Post a comment 
The Lawyers’ Society of Sierra Leone has challenged recent comments by the Minister of Lands and Country Planning, Turad Senesie, that individuals do not own land in Sierra Leone and that all land in Freetown and the provinces belongs to the government.
The Society said the minister’s interpretation does not reflect the position of Sierra Leonean law.
In a statement issued after seeing a video of Mr Senessie making the remarks during a weekly press briefing, the Lawyers’ Society said it was concerned that the comments could mislead members of the public about their legal rights to land.
The Society cited the Conveyancing Act 1881, saying the law recognises the right of individuals to own land absolutely and to transfer title through contracts.
It further said those rights have been recognised and upheld by the courts of Sierra Leone, including the Supreme Court.
“The Society issues this clarification immediately having seen the misleading video by the Minister of Lands and Country Planning on the law, so that the public is accurately informed and guided,” the statement read on X (formerly Twitter).
The dispute comes amid ongoing discussions over land ownership and administration in Sierra Leone, where questions surrounding customary, private and state land have remained a significant public issue.
The Lawyers’ Society said it was issuing the clarification to ensure that members of the public understand the law and are not misled by statements suggesting that individuals cannot legally own land in the country.
Minister Senessie made the disputed remarks while addressing journalists at the government’s weekly press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education in Freetown.
