Tamba F. Dauda, the Director of Lands and Surveys in the Ministry of Lands Housing and Country Planning (MoLHCP) discloses that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by MoLHCP, Paramount Chiefs (PCs) and Civil Society Organization (CSOs), created the avenues for the issuance of land documents in the various districts. Sierra Leoneans will not need to travel to Freetown to receive their land documents.

This disclosure was done in the events of signing the MoU on May 26th, 2023, at the Freetown City Hall. Dauda said that the signing of the MoU with these stakeholders shows that there is an existing Decentralized land administration system in the country. He said there are several land policies that have been made, adding that the overall objective of this MoU is to set up a plan to widely disseminate accurate information about the customary Land Rights Act of 2022 and the National Land Commission Act 2022 to citizens, corporations, government institutions, and interest groups in accessible languages and formats to facilitate their effective implementation’.

Chief Sonsiama Fasuluku, the National Head of Paramount Chiefs, expresses his appreciation for the opportunity given to them to sign MoU with the Ministry which shows that they have been considered as partners. He said, “The joint effort aims to inform land users and citizens generally of the rights, institutions, and processes for securing land as provided by laws, their role in environmental protection and stewardship, and the rules governing land acquisition for investment purposes”.

The MoU provided for the National Council of Paramount Chiefs (NCPC) to lead the process of establishing the chiefdom and Village Area Land Committees and will also create an open space for the parties herein, which include CSOs, Community Based Groups, youths and women. The MoU also state that CSOs will operate across the country working directly with traditional leaders and communities on key issues including land rights, resource exploitation, environmental justice and protection, food security and livelihoods and conservation.