In the provincial area, land belongs to the people and so what actually exists is communal
land ownership. The acquisition and dispensation of such land is in accordance with
customary law of the land and the Provincial Land Property Act.
In the case of compulsory purchase of property or acquisition of property, owners of such
property are compensated. The concern however is that these landowners are not
adequately compensated when such incidences occur. Another area of concern is that
there is no standard method of computing compensation in such cases. As such there is
disparity in the compensation received by various owners of land who lose their property
to forced acquisition of land.
Recently, there are incidences of displacements of people from property acquired in the
interest of the public. Massive roadwork is currently being undertaken in Freetown.
Wilkinson Road, one of the main roads in Freetown, is currently under reconstruction.
This has led to the forceful removal of occupants and homeowners owners of properties
situate on the maid road from their properties. The home owners and landowners of such
properties were not compensated in monetary terms but a promise was made to rebuild all
walls that were broken as a result of demolition.
Also, these people were not relocated but were left to relocate themselves. For the
roadwork in the mountain areas, occupants who resided in this area in the east were
relocated to Yams Farm, another location in the east end of Freetown where there is
availability of basic amenities including schools.
There is also another ongoing incidence at Kroo Bay, one of the biggest slums in the
country. Occupants are currently being asked to relocate to another area by the
government who will be responsible for their relocation in the interest of public safety,
public health and development. Occupants are however insistent on staying where they
are. This matter is yet to be settled.
In the Gola Forest area also, people were moved out of their lands and homes in the
interest of conservation and they compensated.
Sometimes, the activities carried out on the land have negative effects on the environment
especially when the land is acquired for the purpose of mining. In most mining areas such
as Kono and Sierra Rutile in the Moyamba District, the land can no longer be used after
mining for agricultural purposes. Rather, such lands become breeding ground for
mosquitoes.
During the NPRC regime reported cases of forceful acquisition of land spiralled, leading
to an upsurge in the number of complaints from disenchanted legitimate landowners. This
also took place during the reparation of people and the building of schools, hospitals,
court barrays, and other basic facilities undertaken by the National Commission for
Social Action (NACSA) after the war. As a whole, there is unequal access to property in
Sierra Leone.
Article 15
The right of individuals to work under equitable and satisfactory conditions and to
receive equal pay for equal work.
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