The residents argued that the government has confiscated their lands in the name of reserved lands but larger parts of those lands have been sold to private individuals.
Speaking in a press briefing held at Sukula- Salagi village during the construction of their new market, Ousman Bojang, representative of the Alkalo of Salagi, said: “The government officials have sold a land of 65x40 x75 that was reserved for public hospital to private individual called Dr. Yankuba Gassama who designed to build a private hospital.”
He added that there are so many plots of lands that the government has taken from the people of Sukuta under the pretext of reservation.
However, Mr. Bojang further alleged those plots of land have never been used for public service but were sold to private individuals such as former and current government officials.
He added that Bojang Kunda and co of Sukuta village have given plots of land to the women of Sukuta-Salagi and the satellite communities to build a market but the government has claimed that the land has been reserved for a police station.
He said the people of Sukuta have given the police a land of 50x50 metres to build a police station but the other remaining 90x60 is for the women to build a market.
“We prefer to die than seeing our lands taken from us and sold to individuals,” he charged.
“Again there is no reserve land at Sukuta extension. There were 16 plots of lands but they have been sold to individuals now,” he further alleged.
“They (government officials) have given some of the plots of land to their family members and friends. There are no reserve lands any more. All the lands have been sold by Physical Planning and Local Government officials.”
He further accused that the government has taken their lands without any form of compensation.
Maimuna Bah, president of the association, said: “Physical Planning and Local Government know and we (Sukuta-Salagi) residents know as well. They do not want their deals to be unveiled but they will be unveiled.”
“We have heard and seen them selling plots of land in Sukuta-Salagi,” she complained.
Asked whether Salagi residents have seen government officials selling lands, she maintained that it is a fact that the aforementioned government departments sold plots of land that were claimed to be state reserved lands in the community.
“You see that plot of land was reserved for a public hospital but they (government officials) have sold it to a private individual who designed to build a private hospital,” she alleged.
Lamin Cham alias Lamboy, a community activist, described the long land dispute as dreadful. However, he said the residents of Sukuta-Salagi have forgotten about the plots of lands that have been already sold and developed.
“We understand that three layouts have been removed from Sukuta territory but according to the constitution, the government should take only one layout from a community,” he said.
Moving forward, he said if the government is to identify a layout from a community it should discuss it with the community. “Government can take lands for public usage but should not take our lands and give them to others without compensation.”
He called on the new minister of lands to be very much mindful of what he called “unscrupulous officials,” while advising the minister to set a competent panel to investigate the land issues in Sukuta-Salagi.
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