Home / Environment / Luxury Mansions Invade Sierra Leone's Protected Park
Luxury Mansions Invade Sierra Leone's Protected Park
18 Feb
Summary
- Illegal luxury mansions built in Sierra Leone's national park buffer.
- Government investigation findings remain undisclosed for nearly four years.
- Deforestation threatens the capital's water supply and landslide risk.
Scores of luxury mansions have been illegally constructed within Sierra Leone's Western Area Peninsula National Park, an essential environmental buffer for the capital, Freetown. An investigation launched by President Julius Maada Bio in 2022, nearly four years ago, revealed that senior government officials facilitated the land ownership documents, despite a ban on construction within the park. The findings, which were never shared publicly, describe the deforestation as an 'environmental time bomb.'
The continued construction, particularly in the Bio Barray neighborhood, directly threatens Freetown's water reservoir, which supplies 90% of the city's water. The deforestation also heightens the risk of devastating landslides, similar to one in 2017 that killed over 1,000 people. Despite the investigation's recommendations for punitive measures against implicated officials, including the then-Minister of Lands, Denis Sandy, no public action has been confirmed, and construction persists.
Officials have offered conflicting statements regarding actions taken on the investigation's findings. The current Chief Minister stated that government bodies have acted, but could not confirm specific punishments due to the confidential nature of Cabinet discussions. The head of the Anti-Corruption Commission claimed not to have seen the report, while the executive director of the National Protected Area Authority denied knowledge of staff involvement in land deals, despite being appointed after the investigation's report was submitted to the president's office.
An analysis of satellite imagery by the AP confirmed that illegal mansions remain standing, with new buildings emerging even after the investigation's report was officially handed over to the president's office in September 2022. Despite presidential assurances that no one is above the law, including potential demolition of his own family's properties, the encroachment continues, with many landowners inside the park holding government positions.
