practitioners, civil servants, security personnel and fire fighters received two town lots for the construction of dwelling houses under the condition of lease for a period of three years subject to renewal.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony at Bureh town, Alphonso Manley noted that this is the first time in the history of governance in Sierra Leone for a government to initiate a transparent process through which citizens regardless of political orientation, tribe, region or religion can have equal access to land.
He applauded the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning Dr. Turad Senesie for ensuring sanity in the process of land acquisition in the country.
In her Statement, the Minister of Western Region, Nabila Tunis expressed excitement that people can have access to land through a transparent and fair process, citing the controversies that used to be associated to land acquisition especially in the Western Area.
In his statement, the lands minister, said that everything about the said land including the measurement is digitized and computed in a bid to avoid encroachment on the Right of Way and boundary disputes among neighbours.
Dr. Senesie noted that while planning the said area, they considered quality relationship wherein people from different backgrounds and professions can co-exist in a serene environment. The minister noted that the proposed name to the new city will be determined by the Presidency.
Delivering his key note address on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh noted that the new city will have all that is necessary for a comfortable living environment.
He noted that in page 88 of the SLPP manifesto, President Bio promised access to affordable land for every citizen in the wake of the hassles and confrontations that used to accompany land acquisition.
He said all the categories of people that won the land are those who on a daily basis sacrificed to serve the country and as such, they deserve a decent living.
He therefore cautioned village Headmen to desist from land grabbing and selling of state lands, saying that their mandate is to manage the affairs of the people in their respective communities and not to sell land.He also admonished the new land owners to stay within their allocated areas.
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