By Landing Colley
The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs has clarified the issues of the demolition carried out on Salaji land which resulted to a big clash between the Sukuta youth and police after the Department of Physical Planning has demolished dozens of homes they claimed to be a State Reserved Land.
Meanwhile, the people of Sukuta dispelled the claim made by Department of Physical Planning that they owned the land. This caused the arrest of dozens of youth who were later released on police bail last week.
However, the Ministry of Lands Tuesday convened a press conference to clarify the demolition as the Ministry said “a letter was issued to the Alkalo of Sukuta 2nd August, 2007 from the Local Government and Lands.”
The Ministry quoted from the said letter which read “I am directed to inform you that this department has been instructed by the department of Local Government and Land to prepare a residential layout at Sukuta.”
According to the Ministry, a compensation was given to seven (7) clans ‘Kabilos’ including some individual who claims that their lands where found within the Salagi extension.
Speaking at the news conference, Buba Sanyang, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Lands said “the reason for the demolition of Salagi Layout is in accordance with Section 24 of the Physical Planning and Development Control Act 1991, which states that: a person shall not carry out any development on any land subject to the provisions of this Act, unless that person has been issued with a development permit in respect of the land by the Planning Authority of the area in which the land is situated.”
He also cited that “Section 38 of the Physical Planning & Development Control Act 1991, states that, “a person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of this as commits an offence and is in addition to having the development removed, liable to a fine not exceeding Two Thousand Dalasis or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or to both the fine and imprisonment.”
Mr Sanyang added that “in effect the demolition that was conducted was carried out targeting the public spaces that were created within the layout to benefit the beneficial, he explained.”
“We cannot allow such to continue where Government create a layout or public space and people take the law in to their own hands and occupy those public places for their personal interests.”