The four‑day pre‑sensitization orientation for land committees in Bekeh Loko Chiefdom wrapped up on Thursday, 21 May 2026, with a highly successful session targeting participants from Sendugu Section.
The conclusion of the Sendugu training marks the completion of the pre‑sensitization phase across all four targeted sections – Sanda, Kondato, Falaba, and Sendugu – paving the way for the imminent scale‑up of land mapping, recording, and registration of land rights in the chiefdom.
The Sendugu session drew full attendance from Village Area Land Committee members, Chiefdom Land Committee representatives, and local town criers. Facilitators from the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project (SLLAP), the National Land Commission (NLC), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) delivered the final round of interactive training, covering grievance redress mechanisms, women’s land rights, conflict resolution, and environmental safeguards. Participants actively engaged in discussions, demonstrating a clear understanding of their roles ahead of the field teams’ arrival.
A Week of Impactful Engagement
The pre‑sensitization mission, which began on Monday, 18 May 2026, achieved several notable milestones:
* Environmental Integration: The Environmental Management Specialist briefed committee members on integrating environmental safeguards into land mapping and registration to ensure ecological sanity.
* High‑Level Participation: The Deputy Mayor of Port Loko City, herself a female land committee member, attended the Falaba Section session and made significant contributions on women’s land rights and community mobilization.
* Public Outreach: A vibrant float parade with vehicles, loudspeakers, megaphones, and motorbikes swept through major streets across the four sections, distributing fliers while the female NLC District Commissioner made live public announcements.
* Radio Engagement: NLC Commissioner General, Abu Bakarr Sappay Foray‑Musa, appeared live on Radio Bankasoka to sensitize the wider Port Loko District population on the land reform process and the NLC’s mandate. A similar radio program hosting the Paramount Chief of Bekeh Loko and officials from the NLC, FAO and Medici Land Governance was held prior.
What Comes Next
With the pre‑sensitization phase now complete, SLLAP, the NLC, and FAO will proceed with the actual scale‑up of land mapping, recording, and registration of land rights in the targeted communities. Field teams are expected to deploy shortly, supported by the now well‑prepared land committees who will serve as first responders for conflict resolution, grievance redress, and community liaison.
Similar pre‑sensitization exercises were earlier conducted in Maforki chiefdom, and the proven model will be replicated in other chiefdoms as the project expands.
Speaking at the close of the Sendugu session, the Community Engagement and Communication Specialist of SLLAP, Abdul Fonti said: “The enthusiasm and commitment shown by land committee members across all four sections have been extraordinary. They leave this training not only with knowledge but with a sense of ownership over the land registration process. We are confident that the upcoming field mapping will be smoother and more community‑driven because of this preparation.”
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