Land Tenure in Sierra Leone

This book gives a brief account of the background to the dual land tenure system in force in Sierra Leone and explains the reasons why the dualism derived from the different colonial experience of the former Colony and Protectorate of Sierra Leone still persists almost fifty years after the two entities were merged to form a unitary State of Sierra Leone. The book gives an account, for the benefit of both law students and legal practitioners, of the main features of the English derived land law in the Western Area and of the forms of land holding in the Provinces which are governed predominately by customary law. The book also highlights the practical problems that legal practitioners may be confronted with in advising clients wanting to enter into transactions involving land in Sierra Leone and in drafting legal documents for the creation or transfer of interests in land in different parts of the country. By giving an account of developments relating to policy initiatives and by laying bare the achievements and shortcomings of land tenure reform to date, the book aims to stimulate debate on current proposals for reform not only among law students and practitioners of the law but also among policy makers and members of the wider non-legal community It offers a brief but constructive criticism of the dual land tenure system and offers some proposals for reform of the system changes in the light of stated policies.