NA Panel Urges Liquidation of Jammeh-Era Companies and Recovery of State Losses

By Fatou Sillah

A special committee of The Gambia’s National Assembly has recommended the liquidation of companies linked to former President Yahya Jammeh and called for renewed efforts to recover financial losses incurred by the state.

Presenting the committee’s report to lawmakers on Monday, the chairperson, Abdoulie Ceesay, said firms identified by the Janneh Commission and subsequently endorsed by the government should be wound down without delay.

“All of the companies that were recommended for liquidation by the Commission and accepted by the Government must be liquidated most efficiently since most of these assets of the companies have been sold,” Mr. Ceesay said, noting that many of the companies’ assets had already been sold.

The committee’s recommendations also addressed the fate of a cargo scanner, urging the government to commission an assessment through the Gambia Ports Authority to determine whether the equipment remains necessary for operations at the Port of Banjul.

If deemed unnecessary, Mr. Ceesay said, the scanner should be sold by the Ministry of Finance in accordance with established procedures for asset disposal.

“Should the assessment show that the scanner is not needed, it must be sold by the Minister of Finance in the same manner as all assets are sold,” he said.

The report further called for clarity on the status of the Gold Dust refinery. Should the asset remain unsold, the committee recommended that it be transferred to the Ministry of Finance to facilitate its disposal.

In addition, the committee pressed regulators to enforce compliance among companies that fail to meet statutory obligations, particularly the filing of annual returns. It urged the registrar of companies to apply provisions of the Companies Act 2013 to address noncompliant entities.

Lawmakers were also advised to support measures aimed at recovering public funds lost through financial dealings involving Mr. Jammeh and his associates, underscoring what the committee described as the need for “active action” by the government.

The recommendations form part of ongoing efforts by Gambian authorities to address the financial legacy of Mr. Jammeh’s rule, following findings by the Janneh Commission into the former president’s control over state resources.