Government allowing buildings to crumble ACC report

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Assets Commission, Unisa Alim Sesay, he said it has been a serious concern that government properties including vehicles and buildings around town are being misused over the years. He said government-owned buildings are under the purview of the commission in theory, as it is custodian of all government property. “But in practice some of these buildings have been assigned to various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.” Questioned about the building at Pademba Road, the Chairman disclosed that “it is the property of the works ministry and used to be the Western Area office but was burnt down during the war”. “Over the years there have been lots of illegal occupants at this building, but speaking from an official point of view I know that government is making efforts to put up these structures.” He said government is unable to police the building so that other people will not go to the building. “I am sure once government decides to put up structures, the people who are now occupying the building, the disabled and the garage owners, will all vacate the building.” “This building is not a priority in the list of government projects but what I know is that there has been an architectural plan to put up the building and we have advised the government since our statutory mandate is also to advice government about the maintenance of the structure.” And for this building he said, “We have had lots of discussions about it, we have had private people who had wanted to use the building but for security reasons we will not allow private individual or institution to occupy this building, it has to be a government-owned building and government-owned institution, and in a not too far future, government is planning to actualize their plans to build the institution.” Mr. Sesay disclosed that government is in dire need of office accommodation because they use lots of money on renting many private buildings. “So if really government wants the money, they will put up a structure that will ease the tension on government.” Though he cannot ascertain the estimated cost of the said property, “but the fact that those buildings are in the heart of the city, that building itself is more than two acres so it is a prime line and whatever property is going to be constructed there is going to be prime property.” Speaking to some of the occupants at the building, they said that their lives are at risk because there is no roof and the makeshift structure is very dangerous. They said they are willing whenever the government wants them to leave the building but they have never been approached by the government requesting them to give up the building. In its report, the ACC recommended the ministry to immediately evict squatters and private garages from its buildings and sites. “Those sites and buildings should be used for government’s future development plans”, it said.

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