By Ragan M. Conteh
Hon Quintin Salia-Konneh, an Independent Member of Parliament who also doubles as Chairman of the Committee on Lands and Country Planning in Parliament, on Monday intimated the media that his committee was keenly investigating the issue around the naming of Grafton Community by the Ministry of Lands as Paopa and Fatima towns respectively.
The MP disclosed that the committee had summoned the Minister of Lands and his officials to explain to the Committee why they decided to rename these areas as Paopa and Fatima Towns.
The Ministry officials, according to the MP, denied the allegations of having renamed these areas but rather the community people themselves.
The MP had observed that the Ministry of Lands did not have the mandate to give names to streets or places and that such powers rested squarely with the District Councils. “We intend to go to these communities to investigate the allegations by the Ministry of Lands”, the MP maintained.
Hon Quintin Salia-Konneh further disclosed that his committee also intended visiting Joe Town at the Western Rural District to settle a dispute of 151 acres of land. He continued land disputes had resulted to the loss of lives of many citizens across the country, noting that land grabbing was now the order of the day.
The Minister of Lands, Dr Dennis Sandy, single-handedly erected a signpost at Grafton community carrying the name ‘PAOPA Town’ without consulting the Western Area Rural District Council (WARDC).
The District Council Chairman, Kasho Holland Cole, was not pleased with the actions of the Minister and he had sent a letter to the Ministry schooling them on what should be the procedure.
The Council Chairman has also requested that the Ministry remove the signpost, indicating that this was a recipe for chaos in the community which had different political parties.