By Saidu Jalloh, Reporter D.S
Residents of Pamoronko have thrown their weight behind a new initiative by the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre to bring informal settlements into the conversation on sustainable land use, calling it a critical step in tackling climate risks and improving living conditions.
The community engagement, held under SLURC’s Urban Futures Project, brought together community members, researchers, and government institutions to assess how current land-use practices increase vulnerability to climate change and to identify practical solutions for safer urban development.
Executive Director of SLURC, Dr. Joseph McCarthy, said lasting solutions will not come from evictions alone.
“The solutions rest with all of us,” Dr. McCarthy stated. “We need stronger partnerships between communities, government, and development partners to address both climate change and land-use challenges.”
Research Officer Amadu Kamara Labour gave an overview of the project, noting that phase one involved community dialogues, focus groups, asset mapping, visual research, and interviews to document local realities.
He said findings pointed to weak enforcement of land-use regulations, rapid urbanization, high housing demand, and limited economic opportunities as major drivers of environmental and social vulnerability in informal settlements.
According to Labour, phase two will focus on reviewing existing land-use laws, co-developing community-led wetland protection bylaws to reduce flooding, and creating alternative livelihood options for residents at risk.
During group discussions, participants linked land governance to livelihoods, environmental protection, and community resilience, and proposed measures to strengthen sustainable land management.
Eshaka Lamin Sesay of the National Protected Area Authority acknowledged that encroachment into protected areas remains a major challenge. He said the workshop offered valuable insights that could support more inclusive approaches to managing illegal settlements while safeguarding sensitive ecosystems.
The session ended with stakeholders agreeing on impact pathways for the next phase of the Urban Futures Project, aimed at improving land-use governance and building long-term climate resilience in communities like Pamoronko.
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