Public Notice

The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, on Thursday 22^nd May, 2008, performed the official turning of the sod ceremony for the construction of affordable houses at Waterloo by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT).

In his address, the President described the occasion as the beginning of an important programme, and a key milestone in the nation’s drive towards the proper planning and development of cities, towns and villages. Dr. Koroma recalled the “unplanned mushrooming of communities around our cities and the environmental degradation created by these uncoordinated developments”, adding that it was as a result of this concern that his Government was supporting a better alternative to the current housing development.

“Our people deserve something better, and Government owes it to them”, he emphasized.

L-R Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, Vice President Sam-Sumana,

President Ernest Bai Koroma

His Excellency the President described the launching ceremony as a practical step by the Trust for the realization of his vision for ‘a new city’, adding that the construction of 125 housing units and the development of serviced plots nationwide is a significant step, in spite of the huge current need for housing.

Dr. Koroma told his audience that even though housing is not regarded as a core mandate of NASSIT, given the importance of establishing and sustaining an affordable housing scheme in Sierra Leone for another decade, coupled with the proven competence of the Trust to handle such a function, he directed that all necessary studies be conducted to determine the options for NASSIT to institutionalize an affordable housing scheme which is separate from the old age, invalidity and survivors benefits it is currently administering. He reiterated his Government’s determination to commit funds in trust for the development of the institutional and operational framework for the scheme, adding that his Office would follow up on progress on a quarterly basis.

Chairman, Board of Trustees, Mr. Jacob S. Kanu

The Chairman, Board of Trustees, Mr. Jacob Kanu, in his remarks, said that following the rapid population growth in the country over the ten years of civil conflict and generally the poor economic conditions that characterized the urban and rural areas, the housing situation in Sierra Leone has been at a critical and deplorable stage. He added that since the inception of NASSIT, there have been great expectations from the general public for the Trust to utilize its reserve funds for housing development programmes.

To facilitate this, he said, the Trust has taken the lead to establish a Mortgage Finance Company which will provide home loans to the public in order to buy houses constructed by the private developers and other contractors. He appealed to all key stakeholders for their contribution in the drive towards the realization of a sustainable and affordable housing delivery, and to International Financial Institutions that specialize in providing housing finance to now turn their attention to housing development in Sierra Leone.

Hon. Minister of Lands,

Country Planning & the

Environment

The Minister of Lands, Housing and the Environment, Hon. Benjamin Davies, said that the importance of land as a commodity that provides space for every socio-economic activity cannot be overemphasized. He promised that his Ministry will work with other stakeholders to ensure that land is available for viable development purposes. He commended NASSIT for undertaking the construction of affordable houses for the people, which is in line with Government‘s Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Members of the High Table

The turning of the sod to mark the commissioning of the proposed affordable scheme formed the high point of the ceremony.