Judgment Day for Lands Minister Imminent
By Thaimu Thullah
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Hon. Quinton Salia-Konneh,
has assured of his committee’s commitment to delivering justice in the complaints surrounding the Tokeh Land, a 4-acre parcel, belonging to one Alpha Conteh, a diaspora Sierra Leonean based in the United States of America.
Hon. Quinton made the assurance in an interview with this medium on Monday, 16th November, 2024, following sustained media reports relating to the said land.
It could be recalled that the Conteh Family, who acquired a 4- acre land at Tokeh Village, twelve years ago, was allegedly dispossessed from them by the Ministry of Lands under the leadership of Dr Turad Senesie.
It could also be recalled that after several futile attempts to reclaim his property, Alpha Conteh, the alleged bonafide owner, wrote a strongly worded letter to Parliament, expressing dissatisfaction over the ‘undue advantage’ meted against his family by the Ministry of Lands.
In the said letter, the Family exposed the magnitude of corruption displayed by the Ministry in reclaiming their property, citing instances where the Director of Lands for North-West, Noah Fofanah, who also served as the errand boy for Turad Senesie, requested them to give him a portion of the land for the Ministry to give them legitimate possession of the property. The Family highlighted situation where Noah had been pressurizing their brother, Alpha Conteh, to meet with him at a hotel to get a mutual understanding and to strike a compromise for the land in question.
“Noah Fornah requested several times, through a telephone call with our brother, Alpha Conteh, for them to meet at a hotel and strike a compromise for the land…Alpha refused to meet Noah at the hotel and in the event, turned down his request”, the letter stated that it is against such a backdrop that the Ministry ordered a bulldozer to destroy the perimeter fence of the Conteh family land at Tokeh Village.
They also mentioned the meeting they had with the Minister of Lands to show him proof of ownership of the property, but stated how the Minister did not even countenance it, but maintained that “all lands in Sierra Leone are state land”.
The Family stated the undue advantage meted against them by Minister Senessi, which they described as heartbroken as it has the tendency to scare away potential investors.
In lieu of the above, the Conteh Family wrote to the leadership of Parliament to investigate this matter and to prevent investors from losing confidence in investing in Sierra Leone.
Having received the said letter coupled with the sustained media reports on same, the Lands Committee Chairman has therefore, expressed strong commitment to look into the matter hopefully early next week and has thus, called for a meeting with the aggrieved party.