The residents of the Peninsular area including Bio Barry, Number 2 River,  to Mile 13 among other areas accuse the government of not following due process in the demolition exercise that is ongoing in their communities.

Members of the Civil Society Consortium on Community Accountability and Service Delivery also frown at the exercise of the government to demolish one thousand structures built around those areas.

Addressing a news conference at Bio Baray on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, William Sao-Lamin said all structures built in the eight zones have been identified for demolition. He accused officials of the National Public Protected Authority, Guma Valley Water Company, and the Ministry of Environment of being behind the demolition exercise which has already started in the last seventy-two hours.

He pointed out that the government however has the right to reclaim land but must follow due process which includes consultations, negotiations, and compensation to land owners which he noted was never done. He said 99.9% of occupants in those places have legal documents from the Ministry of Lands and Country Planning under Dr. Denis Sandy which include letters of offer from the government and payment of taxes and conveyances. He accused Some senior government officials of misleading President Julius Maada Bio and pleaded with the government to put a halt to the ongoing demolition exercise.

“We are all Sierra Leoneans. Most of us have freehold documents and conveyances provided to us by the Ministry of Land three years ago. All structures built from “One Ose to Mile 13 will be demolished according to government officers. We will resist peacefully after today,” Sao-Lamin told journalists. He accused the authorities of partial demolition as some houses belonging to senior government officials were left while others were demolished. He said they are totally against deforestation but also caution the authorities to do the work cautiously.

In his contribution, the Village Headman, Joseph Jalloh said he was never contacted before embarking on the demolition exercise. He called on government to reconsider their decision and engage the community members, He called on President Bio to stop the demolition exercise and investigate the issue properly. “99% of inhabitants have legal documents signed by the then Minister of Lands Dr. Denis Sandy.” he noted and

pleaded with government to address the issue amicably. For his part, Robert Kondeama sympathized with the affected people and called on the authorities to put a halt to this exercise until the truth is known.

One of the affected persons, Sia Gborie said before putting up the structures, they first applied to the ministry.

“We were given offer letters with the condition to build within three years. We later applied for free hold after paying our taxes and leases etc. We fulfilled all the conditions put to us by the ministry and today they are demolishing our structures,” Madam Gborie said in tears.

Reading their position paper, Moses Mambu called on President Bio to put a halt to the ongoing demolition and set up an independent Committee to investigate what happened. He said all those affected are teachers, serving military and police officers, civil servants, lawyers, and single parents among others, adding that they have invested all they had to build these structures.