By Foday Moriba Conteh
In the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning’s efforts towards fulfilling President Bio’s vision to provide affordable housing units and develop micro cities across the country, it has on Tuesday 24th August, 2021 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TAF Africa Global an event that took place at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Youyi Building on Brookfields in Freetown.
In his statement, the Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa Global, Mustapha Njie, conveyed gratitude to the Government of Sierra Leone for signing the said partnership with his firm, TAF Africa Global, adding that in the past, investors were seen to be of different colors and race and that with his recent achievement and development over the years in real estate development there has been questions coming from the public about who are his partners because many are of the conviction that he must have a western partnership which he said is not the case.
He said that his company had earlier registered with eight African countries and Sierra Leone has now become the ninth country that they have signed partnership with. He disclosed that TAF Africa Global will embark on delivering one million (1,000,000) affordable homes over the next twenty years furthering that the launch of his initiative about two years ago was geared towards achieving the one million affordable homes stating how they deemed it fit to bring in partners by forming partnership with multilateral institutions to be able to deliver on their target.
Mustapha Njie informed the gathering that in 2020 they signed an MoU with Shelter Afrique ,which is a Pan-Africa finance institution, that exclusively supports development of affordable housing and real estate sector development in Africa and that they have also signed partnership with other institutions, continuing that they also intend to partner with other institutions.
Commenting on his presence in Sierra Leone, the CEO maintained that about two years ago when President Julius Maada Bio went to The Gambia he saw his works and he became interested in them of which the President invited him to Sierra Leone but couldn’t make it then, adding that about a month ago the High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to The Gambia, Lulu Sheriff (Mrs.), wrote a letter to him inviting him to Sierra Leone.
He said that the Minister of Lands, Turad Senesie, visited TAF Africa Global investment sites in The Gambia during which time he manifested Government’s commitment towards wooing them to invest in affordable houses for the benefit of Sierra Leonean citizens.
On his part, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie, on behalf the Government of Sierra Leone expressed appreciation to TAF Africa Global for believing in his vision.
He said that when he took over the Ministry there were a lot of challenges but said he was very determined to overcome them and bring in positive reforms that will benefit the entire country.
Dr. Turad Senesie stated that in his maiden address to staff of the Ministry he revealed that one of his priorities will be to move the agenda of President Julius Maada Bio in terms of country planning and housing of which he maintained that in fulfilling that commitment TAF Africa Global has signed an MoU with the Ministry in solving the problem of housing in the country.
He pointed out that his intention is to develop sustainable and affordable housing units in well planned communities, with a special focus to transform slum communities and dumpsites into high peak planned settlements.
The Minister added that as a Ministry they are looking for serious investors that can change the development landscape, stating that TAF Africa Global will not only provide jobs but will also support other Government activities in the future. He assured of Government’s support to TAF Africa Global.
Climaxing the event was the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie and the Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa Global, Mustapha Njie.
