#Headlines

Gov’t urged to release investigation report of Sukuta-Salagi land dispute

Jun 23, 2022, 12:19 PM | Article By: Sulayman Waan

The Sukuta- Salagi Unity Association has called on The Gambia government to release the investigation on the Sukuta-Salagi land dispute to ensure all know the outcome of the report.

According to officials of the community based association, about two years ago, The Gambia government through the Ministry of Interior established a panel of investigation on the controversial land dispute of Sukuta-Salagi but the report has not been published.

 

Residents have therefore called on the government to unfold the outcome of the report to the public.

Speaking to journalists at Sukuta-Salagi new market on Sunday, Lamin Jatta, spokesperson of the community based association, argued that the government refused to publish the report.

He said at some point the security personnel mounted an investigation on the Sukuta- Salagi land dispute in order to get to the root cause of the land dispute. However, he added the report is unpublished.

“The investigators had compiled the report and delivered it to the Police Headquarter. The police have also delivered it to the Ministry of Lands but the ministry is sitting on the report.”

“We never saw the report. We do not know our stance on the land and we do not know where to go,” he lamented.

He narrated that previously the former Secretary General and Head of Civil Servants Nuha Touray called his brother at Sukuta and informed him about the compilation of the report, adding that was the end of Mr. Touray’s efforts on the report.

The spokesperson called on the government to release the report to ensure everyone knows its outcome.

Gibril Bojang, a resident of Sukuta, described the situation as "selective justice."

“It is very sad if the government establishes a panel to investigate the land dispute and in the end the same government undermines the publication of the report,” he said.

He claimed that the Ministry of Interior was leading the investigation but after knowing its outcome "it connived with the Land’s Ministry to undermine" the report and manipulated the whole situation.

He alleged that some Sukuta residents are working with the government to take their lands.

Bojang, also a construction engineer, alleged that the government undermined the report on grounds that most of the occupants of Sukuta- Salagi are top government officials, especially those from the Ministry of Lands.

“I urge President Adama Barrow and the minister of Lands to make sure the report is released so that the truth is known to all,” he appealed.