The Department of Physical Planning has recently organised sensitisation workshop for local government authorities; including governors, district chiefs, Alkalolu and other representatives of community structures on the role of the Department and land matters in general.
The meeting gave the stakeholders the opportunity to delve into matters of land disputes, unregulated issuing of land.
Speaking at the event, Mamudou Manjang, Director of the Department of Physical Planning and Housing, said the best way to address land disputes is through dialogue, as well as awareness creation. This, he noted, could be done by engaging the local government officials; especially Alkalolu on procedures and processes of land matters.
He affirmed that Department of Physical Planning is the authority responsible for permits and administration of land in consultation with local authorities. “There is therefore the need to engage Alkalolu, VDCs and others on issues of planned settlements, land transfers, as well as discuss challenges and recommendations for consensus on standards”.
Mr Manjang underscored the need to introduce community planning to help in the identification of settlements. He stressed that while Physical Planning is not involved in land ownership, it determines the land use of a particular area through issuing of clearance or land use report.
One of the major challenges around land issues, the Director pointed out, is that lands are sole to individuals and transactions stop at Alkalo’s level, thereby rendering the process incomplete. “We felt that all these improper settlements are due to failure of going by standard procedures and through all the sectors responsible. There is the need for Alkalolu and communities to be sensitised for better understanding of issues of land transfer and others”.
Musa Suso, Deputy Governor, West Coast Region, reiterated the need for constant dialogue among concerned stakeholders, noting that land matters are very serious and sensitive.
He said local government personnel should be more frequently updated and orientated on land matters, adding that they; especially the Alkalolu, should be careful of the contents of the documents they append their signatures to.
“Due to the commission most alkalolu received from individual landowners, they sign documents without consultations with governors, Physical Planning and other concerned stakeholders,” he observed. He referenced to a scenario in Kitty, where a particular alkalo signed a document that is a misrepresentation of the purpose of the land, thereby leading to a big problem at the end.
For the Chief of Kombo North District, Muhammadou L. K Bojang, a lot of the problems highlighted could be averted if Alkalolu are paid salary.
While pointing out the seriousness of land disputes as sources of conflicts around the world, the Kombo North Chief advised that Physical Planning and the Alkalolu should not give out clearances without consulting each other.
