By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Honourable Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has in a ground-breaking ceremony launched the TAF Africa Salone Micro-City, a joint venture project between the Government of Sierra Leone and TAF Africa Global. The event, held on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at the John Obey Community, gathered esteemed dignitaries, community leaders and stakeholders to mark the commencement of the 5,000 affordable home project in John Obey.
Welcoming the gathering, the Headman of the John Obey Community, Hassan Marah, expressed gratitude to the Government of Sierra Leone and TAF Africa for selecting John Obey Community for the project of constructing 5,000 affordable homes.
He assured both the Government of Sierra Leone and TAF Africa of the community support during the implementation of the project further appealing, on behalf of the community, for the employment of community members in the construction process.
Ing. Oba F. Jones, Vice President of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers, commended the collaboration between the Government and TAF Salone Ltd, recognizing TAF Africa Global Ltd’s successful track record in affordable housing development. Jones highlighted the potential benefits for Sierra Leone from the engineering successes achieved in The Gambia and Nigeria over the past 48 years.
Recognizing the diverse engineering requirements, Jones recommended engaging local firms and engineers, stressing compliance with the Professional Engineering Regulation Act to ensure that all the engineers involved are fully registered. The Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers expressed keen interest in contributing to the Project’s success and proposed the establishment of a working group for collaboration.
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa Global, Mustapha Njie, expressed gratitude to H.E. President Julius Maada Bio for his continuous support and commitment to the development of affordable housing in Sierra Leone, highlighting the transformative vision shared by the Government and TAF Africa Global in providing quality housing for the people of Sierra Leone.
The CEO extended heartfelt thanks to the Minister of Housing and cabinet members for their dedication in facilitating the project. He acknowledged the support of lawmakers who played a crucial role in ratifying the initiative, emphasizing their belief in the long-term benefits it will bring to the nation.
Njie outlined six key benefits that the TAF Salone Micro-City Project will bring to Sierra Leone which includes, affordable housing, job creation, sustainable development, improved living standards, social impact and Improved Security.
In conclusion, Njie expressed his gratitude for being part of this transformative project and emphasized confidence in the success of TAF Salone Micro-City with the unwavering support of H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, the Government and esteemed partners. He extended thanks to various collaborators, including the Sierra Leone Institute of Engineers, Sierra Leone Institute of Architects, financial partners, consultants, subcontractors, management, staff and the John Obey community.
On his part, the Minister of Lands, Turad Senesie, on behalf the Government of Sierra Leone expressed appreciation to TAF Africa Global for believing in his vision.
He said that when he took over the Ministry there were a lot of challenges but said he was very determined to overcome them and bring in positive reforms that will benefit the entire country.
Dr. Turad Senesie stated that since his appointment, one of his priorities was to move the agenda of President Julius Maada Bio in terms of country planning and housing of which he maintained that in fulfilling that commitment he is pleased to witness the ground-breaking launching ceremony of TAF Africa Salone Micro-City, a joint venture project between the Government of Sierra Leone and TAF Africa Global marking the commencement of the 5,000 affordable homes project in John Obey.
The Minister added that as a Ministry they are looking for serious investors that can change the development landscape, stating that TAF Africa Global will not only provide jobs but will also support other Government activities. He assured of Government’s support to TAF Africa Global.
Launching the project, the Honourable Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, said that he is pleased, on behalf of His Excellency President Maada Bio, to officially launch the TAF Africa Salone Micro-City Project in the country marking the commencement of the 5,000 affordable homes project in John Obey.
He said that His Excellency President Maada Bio, in his 2018 manifesto, promised affordable housing for citizens and that officially launching the TAF Africa Salone Micro-City Project in the country is a manifestation of that promise.
Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh said that there had been a lot of issues regarding land grabbing in the country especially with Sierra Leoneans living in the diaspora who purchased these lands but found it very difficult to take ownership of those lands but said with the launch of the TAF Africa Salone Micro-City Project those issues will become a thing of the past.
He informed all that citizens both in the country and in the diaspora will now have the opportunity to own houses at the TAF Africa Salone Micro-City at the comfort of their zones.
The Vice President encouraged community members to take ownership of the project by supporting TAF Africa.
Giving the vote of thanks, the General Manager of TAF Africa, Anta Sey, expressed appreciation to the Government of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, and the community of John Obey for their indispensable contributions to the realization of TAF Salone Micro City.
She acknowledged the exceptional efforts of TAF Africa Global teams across the nine countries where they have a presence, with special mention of The Gambia, Nigeria and now Sierra Leone.
As the General Manager, Sey reaffirmed TAF Salone’s commitment to delivering the best housing development in Sierra Leone. She acknowledged existing customers and their wise choice, assuring them of TAF Salone’s dedication to seeing them through to the handover of their homes.
The ceremony concluded with a symbolic foundation stone-laying by the Vice President, signifying a shared commitment to realizing the vision of TAF Salone Micro City.
Significantly, the event marked a moment of shared appreciation and forward-looking commitment, setting the stage for the realization of TAF Salone Micro City’s transformative vision.
