Ministry of Lands to shut shops in Kenema

The Regional Surveyor east, in the Ministry of Land and Country Planning, Rashid Charles Ngiawei has told journalists at his Maxwell Khobe office in Kenema that their ministry will soon embark on closing down some shops that are located on government land and have not paid their rent to the ministry.

Rashid Charles Ngawei made this statement during a fact finding visit over an allegation made by business people that the surveyor, Rashid Charles and other senior officials in the ministry were leasing government lands to private business people at the determent of the state with no proper documentation.

The allegation further stated that the surveyor has sold the land along Humonya Avenue and Coker Jah Street where the recent demolition was carried out by the Lands Minister, Musa Tarawally. It was alleged that the land has been leased to a Lebanese man, Alie Abess and some Fullah traders.

It was also alleged that the surveyor was receiving money from some business people along Dakiyya Street on old railway line and that council had nothing to do toward the rent collection instead it was the Ministry of Land that was doing that.

They also accused the surveyor that he has surveyed a land for the Ahmadiyya Mission on the land belonging to the ministry of Agriculture at Chinese Farm which has created a misunderstanding between the ministry and the mission on the Gbao family. The allegation also stated that the Reservation land has been leased to other people.

Responding to the allegation, Mr. Rashid told journalists that as a ministry, they are the implementing government agency on land issues and that anybody who is occupying government land with no legal document they will leave no stone unturned and if the need arises for it to be demolished they will do so.

He warned all those occupying government land especially those who are to pay the rent to abide by the law if not they will shut down all the shops with immediate effect.

By Prince Musa, Kenema

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