More than 100 staff from the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning, alongside members of the Sierra Leone Bar Association specializing in land issues, staged a protest against Lands Minister Dr. Turad Senesie, accusing him of undermining professional standards in favor of political agendas.
The protesters, who convened at a resort in Freetown, condemned the Minister’s alleged disregard for the professional and technical responsibilities of the ministry, particularly in his dealings with the Lands Commission and Council. They claimed that his actions contravened the Sierra Leone Lands Act.
Central to the controversy is the Minister’s proposal to introduce para-surveyors and paralegals after only three months of training, a move workers say undermines the rigor of the profession. Surveyors require three to five years of specialized training, the protesters noted, dismissing the plan as unfeasible and detrimental to the sector.
An audio recording from a meeting featuring the Chairman of the Lands Commission, Modupeh Taylor Pearce, and lawyer Conteh, was shared with the gathering. It revealed that many of the proposed changes in the land management system were direct orders from the Minister, not the commission.
Workers also rejected Senesie’s suggestion to appoint committee members based solely on educational degrees, arguing that experience should be equally valued. They criticized his plan to personally select licensed surveyors in consultation with Paramount Chiefs and civil society organizations, asserting that such decisions should be managed by the Lands and Surveys Council.
“The Minister lacks the professional understanding necessary to make such decisions,” a protesting worker said, adding that the current system ensures accountability and professionalism.
Protesters further alleged that the Minister’s actions were politically motivated and included efforts to marginalize the Director of Lands and Surveys. They accused him of seeking personal benefits through misconduct.
Demands from the group included the establishment of surveyor training institutions in all districts, alternative forms of identification for land registration, and a clear separation of technical responsibilities from political influence. They also criticized the Minister’s decision to halt an investigation into his predecessor, Dr. Dennis Sandy, suggesting it was compromised for personal interests.
This protest underscores escalating concerns among land professionals who argue that the Minister’s policies are eroding the technical integrity of Sierra Leone’s land management system.
They have no love in their hearts and they could never do the right thing,but remember 1day u will be judge sincerely by the true creator and u will be dealt with. Beware of judgement
Turad Senessie is the worst minister ever in the history of sierra Leone, as far as lands issues in concerned.
What goes around comes around. This same minister Turad Senesie, was the one organising and in-sighting lecturers at Njala University against the then vice chancellor Dr. Abu Sesay, for him to be removed as vice chancellor.
Now Mr. Minister it’s your turn to taste how it feels to be protested against.
Good coverage. We now want to get the Minister’s side of the story
All they want is to enrich themselves
The guy is an administrative tutor, he does not know the inner circle of survey in Sierra Leone, but honestly I don’t blame him is just the take and put political appointments in this country.
It is a fact that surveying standards and practice in Sierra Leone are ancient, woefully broken and is responsible for the many many land disputes which end up in court and never get resolved, costing innocent citizens dearly. The Ministry (not just the Minister!) is being sponsored by the World Bank to upgrade those standards and modernize the country’s land management system. It is a pity that this newspaper presents such an uninformed article about this matter, in support of those very unprofessional people who want the country to remain in this cesspool of a corrupt land management system.
He is one of the ministers that heavy play tribal cards in executing his duties, such people whose mentalities are hell-bent on tribal politics should have no place in a civilize society. I have watched him closely over the years