By Mohamed Fofanah.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has commenced site verifications to identify authentic landowners affected by the proposed fish harbour project at Black Johnson in the Freetown Peninsular.
So far, only 15 affected landowners have submitted legal documents including title deeds, deed of gifts, and conveyances to the Ministry, claiming legal ownership of affected properties, State Counsel from the Law Officers’ Department, Yusif Isaac Sesay told community stakeholders at a meeting that preceded the verification process.
The Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ibrahim Turay said land ownership can be proven by only legal documents, and that only those who have submitted legal documents could now be considered for compensation.
He said Government is ready to negotiate with land-owning families to acquire the privately acclaimed 172 acres of land out of a total of 252 acres for the proposed fish harbor project. He said 80 acres of the facility belong to the Government.
The Project Surveyor, Alhaji Mohamed Rabieu told acclaimed property owners, “We will not legitimize the legality of the properties without proper documentation.” He said failure to produce legal documents means that one cannot lay claim on the property under discussion, although some owners have submitted legal documents to the Ministry, but cannot physically locate their properties, but Rabieu said those people need to contact their surveyors for assistance.
However, the Headman for the Black Johnson community, Edward Kakpindi Samuels said he does not know any of the names touted at the meeting to be property owners at the Black Johnson community.
The PRO for the community, Prince Rabin said some people are landowners but they do not have legal documents for their acclaimed properties. Rabin who acquired his two separate lands (1.22 and 1.9982 acres) on the same facility in 2016, said he would prefer some monies and some lands elsewhere as compensation for his giving up his land to the Government for national development.
Another affected landowner, Adama J. Momoh who represented the A. J. Momoh family said the family acquired its 11 acres of land in 1965 through a deed of gift from A. J. Momoh. She said during the verification that the family would like some plots of land for giving up its touristic area to the Government.
