Saffie Sankareh Farage, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government and Lands.
PRESS RELEASE 11th November, 2023
The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs wishes to inform the public that it has observed with concern, a widespread disregard for laws and rules governing land development. Significant encroachments have been reported in Government Residential Layouts within the Greater Banjul Area, particularly in the West Coast Region.
Consequently, the Ministry announces that the Department of Physical Planning and Housing, together with the Department of Lands and Surveys and other stakeholders, will be conducting an assessment exercise to establish the plots of lands affected by these encroachments, which will be immediately followed by a joint operation to clear all such encroachments and unauthorized structures within designated Government Layouts.
Therefore, all affected allottees are urged to present their allocation letters or leases, along with a written complaint, to the Department of Lands and Surveys by 30th November, 2023.
Accordingly, all unpermitted development activities must cease immediately.
For now, the following layouts are slated for the clearing operation: Salagi Layout Proper and Salagi Extension Layout, Old Yundum Layout, Nemasu Layout, and Tanji Residential Layout.
The exercise commences at Old Yundum and Salagi Residential Layouts with the issuance of demolition notices starting 1stDecember, 2023. The operations in Tanji and Nemasu Layouts will follow in subsequent phases.