By Alhaji Mohamed Wusha-Conteh

Dr. Turad Senesie, Minister of Lands…

The Muslim community is urging the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning Minister Turad Senesie, to give the proposed sale of the African Muslim Agency land to Fawaz a serious second look. The Muslim community must continue to own this land, which has long been an important hub for the Muslim Ummah in Sierra Leone, instead of giving it to private companies.

The sale of the land poses a threat to the social and religious cohesion of the Muslim Community, even though Fawaz has played and still playing a vital role in promoting food security through the Feed Salone Initiative, one of the five major drivers of the government’s food sufficiency. Today, the compound house a Mosque, Hospital, and an Islamic school that are essential to the Muslim community and society. In addition to replacing these services, its disappearance would cut off a vital location for Islamic meetings, prayers, and social events.

Most importantly, the site has long served as a hub for Muslims getting ready for the Hajj, encouraging harmony and spiritual ties among neighbors. Since the government now controls every aspect of Hajj planning, the site’s value as a gathering place for the Muslim Ummah has decreased, but its significance as a landmark for the Muslim community is still significant.

The Ministry should stop any plans to sell or provide the land to Fawaz or any other private company, the Muslim community demands. As a location of worship, education, healthcare, and social gathering, the land is essential resource for the Muslim Ummah. For the Muslim community in our nation to remain together and spiritually healthy, this legacy must be preserved.

We urge the government to respect the African Muslim Agency’s integrity as a territory of the Muslim Ummah and give the needs of the Muslim community top priority.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday,20th August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)