By Alagie Manneh
Several people, including elders of Banyaka in Kombo South, are demanding the immediate resignation of their alkalo Lamin I Camara, who was appointed in 2015.
A petition signed by the elders and copied to relevant ministries including the ministry of lands and other departments, seen by The Standard, quoted village elders as saying that they are unhappy with the alkalo’s system of administration, accusing of “breeding instability and dividing the people”.
“The most serious problem of Camara’s administration is that his reputation has been soiled by a number of endless land scandals. The alkalo is also fond of abusing his authority and insulting elders as well as ordinary people when dealing with land issues between him and the people. Also there is hardly any fair judgement in land cases between him and the people of his village because he is a member of the panel of the Kombo South district tribunal. Sometimes, case files are either ignored or thrown out,” added the elders who worked into the offices of The Standard with the petition.
The Standard spent days trying to get the alkalo to comment on these allegations and the demands of the petitioners. Following days of attempts, the alkalo finally decided to talk but burst into anger and threatened The Standard journalist for following him over the issue.
“My issue is not with journalists,” he said. “Do not call me ever again about this issue. Did you hear me? The journalists did not appoint me to this job. I am not working for journalists. I was not appointed by journalists; it was the ministry who appointed me,” Alakalo Camara retorted.
The Standard also contacted the Minster of Lands, Musa Drammeh who said: “We have received the report of the villagers as well as the National Assembly committee on this issue. We are looking into it. That’s all I can tell you, for now”.
