The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning on Wednesday, 26th June 2025, convened the final presentation of the Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project (RUSLP) at its conference room on the 3rd Floor of Youyi Building, Brookfields.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to review the final components of the Western Area Regional Spatial Plan (WARSP).
The project, which began in mid-2023, is a key initiative aimed at creating a sustainable and inclusive spatial development framework for both the Western Urban and Western Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. With the project nearing completion, the ministry has prioritized transparency and inclusivity by engaging MDAs to assess whether stakeholder recommendations have been effectively incorporated into the final plan.
Speaking to Epic Radio, Director of Housing and Country Planning, Sahr M. Kanawa, emphasized the significance of the final presentation.
“This meeting is intended to show MDAs and stakeholders what has been integrated into the final plan based on their input. This plan will guide decisions on where residential areas, commercial buildings, and other infrastructure should be located,” he said.
He added that public participation and stakeholder engagement have been central throughout the planning process, including community involvement in data collection and analysis.
Director Kanawa highlighted that the Regional Spatial Plan is expected to become a legal document upon completion, warning that any violations of its provisions will be met with legal consequences.
“The Ministry cannot implement this alone. Inclusiveness is critical. After this project, the plan will be law, and any individual or institution that violates it will be held accountable,” he warned.
Professor Heba Khalil, Project Lead for WARSP, outlined the three core objectives of the initiative.
“First, we are developing a Regional Spatial Plan for the Western Area, which has never been formally planned. Second, we are updating the 2014 draft of the Freetown Structure Plan, which was never approved. Finally, we’re building capacity within the Ministry of Lands, the Freetown City Council, and Ward Committees to ensure that the plan can be sustained and implemented effectively,” she said.
The WARSP aims to establish a coordinated urban planning framework that integrates Freetown with surrounding rural areas, addressing long-standing issues of unregulated development, poor land use, and infrastructure gaps.
The final plan is expected to be officially adopted by July 2025.
