By Ragan M. Conteh

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon Solomon Sengepoh Thomas, who doubles as the Chairman of the Public Account Committee in Parliament, has warned all officials of the Ministry of Lands including government officials to always prepare for any Commission of Inquiry (COI) to come.

He said one of the problems faced by MDAs was to have records of their daily transactions.

“This is a warning to all of you government officials, try to have a copy of any memo you sign in your file at home so that whenever you are called upon to answer COI you can be able to defend yourself,” Hon Sengepoh Thomas said.

He stressed that there are lots of government officials who were involved in the last COI but do not have any copies to defend them, adding that: “If you work in an office make sure you have copies at home. Maybe someone will not allow you to take documents tomorrow after you shall have been removed from that office.

Try to get things right while you are now in your offices”.

The Deputy Speaker further said that as a lawyer he has received several complaints from colleague lawyers on matters regarding poor management and registration of lands.

“This situation has become very embarrassing for government over the years,” he said.

He pointed out that in several times the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG) have not been signing land documents for which leads to several delays [for investors]  in doing business in Sierra Leone.

“Sierra Leone has been ranked low as a country to do business with. This is because of poor documentations and delay in signing of various land documentations,” he said.

“The issue which relates to the registration of land and property and has created huge embarrassment to the state,” he said

He said almost every lawyer in Sierra Leone grapples with issues of signing land documents.

He pointed out that one of the reasons that accounts for the delays are that officials often go to their offices and sit all- day doing nothing and at the end of the month they are the first set of people to be going to the banks to collect their salaries.

Hon Thomas also spoke on the relationship between the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General and the Ministry of land.

He said the relationship is a frosty one and that has cause to result to deepening problems.

He said if such situation continues PAC will recommend the sacking of some of these officials doing nothing in their offices.

The Deputy Speaker also spoke about the delay in sending the returns to the Office of the Administrator Registrar General by officials of the Ministry of Lands.

“I really want to know where the problems lie between the Lands Ministry and OARG in the registration and land document, what keeps you from sending the returns?,” Hon Thomas asked.

The Deputy Speaker has also urged the Ministry of Lands and OARG officials to return and do a Memo that seeks to ensure that returns are sent to the OARG on weekly basis.

He revealed that the signing of the Survey plans have become a public concern over the years and that has affected the country’s business reputation internationally.

“Investors are constraint to doing business in Sierra Leone because they cannot get their lands documents on time and whenever such a thing happens they will leave. Such a situation is embarrassing for the country,” he told officials.

Hon Thomas stated that Parliament has done all the reforms needed by MDAs but some MDAs are doing nothing but to make things difficult for the people.

Lands Director Tamba Dauda informed the Committee that Land Survey drop box suggests returns are not taken seriously.

The OARG boss said the problems lies not in their office but all the delays are caused by the Lands Ministry by failing to send the returns to OARG for signing.