By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of its efforts towards fulfilling President Bio’s vision to provide affordable housing units and develop micro cities across the country, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning has on Tuesday 31st January 2023 signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with TAF Global Africa for the construction of 5,000 affordable houses in the country. The event took place at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Youyi Building, Brookfields in Freetown.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Minister of Lands, Dr. Turad Senessie, said that the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with TAF Global Africa for the construction of 5,000 affordable houses in the country will help towards alleviating some of the housing problems faced by low income earners especially those working in the civil service, armed forces and other sectors in the country.
He stated that residential areas in Freetown are slowly turning into market centers and that this is not good for the image of the city. He said as a Government they need to reverse this trend and that the tool for this is the introduction of affordable housing.
He went on to state that the John Obey project is the beginning of micro-cities in Sierra Leone because there are more such projects in the pipeline in the near future. He added that when the houses are completed at John Obey, they would be complete with adequate WASH facilities, roads and other public amenities for all Sierra Leoneans irrespective of tribe, political affiliation or region.
He thanked President Bio for his vision and reminded his audience that when President Bio came to power, he promised to make land and housing accessible to all Sierra Leoneans and that this, the Lands Minister said, has become a reality. He used the opportunity to urge all Sierra Leoneans to support the project as it is very good for development and self-esteem.
Speaking on behalf of his company – TAF Africa Global, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mustapha Njie gave a brief background about how he was called by the First Lady of Sierra Leone who told him that her husband would like to talk with him. He added that from that first encounter, matters materialized to the point that he received a high-level delegation from the Sierra Leone High Commission in The Gambia led by Her Excellency Marian Shereef to invite him to Sierra Leone. He noted that at the end of it all, he is happy that it culminated into the signing of an agreement to construct 5,000 affordable housing units at John Obey.
He said that his company is capable and efficient and will not let the Government and People of Sierra Leone down, adding that he is proud that the whole affair is an African affair with no foreigner among them. “This is the way it ought to be – Africans coming together to solve Africa’s problems,” the TAF CEO said.
Other speakers including Alphonso Manley, representatives from Sierra Leone Institute of Architects, Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers, Mohamed Abu Sesay the Acting Director for Public, Private, Partnership (PPP) Unit in the Office of the Vice President, the Deputy Finance Minister, Solicitor General, Member of Parliament Hon. Quintin Salia – Chairman Lands and Housing Committee, Her Excellency Marian Shereef spoke on the contributions of their respective institutions towards the project and urged Sierra Leoneans to give it their fullest support because at the end of the day, the benefit goes to the country and not to any political party or individual.
The signing was climaxed by the formal handing over ceremony of over 200 acres of Sate Land at John Obey by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning to TAF Global Africa for the construction of the 5000 affordable houses.
