2 May, 2008

Alhassan Deen Kamara, Freetown

Cabinet Secretary in Land Battle

The New England Development Organization are now engaged in an open fight with the Secretary to the Cabinet who is now making preparations to put up a building on a land called Madiana, which the community had reserved for fetching safe drinking water.

The President of the New England Development Organization, Mr. Mathew Bangali, told Sierra Express that for over fifteen years they have preserved that piece of land which has a stream that provides them with pure and safe drinking water in the area. He stated that they were very shocked when the Cabinet Secretary, Mr. George Pessima, claimed the land.

He disclosed that they have already reported the matter to the Ministry of Lands and Housing for their intervention into the matter.

Sources say the Director of Lands, Mr Jones, and the Director of Housing Mr. Jarret, have asked the workers to suspend their work while they look into the matter.

The Chief Organizer of the Origination, Dauda Soka Kargbo maintained that they will continue to protect their source of safe and clean drinking water in their community.

He said with support from the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), a dam costing Le 83.7 million Leone's was constructed for them at the foot of the hill.

"So Mr. Pessima now wants to destroy this dam which gives us water and build a house there for his own self pleasure because he has power. That will be very unfair and we call on President Koroma to kindly intervene on our behalf and stop this man from building on this land," he concluded.

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