Sierra Leone News: Land Holding Families & Njala University Sign MOU
By: ARUNA KAMARA
Minister of Lands, Housing and the Environment, Dr. Denis Sandy has on Tuesday August 27, 2019, facilitated the signing of a memorandum of understanding between members of the land holding families and Njala University Administration.
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding comes in the wake of a decade long land dispute over title to acreages of land occupied by the Njala University at their Main University campus, seven miles after Tiama in Kori Chiefdom. Members of the land holding families sometimes in February 2019 issued a quit notice to the Njala University Administration for what they described as failure on the part of successive administrators to own up to their fiduciary and pecuniary side of the bargain.
Spokesperson for the land holding families, Prince Kapkata said their parents leased acreages of land to Njala University in October 20, 1956, adding that little has so far been realized from the said lease agreement. The University, he said, had derogated from their grounds and had also reneged on their corporate social responsibilities to their children who were to be sole beneficiaries of the land lease agreement.
He said these had been the order of the day under past regimes, adding that with the New Direction’s unflinching commitments to free quality education, they have resolved to relinquished absolute ownership of the said land in good faith and for the development of Kori Chiefdom and its immediate environs.
In his witty address to his audience, Vice Chancellor and Principal, Njala University, Prof. Abdullah Mansaray described the gathering as a special family meeting to which his administration has enjoyed together with indigenes of Kori Chiefdom for the land leased since 1956. He said that overtime;, the University has grown in size and stature, and commended the land holding families for amicable resolution of the land impasse.
Minister of Lands, Housing and the Environment, Dr Denis Sandy said the looming issues of land had lingered for long because of miscommunication, mutual respect, and trust. He appealed to all aggrieved land holding families to be cognizant of the contributions of the University to Moyamba District and the Country as a whole. He urged them to repose confidence in the New Direction, noting that Njala University remains the pride of the New Direction of President Julius Maada Bio.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by the land holding families present and senior authorities of Njala University.
It could be recalled that the land leased agreement entered into on October 20, 1956, was signed by S.E. Kombey and A.S. Briwah on behalf of the tribal authorities and Governor M. H Dorman signed on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone. The agreement was witnessed by PC James Gbapi.
Published: 29/08/2019
ISSUE NO. 7665
