By Buba Gagigo
The Minister of Local Government and Lands, Musa Drammeh, has confirmed to Kerr Fatou that the names of Ministers making the rounds on social media platforms and said to be allocated lands in Bijilo is true. He further remarked that it is normal for them to be allocated land like any other Gambian.
A list containing the names of cabinet ministers and other high-profile individuals was on Tuesday circulated on social media by Gambians expressing their frustration and dismay with land allocations that purportedly took place in Brufut Heights.
Asked whether the list is true, Minister Drammeh replied, “Yes, it is. And the allocation made to them was in order. There is nothing wrong with it. It is just like any other Gambian getting allocated land”.
On the procedures taken to allocate the said lands, the Land’s Minister said for some ministers, it was a replacement for their lands taken by former president Yahya Jammeh, others on the list applied, and the land was allocated to them based on those applications.
“They applied, and it was allocated to them. Some of them like Ebrima Sillah, lost their land to the former regime and claimed it, and it was replaced. Dawda Jallow also was a replacement, and some others have no place to live. They applied, and we allocated to them. But what I am saying is, what is wrong with Ministers getting allocated land like any other Gambian? The lands in question were forfeited by the Mahoney Commission as reported. I went to the cabinet to seek approval for their allocation. But how many ministers are on the list? Less than ten ministers got the land, and the cabinet is about 20. Not every minister is allocated land in that location. Only a few people got allocated land based on clear department guidelines with the Cabinet’s approval”. -Minister Drammeh told Kerr Fatou on Wednesday evening.
The local government and Lands Minister also clarified that the lands in question are in Bijilo, not Brufut Heights, contrary to the information shared on social media.
The following are the Ministers allocated land in Bijilo; Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Lamin Samateh, Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, Fatou Kinteh; Minister of Youths and sports, Bakary Y. Badjie; Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure Ebrima Sillah; Minister of Justice Dawda Jallow; Minister of Agriculture Amie Fabureh and Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Claudiana Cole.
The Vice president of the Gambia, Dr. Isatou Touray, was also allocated land in the same place along with Saffiatou Samba Tangara, Alkali Conteh and Sheriff Tambadou.
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