Gov’t doles Le80m to Agriculture
The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has paid the sum of Le 80 million as land lease agreement for over 35 years to the ruling house of Rolakoh village, in the Makarie Gbanti chiefdom in the Bombali District being part of its technical support to the country’s food security drive.
The said land is situated along the Makarie-Lunsar highway used by the Agriculture Ministry as its oxen projects site and training ground for agricultural programmes by the Chinese.
Addressing press men at a well attended ceremony, the Chairman for the Roketteh Land Owners Committee and eldest son of the late PC N’Silk, Mr. Raymond N’Silk Kanu said various governments had stopped paying lease money for the past 35 years.
He applauded the government of the All People Congress through the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Joseph Sam Sesay for the unbelievable gesture.
The chairman stated that on the 6th April 2008, they and the government agreed at a well attended meeting chaired by the head of customs and traditions in their chiefdoms, Pa Alhaji Roke N’Silk Kanu to ask government for their land lease which had not been paid for decades now.
He said “we made representation through the Resident Minister North Alie D. Kamara, and Honourable Ibrahim Martin Bangura and government finally agreed to pay the land lease of which we have been deprived of for the past 35 years.”
Receiving the money on behalf of the Rolakoh Roketteh N’Silk Kanu family, the section chief of Makarie Gbanti Chiefdom Alhaji Pa Roke N’Silk Kanu, thanked government especially President Ernest Koroma for the gesture.
According to the Chairman, Raymond N’Silk Kanu, 40% of the money will be given to surrounding villages, the district council and other stakeholders in their chiefdom and the remaining 60% will be used as deposit for tractor purchase for hire in the chiefdom.
The chairman further stated that they plan to construct a multi purpose centre, VIP latrines and stores for their agricultural produces to complement government’s efforts in boosting the agricultural sector and the reduction of poverty in the chiefdom.
Traditional songs and dancing climaxed the ceremony.
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