The World Bank Implementation Support Mission to the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project (SLLAP) has continued its field engagements in Port Loko District, engaging key stakeholders at both district and community levels on the implementation of land administration reforms.
Earlier in the mission, the World Bank team paid a courtesy visit to the District Multi-Stakeholder Platform (DMSP), where members provided an account of their role in supporting land governance and their ongoing efforts to promote community engagement and awareness on land laws.
Members of the DMSP shared their experiences in engaging communities on the country’s land laws and reforms, highlighting the importance of continued sensitisation and stakeholder participation in ensuring that communities understand their rights and responsibilities under the new land administration framework.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for the mission to gain insight into the role of the DMSP in facilitating collaboration among stakeholders and supporting community level dialogue on land governance issues.
Following the district level engagement, the mission continued to Rogbere in Maforki Chiefdom, where it held a meeting with members of the Village Land Committees and Chiefdom Land Committee at the Paramount Chief’s Barrah, hosted by the Paramount Chief of Maforki Chiefdom, PC Bai Forki Fainka II.
The meeting provided a platform for direct interaction between the World Bank mission and community structures actively involved in the implementation of land administration activities.
Members of the Village and Chiefdom Land Committees gave an account of their experiences in the field, including their role in supporting community participation in the recording, mapping and registration of land rights.
They also highlighted challenges encountered during implementation and areas where additional support may be required.
The discussions enabled the mission to gain firsthand information on how land administration reforms are being translated into practical activities at community level and the extent to which local structures are contributing to the process.
The Village and Chiefdom Land Committees remain important community structures under the implementation of SLLAP, serving as a link between communities and the formal land administration system. Their involvement supports engagement with landowners, community sensitisation and the identification and resolution of issues that may emerge during the land recording, mapping and registration process.
The engagements in Port Loko form part of the World Bank’s ongoing Implementation Support Mission to SLLAP, which is assessing progress, identifying emerging challenges and discussing measures to strengthen the implementation of the Project.
SLLAP is supporting the National Land Commission (NLC) in implementing Sierra Leone’s land administration reforms, including the systematic recording, mapping and registration of land rights in line with the National Land Commission Act, 2022.
The pilot activities are expected to generate practical lessons that can help strengthen land administration systems, community engagement mechanisms and implementation approaches ahead of the wider rollout of title registration across Sierra Leone.
As the mission continues, engagements with district platforms, traditional authorities, land committees and other community stakeholders are providing an opportunity to better understand the realities of land governance at the local level and ensure that the implementation of land reforms remains connected to the communities it is intended to serve.
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