Last Wednesday, 17 July, in Parliament, Hamat N.K. Bah, Minister for Lands, announced a 10-year plan to build 200,000 low-cost houses for civil servants and other low-income earners. Notably, by December 2025, construction will commence for 10,000 houses in the areas of Old Yundum, Youna, Jambur, and Mamuda. The Minister disclosed Government’s plans and efforts to partner with UN Habitat, Shelter Afrique and BADEA to mobilise funds for the project.
Mr President, it was during the 1970s in the First Republic that civil servants last received building or car loans.
This laudable initiative to help low-income earners to get shelter at reasonable prices on monthly payments is a good incentive by your government.
Landlords are not being reasonable with house rents, as most of them increase rentals every six months, and would always request for six-month or one-year advance rents for a house to be let out. This is not sustainable for majority of the people.
Mr President, we commend Minister Bah for coming up with such a good initiative and tough measures, as some alkalolu and some land sellers have been engaging in dubious land deals.
In some communities, some lands have been sold to different individuals, thus creating room for acrimonious duel over those lands. All these kinds of mess should be addressed in our communities to avoid future land conflicts.
In April this year, the alkalolu of Jeshwang and Manduar were suspended for alleged illegal land transactions in their areas. The ministry uncovered alleged illegal land sales in Botokunda and Tanji layout by their alkalolu. Recently, the ministry discovered the sale of lands belonging to the former president, Yahya Jammeh - lands which were not revealed to the Janneh Commission nor to the Ministry of Justice.
The ministry instituted two committees to investigate all those reserve land issues and report to government, which is expected to take appropriate measures to address these issues.
Furthermore, the Lands minister has announced the introduction of land banking throughout the country, which will be the first time that such initiatives will be introduced or implemented in The Gambia. Minister Bah has also decided that while the alkalolu could continue to receive traditional gifts, they should not ask for commissions on land sales.
Finally, Mr President, there is an urgent need for Gambians and non-Gambian residents to possess their official documents paid for at the Immigration; less the people are made to be grounded from travelling as well as from conducting financial transactions. The snag in producing ID cards could also prevent non- Gambians from regularising their status in the country.
Mr President, SEMLEX Group, we are informed, no longer assumes any part in producing official documents for The Gambia since 22 March this year.
SEMLEX, it would be recalled, started business with the Gambia Government in March 2018, handling national ID cards, alien or non-Gambian ID cards, residence permits, and driving licences.
As things stand, many people have paid for their identification and other documents and are only provided with receipts of payment but no actual documents, which is not helpful or justifiable outside the country.
Those who want to travel outside of The Gambia are unable to do so, as they are still waiting frustratingly for their documents to be handed them. This will hinder progress and productivity in the country.
Whatever the cause for this challenge in producing our national identification documents, an appropriate solution should be found to it. For instance, the government should open a tender for reputable institutions that could handle official documents to bid on producing these vital documents. The tender should be published in newspapers for transparency and probity.
Good day!