Section 12: In addition to any of its duties under this Act, the Corporation may—

(*a*) acquire, hold and dispose of real and personal property; (*b*) acquire, construct, maintain or repair anything required for the purposes of the Corporation; (*c*) appoint officers, agents and employees, prescribe their duties and qualifications and fix their remuneration; (*d*) make and alter income guidelines for the determination of persons and families eligible for assistance under the Corporation's scheme; (*e*) purchase mortgage securities or interests owned by eligible persons and families; (*f*) make loans for the repayment of which is secured by mortgage, or security interests, to participate in the making of secured loans, to undertake commitments, to make secured loans to acquire and contract to acquire mortgage or participations therein owned by mortgage lenders and to enter into advance commitments with mortgage lenders for the purchase of the said mortgage or participations; (*g*) sell or transfer mortgage or security interests at public or private sale, negotiate modifications or alterations in mortgage or security interest in default or commence any action, protect or enforce any rights conferred upon it by any law, mortgage, security agreement, contract or other agreement such as to bid for and purchase property which was the subject matter of such mortgage or security interest at any foreclosure or at any other sale, acquire or take possession of any such property, and exercise any or all rights as provided by law for the benefit or protection of the Board or the parties to the mortgage; A 88 No. 5 *Sierra Leone Housing Corporation* 1982 (*h*) collect fees and charges in connection with its loan commitments and servicing, including, but not limited to re-imbursement of costs of financing as the Corporation shall determine to be reasonable and as shall be approved by the Board; (*i*) make and execute contracts for the servicing of mortgages acquired by the Corporation pursuant to this Act, and pay the reasonable value of services rendered to the Corporation pursuant to those contracts; [Margin: Act No. 11 of 1970.] (*j*) subject to the provisions of the Banking Act, 1970 establish a home savings and loan scheme to encourage and facilitate wider home ownership by eligible persons and families; (*k*) accept gifts, grants, loans and other aids from the Government of Sierra Leone or any International Agency, or any persons or corporation, foundation or legal entity, and agree and comply with any conditions attached to such financial assistance not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act; (*l*) procure insurance against any loss in connection with its programmes, property, and other assets; (*m*) provide technical assistance and advice and enter into contracts as and when it may be necessary to do so; (*n*) develop construction manuals and carry out studies and analyses of housing needs within the Republic and ways of meeting such needs, including data with respect to population and family groups and the distribution thereof according to income groups, the amount and quality of available housing and its distribution according to rentals and sale prices, employments, wages and other factors affecting housing needs and the meeting thereof; (*o*) do and perform all acts and things under this Act and carry out its purposes under, through, or by means of its officers, agents or employees or by contracts with any person, firm or corporation; and No. 5 *Sierra Leone Housing Corporation* 1982 A 89 (*p*) lease real or personal property and accept funds for and participate in other governmental programmes to assist the provision of housing; (*q*) enter into agreement with any international body or organization, corporation or institution of Government and with mortgagors and mortgagees for the purpose of planning and regulating and providing for the financing and refinancing construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation, leasing, management operation, sale or other disposition of any residential housing undertaking with the assistance of the corporation under this Act; (*r*) proceed with foreclosure action, to own, lease, clear, reconstruct, rehabilitate, repair, maintain, manage, operate, assign, encumber, sell or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property obtained by the Corporation due to the default on any mortgage loan held by the Corporation in preparation for the disposal of such properties, take assignments of leases and rentals, proceed with foreclosure actions, and take other actions necessary or incidental to the performance of its corporate duties; (*s*) import directly from overseas if necessary bulk supplies and equipment, in order to ensure the lowest possible costs for land improvements and housing construction; (*t*) as shall be necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this Act, conduct research and promote development in housing, building technology and related fields; (*u*) as shall be necessary, carry on all or any of the following enterprises, namely, builders and contractors, decorators, merchants and dealers in stone, sand, lime, bricks, timber, and hardware and other building requisites, brick and tile makers, carriers and house agents. [Margin: Powers of the Minister in relation to the Corporation.]