Presidential Adviser Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba has taken another significant step towards advancing higher education in Sierra Leone by facilitating the construction of the first modern Postgraduate Complex at Eastern Technical University (ETU) in Kenema.

The landmark project, which has now reached the official turning-of-the-sod stage, was made possible through Alhaji Musa Timothy  Kabba’s engagement and lobbying with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sierra Leone, resulting in financial support from the Chinese Embassy.

With an initial investment of 1.3 billion old Leones, the project is expected to significantly strengthen postgraduate education at ETU while expanding academic and professional opportunities for students in the Eastern Region and other parts of Sierra Leone.

Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba, who currently serves as an Adviser to the President, has over the years built relationships through public service and diplomatic engagements. His decision to leverage those relationships to attract support for Eastern Technical University has been hailed as an example of how public influence can be translated into tangible development.

The proposed Postgraduate Complex represents more than the construction of another university building. It is expected to strengthen ETU’s institutional capacity, provide an improved environment for advanced studies and research, and create greater opportunities for graduates and professionals seeking higher academic qualifications.

For the Eastern Region, the development is particularly significant as it could reduce the need for students and professionals to travel elsewhere in search of postgraduate opportunities while strengthening Kenema’s position as an important centre for higher education.

Speaking on the initiative, Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba expressed pride and excitement over the commencement of the project, describing it as an investment in the future of Sierra Leone’s young people.

“I felt proud and excited to invite the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the official turning of the sod for the construction of a modern Postgraduate building at the Eastern Technical University in Kenema; a landmark project which I facilitated through the generous support and financing of the Chinese Embassy,” Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba stated.

According to him, the significance of the facility should not be measured merely by its physical structure but by the opportunities it will provide for human capital development.

“This modern facility is not merely a gift of bricks and mortar, but an investment in our young people; where they’ll acquire skills that will continue to strengthen our nation’s standing in the global marketplace,” he added.

The project also underscores the importance of development partnerships in strengthening Sierra Leone’s tertiary education sector. As demand for advanced education, specialized skills and research continues to grow, investment in postgraduate infrastructure remains critical to producing professionals capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.

Eastern Technical University has emerged as one of Sierra Leone’s important tertiary institutions, serving students from the Eastern Region and other parts of the country. The addition of a dedicated Postgraduate Complex is therefore expected to enhance the university’s academic profile and broaden its capacity to deliver advanced programmes.

Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba’s intervention also demonstrates the potential of leveraging international partnerships and diplomatic relationships to address development needs at the community and national levels.

For Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba, the initiative represents a practical way of giving back to the region by using the opportunities and relationships acquired through years of public service to open new doors for others.

Once completed, the Postgraduate Complex is expected to provide a modern environment for teaching, learning, research and professional development, while helping to prepare highly skilled graduates capable of competing in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy.

The turning of the sod therefore represents not only the beginning of a construction project but an important milestone in Eastern Technical University’s development and the broader effort to expand access to quality postgraduate education in Sierra Leone.

A new report on Thursday, 3 September 2026 has raised concerns about the effects of a large-scale reforestation and carbon credit project on customary land rights, local livelihoods and community participation in Tonkolili and Port Loko districts.

The report, titled: Uprooted Promises: A Case Study of Carbon Credits, Land Rights and Community Impacts in Sierra Leone, was produced by Swedwatch, HEKS and the Sierra Leone Network on the Right to Food (Silnorf).

It examines the “Reforestation of Degraded Lands in Sierra Leone” project, which covers approximately 10,000 hectares of commercial forestry plantations. About 5,000 hectares are reportedly eligible to generate carbon credits.

The plantations are owned by UK-based Miro Forestry Developments Limited, which has operated in Sierra Leone since 2012. Swiss climate consultancy South Pole was engaged to help register the plantations as a carbon project under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard and facilitate the sale of credits.

Registered in 2021 with a crediting period beginning in 2016, the project has reportedly generated more than 480,000 carbon credits.

The report alleges that some communities lost access to land previously used for subsistence farming and the collection of natural resources after parts of the area were converted into commercial plantations.

Researchers said they found a gap between official project documentation, third-party assessments and the experiences shared by residents of six communities visited during fieldwork in October 2025.

Although project documents described the area as “degraded,” residents reportedly said portions of the land had been actively used for farming and harvesting fruit, firewood and other resources.

Some interviewees associated their restricted access to the land with growing food insecurity, poverty and declining household income. Others said they did not fully understand the duration and conditions of the land leases.

Abass John Kamara, Deputy National Coordinator of Silnorf, said meaningful participation must go beyond formal consultation, particularly where women and other vulnerable groups are concerned.

“Communities need to understand and genuinely consent to decisions affecting their land,” Abass John Kamara said.

The report also claimed that many residents, key informants and some local authorities were unaware that the plantations were generating carbon credits. They reportedly believed the land was being used only for commercial timber production.

Women interviewed during the research said they were particularly affected because they had lost access to firewood and fruit trees while being largely excluded from land negotiations and lease payments. According to the report, payments were commonly distributed through male community elders.

Some landowners also described the reported annual rent of US$12 per hectare as inadequate compensation for the loss of farming income and access to natural resources.

The report further questioned how revenues generated through the sale of carbon credits are benefiting affected communities.

Miro reportedly earned US$6.7 million from carbon credit sales across its two African projects in 2024. Project documents cited in the report indicated that five percent of net profits would be placed in a community fund.

However, interviewed landowners said they had not received a share of the carbon credit proceeds, while the researchers found no functioning mechanism for distributing operational revenue.

Responding to Swedwatch, Miro explained that it had not yet recorded a net profit; a position the report said was supported by the company’s financial disclosures. The company reportedly committed to reviewing a revenue-based benefit-sharing arrangement from January 2027 as a possible alternative to the net-profit model.

Davide Maneschi, Programme Officer at Swedwatch and co-author of the report, said carbon market expansion must be supported by firm human rights protections, meaningful consultation and sustained dialogue with affected communities.

He warned that projects intended to support climate action should not undermine the rights and livelihoods of people who depend on the land.

Miro and South Pole disputed the report’s description of the project’s effects, maintaining that their operations comply with Sierra Leonean laws, international sustainability standards and approved carbon methodologies.

They also cited independent third-party certification, including certification by the Forest Stewardship Council and questioned aspects of the study’s methodology. The companies argued that its conclusions depended mainly on verbal accounts collected from a limited number of communities.

Miro nevertheless expressed its willingness to investigate the concerns, engage relevant stakeholders and improve its practices where necessary.

South Pole said it had established independently assured internal procedures to conduct more rigorous project screening beyond the requirements of existing carbon standards. Verra had not issued a statement at the time the report was published.

The report acknowledged that the project had produced reported benefits, including employment opportunities, tree-cover restoration and improvements to the local microclimate. However, it said those benefits were not experienced equally and remained disputed by some residents.

It recommended that Miro renegotiate relevant land leases in accordance with Sierra Leone’s Customary Land Rights Act of 2022, introduce a revenue-based benefit-sharing system and ensure women participate fully in land governance.

The report also urged South Pole and Verra to strengthen human rights due diligence, supervision and engagement with affected communities.

The Government of Sierra Leone was encouraged to introduce and enforce carbon market policies that protect customary land rights, establish effective grievance mechanisms and require greater transparency from investors.

The organisations concluded that third-party certification alone could not adequately address the social effects of carbon projects. They called for transparent benefit sharing, genuine community ownership, independent oversight and stronger protection of local livelihoods.