Minister of Lands Madam Diana Konomanyi has said that there are too many land disputes in her ministry and that has been the biggest challenge for her since she took office.
She said for one LS number, there will be five to six plans carrying the same number and when they try to verify maybe all the plans carrying the one LS number are in the West, but after verification the land that has the LS number will be in the East of Freetown.
“Many Surveyors and other officials in the ministry have been involved in these dirty games, but as I have started cleaning some of them have disappeared and others have been arrested.”
She said in all the ministries at the Youyi building, her ministry received the highest number of people on a daily basis, most of them coming with complaints and counter-complaints.
When asked if she will be able to overcome such a big challenge, with a humble smile and a low sweet voice she said she has never lost a battle in the past and no amount of challenge will make her surrender.
“President Koroma looked at all the ministers and chose me to come to Ministry of Lands that have all the problems in the country, you know why he did that, because he believed in me and know that I am going to succeed and bring sanity in the ministry.”
“I have a team of experts and determined lands officials and a supportive deputy minister, together we have built a strong team and we are going to succeed and bring an end to the land disputes that have divided families, caused armed battles and people losing their lives.”
Minister Konomanyi said they are working with line ministries like Internal Affairs, Agriculture, Works and agencies including EPA and NPAA, so that they will get the creeks to be free of destruction, the mountains to be re-afforested, so that the dams will get enough water to supply the populace and to demarcate proper lands for agric business and so on.
She said those that want state land should follow the right procedures and those that have been allocated these lands for years now and they have not developed them will definitely lose them.
She said there are people clinging on to acres of land that they have not developed in any shape and there are people looking for just two town lots to build a house and they can’t get.
Diana said they are also engaging in many investigations and they have solved so many of these problems that have come to the ministry,
As I said before I know that it will not be an easy task for me, but let me say this with the help of God and the strength and wisdom He is giving me everyday, there will be no mountain that I will not go over.
She quoted this hymn which she said has been the rock of her success. Lord, be mine this prize to win; Guide me through a world of sin; Keep me by thy saving grace; Give me at thy side a place. Sun and shield alike thou art; Guide and guard my erring heart; Grace and glory flow from thee; Shower, O shower them, Lord, on me!
Tuesday October 04, 2016