By Ibrahim Sesay
Another year has passed without any resolution to the dispute surrounding the demolition of homes at Angola Town by the Ministry of Lands, a move that continues to cause frustration and distress among affected residents. Among those whose properties were demolished is prominent journalist, Alex Lawrence Koroma, former producer at Radio Democracy (98.1FM), Managing Editor of The Drone Newspaper and Managing Partner of Liberty Online TV.
According to the affected landowners, the Ministry of Lands carried out the demolition exercise without prior notification or a valid court order. They revealed that at no point were they invited or engaged by the Ministry to discuss the legality of their land ownership or to present documents proving their claims. The residents maintain that they acted in good faith, having acquired and developed their properties through legitimate means and were blindsided by the demolition.
Efforts to seek redress have so far yielded no tangible results. The aggrieved parties disclosed that they have taken their case to the Ministry and subsequently petitioned the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, but have yet to receive any feedback on the findings of the committee’s investigation. Nearly two years since the incident, there has been no official communication or indication of progress, leaving the victims in a state of uncertainty and despair.
The landowners have now appealed directly to President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, expressing hope that his intervention could bring long-overdue justice. They cited the President’s recent assurance of his Government’s commitment to ensuring that citizens enjoy their rights to land ownership without undue interference. Many of the victims, including ,Alex Lawrence Koroma, believe that President Bio’s “talk and do” leadership style gives them renewed confidence that their grievances will be heard and addressed fairly.
The affected individuals lamented that they had invested their life savings in constructing their homes, only to see them demolished without due process. They described the incident as a violation of their fundamental rights to property and dignity, urging the Government to take swift action to rectify what they view as an injustice.
Human rights campaigners have echoed those concerns, arguing that the Ministry’s actions undermine the principles of fairness, accountability and respect for the rule of law. They contend that depriving citizens of their land to benefit foreign investors without proper legal procedures represents a blatant abuse of authority and a serious breach of human rights.
The activists further emphasized that this issue serves as a critical test of the Government’s commitment to protecting its citizens and upholding justice. They insist that the investments made by the affected families to secure shelter for themselves and their children must not be rendered meaningless through arbitrary administrative actions. According to them, how this matter is handled will demonstrate whether President Bio’s administration is truly dedicated to safeguarding the rights of ordinary Sierra Leoneans or if previous promises of justice and reform were mere political rhetoric.
For now, the residents of Angola Town continue to live with the pain of their losses, waiting for a decisive response from the nation’s leadership; one that will restore their confidence in justice and reaffirm their right to own land without fear of dispossession.
