By Sulaiman Jalloh
In a move to improve housing in Sierra Leone, Vice President Dr. Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh on Tuesday, December 19th, 2023, launched the TAF-Salone five hundred thousand affordable home project at John Obey, in the outskirts ofFreetown. The infrastructure is called TAF-Salone Micro City.
Delivering his keynote address, Vice President Juldeh Jalloh said, over the years, the issue of housing has raised concerns, especially among residents in Freetown but that the launch of the project will help to reduce the problem and is one of the campaign promises of the governing Sierra Leone People’s Party led government. The Vice President termed the city as a ‘TAF cold city’ instead of a micro-city, noting that it would reduce the issue of land grabbing.
He assured Sierra Leoneans to trust the TAF-Micro City project and buy the houses.
Dr Jalloh used the occasion to warn community leaders to refrain from land grabbing and selling land without following due process through the Ministry of Lands. He disclosed that, in January 2024, the government will launch the bid to construct a line of 150MW with two stations at York and Tombo.
On his part, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie admonished people from selling or encroaching into state lands. He added that they are looking for serious investors or developers like TAF to invest in some of the big lands and that his ministry wants to reduce land conflict among citizens.
According to the Minister of Lands, when completed, the TAF Micro City will contain many benefits like electricity, hospital, and school, among others, adding it will also improve touristic attractions. He added that the project was one of the assignments given to him by the President at the time of his appointment. He called the project a serious investment.
Mr. Mustapha Njie, the Chief Executive Officer of TAF-Salone disclosed that the five thousand units of houses have six impacts/benefits among which he mentioned is affordable housing.
According to him, this will solve the pressing need for houses among citizens, and that it also provides job opportunities for people, especially residents of the community. Other benefits mentioned include sustainable development, social impacts, and improvement of living standards for citizens and residents of Sierra Leone. He said it will also improve the security sector of the country.
According to the CEO, housing is not cheap in any part of the world, adding his company is investing heavily to have standard buildings erected. He called on the government and the Ministry of Land to provide them with more slots.
Hassan Marah, the community head of Tobe Community, expressed optimism and promised his support to the government and TAF-Salone.
Marah requested for the youths of his community not to be left out during and after the construction of the micro city, noting that the investment will reduce the unemployment rate in that part of the country. He said his community is part of the country’s tourist attractions.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, December 22nd, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)