By Tabora Bojang
Lands Minister Hamat Bah responding to questions by National Assembly Members yesterday revealed that government has taken a new position on the issuance of lands because it believes giving plots to people who do not even have the means to survive will not solve the country’s housing problem. “We want to build affordable houses for Gambians. We have requested 200,000 houses in the next 10 years. We are starting with 10, 000 houses by December 2025,” Minister Bah added.
He said the government will engage the UN Habitat, Shelter Afrique and BADEA to mobilise funds for the project. “What we have left to do is to design the project, have the concept note and the cost,” he stated.
Minister Bah said the Ministry of Finance has also invited the IFC to support the creation of a housing mortgage bank in The Gambia which will facilitate this housing vision.
Nominated NAM, Kebba Lang Fofana asked Minister Bah whether civil servants such as teachers and nurses will benefit from this proposed government housing scheme. Minister Bah said “that will be for the cabinet to decide.”
The member for Busumbala Muhammed Kanteh asked the minister to explain the availability of reserved lands for residential areas, arguing that the minister is making a political statement and trying to avoid answering on the availability of government reserved lands, and what steps he is taking to address those state reserved lands that have been tampered.
In response, Bah said lands were identified in certain settlements for a proposed housing scheme for civil servants and identified reserved lands for residential purposes are located in Old Yundum, Youna, Jambur and Mamuda. He however stated that recent inspections indicate sporadic developments and encroachments on these reserved lands.
Also, as demanded by NAMs, the minister provided a list of government layouts allocated since 2017 but said he needs time to compile the list of beneficiaries.
Muhammed Kanteh further inquired from the minister if his ministry had come across names of any person who benefited from more than one allocation. Minister Bah replied: “I am not aware of that, but once the research and investigation is ready, we can come out with that.”
Several other NAMs insisted that the minister give the Assembly a timeframe as to when this investigation of names of beneficiaries will be completed but the minister averred that he “cannot” give any timing because he does not want to “mislead” lawmakers.
The minister also said that two committees have been formed to investigate those reserved lands and report to the government to take actions and departments have been tasked to start the process of land banking in the country.
“These proposed houses will be spread throughout the country,” the Minister said.
But NAM Kanteh, who was displeased with his responses, charged: “I am not asking about houses. I am asking about the policies in place to regulate those reserved government lands”.
Minister Bah replied he did not find any comprehensive policy in that ministry for the last 50 years and this government is determined to roll out a policy by 2025.
