Historic Handover: SAC Delivers Surveyed Land Documents to Malen Chiefdom Landowners. The move Ensures Transparency, Security, and Ownership for 443 Families After Two-Year Mapping Project
By Charles E. Thomas, Communication Officer – Socfin Agricultural Company
Sahn Malen, Pujehun District, Sierra Leone – In a significant and long-awaited engagement spanning two days, Socfin Agricultural Company (SAC) officially handed over surveyed plans and legal land documents to land-owning families in Malen Chiefdom on September 24th and 25th, 2025. This historic move is aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability, and resolving land disputes amongst families in the chiefdom where SAC is operating its palm plantation for over 12 years.
The handover follows a rigorous two-year mapping and census project conducted by GEO Data for proper survey and data analysis. This massive exercise covered 18,473 hectares of land across 53 communities, involving 443 families.
A Milestone for Ownership and Accountability
General Manager of SAC, Mr. Olivier Martin, described the exercise as a milestone achievement, noting the tireless work involved in waiting for this faithful day. He stressed that these documents now provide families with legal instruments to their properties, which will not only guarantee ownership but also enhance accountability in land management.
"These families now have legal documents to their properties," Mr. Martin stated. He further assured landowners that they will receive their benefits yearly based on the size of their land, in addition to other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects provided to the people of Sahn Malen Chiefdom.
Legal Protection and Restored Peace The significance of the documents as legal instruments was emphasized by the Pujehun District Council Chairman, Mr. Mohamed Lahai. He assured landowners that these documents will serve as legal instruments to secure their properties and protect their rights for generations to come.
He strongly encouraged families to preserve them with the utmost care as they will serve a lifetime purpose.
Regent Chief of Malen Chiefdom, Chief Alex B. Lamin, noted the powerful impact of the handover on the community. He happily shared that the exercise has restored peace and unity in the chiefdom, stating, "Landowners now know the size of their land and how they will be expecting to receive for their properties every year."
Empowerment and National Call to Action
The positive sentiment was echoed by landowners, particularly by Chief Aminata Sowa (Section Chief) from Sinjo village. She expressed deep gratitude, saying the development is not just about documents but also about empowerment.
"I am very happy. With these documents, we now know our land is secure. As a woman, I’m proud to say we too can own land and plan for our families’ future," she shared, highlighting the immense joy and hope this brings to women in the chiefdom.
In his keynote address, the guest speaker and Resident Minister for the Southern Region, Chief John Abu, encouraged all landowners to safeguard their documents and work collaboratively with SAC. He urged them to protect the documents and continue to work together for the benefit of their families, SAC and Sierra Leone at large.
The successful handover marks a new chapter for Malen Chiefdom, solidifying a partnership that ensures security, transparency and a renewed relationship between landowners and SAC.