Government to Take Over 25,000 Hectares of Land in Western Area

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning has announced the commencement of a major land regularisation exercise, invoking the Unoccupied Lands Act (Cap 117 of 1960) to repossess unoccupied lands stretching across the Newton to Songo axis and surrounding communities.

The directive was published in Government Notice No. 371 in the Sierra Leone Gazette, Vol. CLXVI, No. 73, dated 28 August 2025. It sets out precise schedules covering more than 25,000 hectares of land, supported by GPS coordinates and beacon bearings detailed in the Gazette.

According to the notice, all individuals or institutions claiming ownership of any part of the affected parcels must submit documentary evidence to the Deputy Director of Surveys and Lands, Mr. Abraham Cooper, between 1 September 2025 and 28 February 2026. Claimants will be issued acknowledgement receipts and are advised to liaise directly with Mr. Cooper to ensure proper authentication of their documents.