Guma MD Accused Of Selective Enforcement

By Mahmud Tim Kargbo

Investigative Report Uncovers Alleged Land Grabbing by Managing Director of GVWC.

An independent investigation into land disputes at Mile 13 has revealed growing tensions between local families and the Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC), led by Managing Director, Maada S. Kpenge. Evidence suggests that GVWC is selectively enforcing land claims, preventing specific families from accessing their land, while allowing others to build freely in the same vicinity.

Sources, including past and present GVWC employees, confirm that the utility company has had a presence in Mile 13 since 1961. However, longstanding residents argue that they initially provided the land to GVWC without formal legal documentation, as a goodwill gesture to facilitate the construction of workers’ quarters, a road to the treatment center, and access to the dam.

SELECTIVE LAND ENFORCEMENT SPARKS OUTRAGE

Despite this history, local families—including the Kamara, Dumbuya, Sesay, Jalloh, Jaward, Barrie, Conteh, and Bangura families—now find themselves in a legal battle over land they claim to rightfully own. These families possess legal documents proving ownership, yet GVWC’s leadership has been actively preventing them from accessing and developing their properties.

Strikingly, just across the street, other individuals are constructing houses without any interference from GVWC. Some are building near the hills and even clearing forested areas for development. Yet, when asked whether they had received stop orders or warnings from GVWC, residents reported that they had not. This raises serious concerns about whether the Managing Director’s actions are driven by genuine environmental or legal concerns—or by other motives.

GVWC MANAGING DIRECTOR DENIES NEED FOR ADDITIONAL LAND

In a direct exchange with this publication, Managing Director Maada S. Kpenge admitted that GVWC has had land at Mile 13 since 1961, but denied that the company needed additional land. However, his actions suggest otherwise, as he continues to press claims over land occupied by local families, while turning a blind eye to other developments in the area.

A respected elder in the Mile 13 community emphasized that land acquisition laws in Sierra Leone are clear: any institution seeking to acquire land for public good must follow legal channels. “The Managing Director is not ready to acquire further land legally from the rightful owners,” he stated. “Instead, he appears determined to take the law into his own hands, which suggests he is not acting in the general interest of the public.”

IMPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES AND LEGAL PRECEDENTS

The dispute has serious implications for local landowners, as well as for legal land ownership protections in Sierra Leone. The families affected by GVWC’s actions fear that if the company is allowed to proceed unchecked, it will set a dangerous precedent for future land grabs by state institutions.

Moreover, the inconsistency in land enforcement raises ethical concerns about the GVWC’s approach to governance and fairness. If protecting the dam and surrounding areas is truly a priority, why are some individuals being allowed to build freely, while others are being forcibly removed?

CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY AND LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Stakeholders and legal experts argue that the only solution to this growing dispute is transparency and adherence to Sierra Leone’s land acquisition laws. The government and regulatory bodies must intervene to ensure that land rights are respected and that no institution—whether public or private—can arbitrarily seize land from rightful owners without due process.

As tensions escalate, affected families have vowed to resist what they describe as an unlawful encroachment on their ancestral land. Meanwhile, GVWC’s leadership remains under scrutiny for its handling of the situation, with calls for an independent legal review into its actions at Mile 13.

The Mile 13 dispute is not just about land—it is about fairness, legal integrity, and the responsible governance of public institutions. If left unresolved, it risks setting a troubling precedent for land ownership rights across Sierra Leone.