By Sirrah Touray
In a packed committee session marked by sharp exchanges and tense moments, Minister Hamat Bah delivered a candid testimony before the parliamentary panel of enquiry into the sale former president Jammeh’s assets.
Bah, who served on the ministerial task force overseeing land matters among the assets, maintained that the task force did not sell any land but only made recommendations to the Receiver, with final decisions requiring cabinet endorsement. “We don’t sell land; we only recommended to the Receiver, and any decision must be endorsed by the cabinet,” he stressed.
The panel probed Bah about specific cases, including the disputed sale of prime properties on Daniel Goddard Street, which appeared to have been sold despite prior recommendations for government retention, Bah admitted confusion surrounding the matter but suggested cabinet may have reversed earlier decisions to keep the properties for public use. “I believe the cabinet reversed the decision, but I stand to be corrected,” he said.
The committee also highlighted alleged undervaluation of properties and questioned the appointment process of key officials managing land assets.
Throughout the session, Bah was frank about his limits, repeatedly referring to technical staff for detailed data and rejecting requests beyond his authority.
Tensions peaked when Bah rejected requests to provide exhaustive information on forfeited properties, stating, “I’m not the chair of this committee. I cannot do that.”
The panel members supported this stance, emphasising procedural boundaries.
Despite the contentious exchanges, Bah reiterated his commitment to transparency, underscoring the importance of the committee’s work in clarifying facts for the public. “We want the public to understand what transparency is about,” he said.
