“Unauthorized Constructions Must End” - new Lands Minister

The newly appointed minister of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment, Musa Tarawallie has said in an exclusive interview with Politico that soon people constructing any structures will have to first secure a planning permit before they will be issued with a building permit. Explaining the importance of the planning division, which he describes as the brain of his ministry, Tarawallie said that the Western Area and other district headquarter towns are not properly planned.“We are going to enforce compliance especially for the Western area where people don’t want to adhere to planning arrangements. The Minister noted that it is the duty of his ministry to carry out the directives of the government as it relates to regulations and the beautification of the country, “So we can do as they did in China and Singapore. These countries are clear examples of how you can develop countries from slums to eco-cities. We are going to be a learner and policy focused ministry, to ensure that those who are implementing the policy do the right thing”. He spoke to Zainab Joaque. (See full interview below) Politico: How do feel to have been re-appointed to the cabinet by the president? Tarawallie: I feel confident and I know that the President is determined to make Sierra Leone a better place and to lead the country to prosperity therefore being appointed Minister of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment meansI must live up to the expectation and play the role that will significantly contribute to the success of the president’s program. Politico: What is your assessment of the situation regarding staffing and documentation in your ministry? Tarawallie: Documentation is part of the challenges facing this ministry. The ministry is manually operated which could lead to loss of files, unauthorized access to documents, duplication of documents and that is causing conflict on a daily basis. I am sure with the cooperation of the staff; we are going to first survey every parcel of land in the western area. We are going to undertake data survey in an effort to identify ownership, categorize each parcel of land, those with conflicts, those that are on lease, those that are freeholds and those that are private lands so that we can narrow down on the conflict areas, resolve the conflicts and later establish the biometric registration of lands titles which will give right to ownership. When that is done land owners will use land as a financial instrument and it will also enhance the administration of land, the use of land and generate substantial revenue for government. When people who should pay for land leases are identified they will be made to comply with the regulations. Politico: Land grabbing is a major problem, how do you intend dealing with that? Tarawallie: We have to create a land bank for coming generations. Community leaders conspire with land grabbers to convert state land to private property and we are currently doing general inspection and investigation and at the end of the day, we will reclaim those parcels of land that are in the hands of the wrong people. I have established a land recovery unit focusing on land grabbers to recover what is in their hands for generations yet unborn. We are doing this not only for today but to make sure that land is available for development…we want to make land an economic good which is key in the success of the agenda for prosperity. Politico: Will state lands be leased to those who deserve them without favoritism? Tarawallie: That is why we are creating the land bank and above all I know land is a gift from God for the use of people so I am discharging my duty with the fear of God, land will be evenly distributed. Politico: Do you believe that the environment portfolio of this ministry has been neglected by your predecessors? Tarawallie: That is correct, and I have a vision that will ensure a good and healthy environment. The environment is a serious challenge and we cannot develop our environment without the participation of the public. I am going to ensure public participation, I am going to institute a triangular approach, wherein the ministry will be policy focused by establishing policy divisions in the ministry, corporate policies, land protection policies, public policies and administrative policies, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will implement , I am going to develop a cabinet paper on that to improve on the framework of building the capacity of the ministry to ensure that the environment is good and healthy, we must have a complementary board to the EPA. We must establish the Public Management Board (PMB) which will focus on the people, private and public institutions. The Board will commit people to the environment. There is no way we can achieve a healthy environment without public commitment. For e.g. we have six million people, if four million people decide to use firewood, how are we going to control the impact on the environment? But if they are committed to developing the environment and they can willingly desist from an act that undermines a healthy environment that will be good - so public participation is very important. If we have the PMB and the EPA and a well-focused policy ministry, there will be the capacity to collaborate with national agencies, bilateral organizations and other countries. We will also implement protocols. The environment is one that I take seriously because without a healthy and good environment no nation can grow. The other one is the planning division. This division is the brain of this ministry, they plan communities. What is absent is enforcement; we have to make sure we plan and enforce compliance. Most of the cities are not planned and for most of the planning that is done especially in the Western Area people don’t adhere to it. We are instituting a planning permit as the first step to the issuance of a building permit, before you construct your house or you undertake any form of infrastructural development you must be issued a planning permit to ensure compliance. We are also going to re-plan the district headquarter towns and the Western Area as a whole, so we can do as they did in China and Singapore. These countries are clear examples of how you can develop countries from slums to eco-cities. Politico: The environment also deals with logging and mining companies whose activities impact greatly on it, how are you going to handle those issues? Tarawallie: We will develop strong policies for implementation, once the policies are developed and implementation is effective then we can achieve good impact, we are going to monitor to ensure compliance and the PMB and that is very important in this business. Politico: Thank you very much Minister Tarawallie: You are welcome