Housing and Country Planning: 25 Questions on SLPP’s 2018 Manifesto Promises
By the Sierra Leone Live Team
Welcome to Part 2 of our comprehensive review of the Sierra Leone People’s Party’s (SLPP) “Improving Lands, Housing, and Country Planning” promises as laid out in their 2018 “New Direction” Manifesto. This second part of the review focuses on “Housing and Country Planning”. The goal of this exercise is to provide an impartial evaluation of the SLPP’s achievements over their term in office, and your participation as citizens of Sierra Leone plays an instrumental role in maintaining the accountability and transparency of our government.
In this segment, we present you with a set of 25 carefully structured questions that aim to facilitate an in-depth assessment of the SLPP’s performance against its stated manifesto commitments in the Housing and Country Planning sector. These questions, calling for straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses, help you reflect on whether the specific goals of the 2018 manifesto were achieved.
Please note that the questions for Part 1, which focuses on “Lands”, are provided in a separate post for your convenience and easy reference.
Home Finance and Affordable Housing
Manifesto Quote: “Encourage the setting up of Home Finance Institutions, Provide fair and affordable access to decent housing to the citizenry, either through public or private investments, Facilitate access to credit for building and mortgage for regular income and non-regular income earners, Encourage banks to develop a housing loan fund that permits the construction companies to develop affordable housing.”
- Was the establishment of Home Finance Institutions encouraged?
- Were fair and affordable housing options made accessible to citizens?
- Was access to credit for building and mortgages facilitated by regular and non-regular income earners?
- Were banks encouraged to develop a housing loan fund for affordable housing?
 Building Materials and Infrastructure
Manifesto Quote: “Set up and enforce standards for building materials, Encourage large-scale local production of building materials, Improve access and distribution of imported and locally produced building materials.”
- Were standards for building materials set up and enforced?
- Was large-scale local production of building materials encouraged?
- Was the access to and distribution of both imported and locally produced building materials improved?
 Public Buildings and Infrastructure
Manifesto Quote: “Support rehabilitation programmes for public buildings and state-owned quarters nationwide, Rehabilitate Police Barracks, Military Barracks, and construct new modern multi-storey quarters where necessary.”
- Were rehabilitation programmes for public buildings and state-owned quarters supported?
- Were Police and Military Barracks rehabilitated?
- Were new modern multi-storey quarters constructed where necessary?
 Urban Development and Transportation
Manifesto Quote: “Support the creation of satellite areas around urban areas for housing major office buildings, Pursue the feasibility of extending the limits of the capital of Freetown by the construction of a modern toll bridge linking Freetown with Lungi and the building of offices outside Freetown by public-private sector collaboration to ease congestion in the Central Business District.”
- Were satellite areas around urban areas supported to house major office buildings?
- Was the construction of a contemporary toll bridge connecting Freetown and Lungi pursued in order to expand the boundaries of the capital of Freetown?
- Was the building of offices outside Freetown, through public-private sector collaboration, encouraged to ease congestion in the Central Business District?
 Land Acquisition and Utilization
Manifesto Quote: “Develop a Land Acquisition Account and commence payments for buildings to be demolished in the planned areas to cover a 10-year period. Such areas will be used for car parks, recreation areas, transportation, and transit points.”
- Was a Land Acquisition Account developed?
- Were payments commenced for buildings to be demolished in the planned areas?
- Were the demolished areas used for car parks, recreation areas, transportation, and transit points?
 Urban Amenities and Environment
Manifesto Quote: “Encourage private ventures to build multi-storey car parks, public toilets, and bathing facilities in Towns and Cities by providing lands for such purposes, Increase the width of access roads from 20’ to 30’ in all urban areas for vehicular and pedestrian traffic; Encourage the creation of green spaces and on-plot car parking.”
- Were private ventures encouraged to build multi-storey car parks, public toilets, and bathing facilities in towns and cities?
- Was the width of access roads increased from 20’ to 30’ in all urban areas for vehicular and pedestrian traffic?
- Was the creation of green spaces and on-plot car parking encouraged?
 Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC) and Infrastructure Services
Manifesto Quote: “Review and enhance the role and capacity of the Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC); Ensure the provision of infrastructure services such as electricity, water supply, and roads in new areas before they are developed for housing purposes.”
- Was the role and capacity of the Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC) reviewed and enhanced?
- Was the provision of infrastructure services such as electricity, water supply, and roads ensured in new areas before they were developed for housing?
- Were new areas developed for housing after ensuring the provision of infrastructure services?
- Were new areas supplied with electricity before they were developed for housing purposes?
- Were new areas provided with a water supply before they were developed for housing purposes?
- Were roads constructed in new areas before they were developed for housing purposes?
We extend our sincere gratitude to each one of you for your active engagement in this vital democratic process. Your contributions are of great importance in promoting accountability and good governance. As we proceed to further segments of this review, we encourage you to continue with your active participation. Thank you once again for your time and commitment.
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