By Tabora Bojang
Lands Minister Hamat Bah has averred that the allocation of land to President Barrow in Fajara is “legal and justified” but asked for time to furnish lawmakers with the legal provision that empowered him to do so.
The land is said to be the old residence of chief justices of The Gambia located along Atlantic Boulevard, South Atlantic in Fajara.
The allocation sparked controversy after opposition leader Ousainu Darboe called it “unlawful” and urged the president to return it or risk losing in the event of a different government.
In response to these condemnations, the Ministry of Lands in a statement issued in July confirmed that the land is allocated to the president and had been unoccupied by any authority including the chief justice for decades.
Appearing before lawmakers yesterday, Minister Hamat Bah was asked by Brikama North’s Alagie Darboe how and why the allocation occurred.
Minister Bah said his Ministry is mandated by law to allocate lands to all Gambians including the president. He added that the land in question remained unoccupied for many years, consequently as the minister he exercised his “statutory mandate to relocate” it.
NAM Darboe asked: “Can you tell us which provisions of the law gave you that mandate?” Minister Bah responded: “I am the chief land officer in this country. The powers are vested in me to decide who to be allocated land where and when and I have exercised that power.”
But the lawmaker who was displeased with his answers said the minister was shying away from responding to his question. “My question is for you to tell us the relevant law that you derive your powers from, I am not asking for your title?
The minister responded: “Honourable speaker I would ask the member to give me time and I will get back and quote him the relevant section [law] and supply this August Assembly. I don’t have it in my head.”
Minister Bah said he has done his homework on the issue and believed that the allocation is “legal and justified”.
