By Abubakarr Harding
A Land Commission Bill that seeks to ensure an effective, efficient, transparent, fair and accountable land management system in Sierra Leone is being roundly endorsed by Parliamentarians from both the ruling and opposition parties alongside the Paramount Chiefs.
The Bill also seeks to address and enhance women’s economic empowerment and land rights.
The non-contentious Bill was tabled and presented in Parliament for debate and approval by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie.
The debate witnessed a dramatic twist from the traditional heated exchanges on such crucial bills to parliamentarians led by women and Paramount Chiefs taking turns in showering praises on the patriotic and professional leadership being demonstrated by the Minister since his appointment by the President last year.
The Parliamentary Women’s Caucus was happy to recognize the Minister as He-For-She Champion for his selfless role is spearheading the enactment of a Bill that guarantees women’s rights to land.
The female Members of Parliament, alongside their male counterparts narrated the land injustice being meted on women, while celebrating the dawn of a new era in the land sector.
The Paramount Chiefs were excited that they were fully engaged throughout the process leading to the drafting of the Bill, which according to them, has clearly defined the roles of various stakeholders and empowered the traditional leaders.
Opposition Leader in Parliament, Hon. Chernor Bah, described Dr. Turad Senesie as a patriotic and professional leader that is steadily delivering on his promises.
“The milestones being recorded by Dr. Senesie did not come as a surprise to us as he is known for being a focused and well measured leader,” he asserted.
While applauding the efforts of the Minister, Hon. Tawa Conteh suggested that the Minister would record more milestones if Parliament could authorize him to do a thorough cleansing of bad eggs in the Ministry who will rather undermine the agenda of His Excellency.
The Parliamentarians further applauded the Minister for organizing weekly land conflict clinics, wherein every member of the public is accorded equal access and opportunity to report land disagreements directly to the Minister and through which the Minister has directly solved hundreds of land conflicts.
The debate in Parliament was more of a day to celebrate the decision of His Excellency the President to appoint Dr. Turad Senesie to lead his vision to sanitize the land sector than a debate on a bill.
Earlier, the Minister had called on all stakeholders to support the Bill and release Sierra Leone from the shackles of poverty and mismanagement in the land sector.
He argued that the Bill will promote productivity through investment and commercialization of land.
The Bill has been committed to the Committee Stage.
