Director of Lands and Survey Testifies Before National Assembly Select Committee
By Fatou Sillah
Dawda Fatty, Director of Lands and Survey, on Monday appeared before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee to provide testimony on the sales and disposal of assets linked to former President Yahya Jammeh.
During his appearance, Fatty stated that the Department of Lands had provided technical support and property valuation services to the Janneh Commission during its investigation into the financial dealings of the former president, his associates, and certain public bodies.
Counsel Kah asked whether the department had participated in compiling a list of approximately 130 properties, mostly leaseholds, cited by the Attorney General in a High Court application related to the former president. Fatty responded that he had not been in the country at the time, having left in 2017.
Counsel Aji further asked about the department’s role following the 2017 commission of inquiry, which investigated the financial dealings of former President Jammeh, public bodies, and his close associates. Fatty confirmed that the department provided technical assistance and named two officials who supported the commission: surveyor Bunja Janneh and the former Director of Lands and Surveys, Mr. Ceesay.
Fatty also confirmed that the department conducted property and land valuations for government institutions and specifically for the commission of inquiry. Some of these valuations were carried out under the supervision of a UN volunteer, Samantha, in consultation with the department’s valuation unit staff. Counsel requested that the witness provide copies of the valuation reports for the landed properties by Friday.
The director added that the department assisted the commission in identifying lands belonging to the former president and that valuations were based on market prices and land size. He explained that following the commission’s report and the government’s subsequent white paper, a ministerial task force reviewed the identified properties and made recommendations on their disposition, including sale or cancellation of titles.
When asked about the department’s role after the white paper, Fatty said that, as a general rule, properties belonging to the former president were forfeited to the state unless otherwise instructed. The department received directives from the Ministry of Lands to reassign certain properties or process applications for consent to assign ownership.
On the question of how many of the 288 properties identified by the commission were reassigned or reallocated, Fatty noted that 75 properties were leased. Regarding the process of cancellation, he explained that ownership transfers require submitting a standard application for consent for assignment along with supporting documentation to the department.