By: Dawda Baldeh

The National Assembly Member for Old Yundum Constituency, Abdoulie Ceesay, has accused the government of persistently neglecting the deteriorating situation of the Coastal Road Highway, describing it as a form of betrayal.

Abdoulie Ceesay, who spoke to The Fatu Network, said he has tried everything possible to address the plight of his constituents, citing the road as a major problem.

The Coastal Road Highway serves as a lifeline, connecting countless communities and facilitating the movement of goods and services.

“I have advocated to the extent of sending parliamentary questions to the minister and asking about the plans set aside for the Coastal Road Highway construction. The answer I got was that there are tangible plans for its construction, but we haven’t seen any meaningful steps taken,” he said.

The Old Yundum lawmaker described the current state of the Coastal Road Highway as an “embarrassment.”

“I feel embarrassed as a representative of Old Yundum because seeing them in this condition is heartbreaking,” he added. “Currently, the potholes, cracks, and crumbling shoulders have posed a constant hazard to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.”

Abdoulie Ceesay asserted that the lack of proper maintenance has rendered this once-important thoroughfare virtually impassable, causing delays and economic losses to the people using it.

“The government’s indifference to this critical infrastructure is a betrayal of its duty to the people it represents,” he lamented, adding that this is further making it more difficult for him as a representative to make people believe what plans are ahead for the road.

He argued that the Minister of Works and Infrastructure has failed to prioritize the safety and well-being of his constituents.

Ceesay stressed the need for the works minister to take immediate action and remedy this “unacceptable” situation.

“The people of Old Yundum constituency deserve better. We will not tolerate the continued neglect of the Coastal Road Highway,” he emphasized.

Disappointed with the current state of the road in his constituency, Ceesay wants the government to act and demonstrate its commitment to the well-being of its citizens.

The Coastal Road Highway is among many within the Greater Banjul Area that are becoming inaccessible, leading to traffic chaos and increased fares as drivers often fear delays and damage to their vehicles due to the rough conditions of the road.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) has deported at least fifty-nine (59) convicted undocumented migrants of various nationalities.

These migrants, who were arraigned at Brikama Magistrates Court a few weeks ago, were convicted after failing to regularize their status in the country, the GID said.

The Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Mamanding S. Dibba, described the deportation of the convicted undocumented migrants as a means to mitigate crimes and ensure the safety of all.

He attributed this development to ongoing GID efforts to curb crimes and address the issues of undocumented migrants.

A few weeks ago, Dibba also urged Gambians to obtain documents and carry them along, warning that people who refuse to obtain documents after reaching the legal age could face prosecution.

According to GID, the affected individuals, all male, were prosecuted and convicted for immigration offenses punishable under Section 31 of the Immigration Act.

It could be recalled that the GID conducted a nine-day enforcement exercise that culminated in the arrest and prosecution of the 59 non-Gambians.

The said exercise sought to curb irregular migration and further regulate matters connected to entry, residence, and establishment in The Gambia by the laws of the land.

While reaffirming its commitment to ensuring a safe and tolerant Gambian society for all, the Gambia Immigration Department urges citizens and residents to be responsible and law-abiding at all times.

By: Alieu Jallow

A two-day tension that erupted between the Senegalese Transport Union and The Gambia, starting Wednesday night, left multiple trucks stranded along the Kerr Ayub border with Senegal. The tension was triggered by the newly initiated Gambia Revenue Authority E-tracking system that imposed a D1600 tax levied on each truck crossing the Gambian borders.

Since the inauguration of the Senegambia Bridge, a large number of trucks, especially Senegalese, transport their goods from Senegal to The Gambia or the southern Senegalese region of Cassamance, thus helping ease movement and minimize long queues of trucks at the Banjul-Barra ferry crossing points. It is reported that due to the lack of a proper tracking system, Senegalese trucks were transporting goods to the south without any customs levy.

In a telephone interview, Omar Ceesay, President of the Gambia Transport Union, told The Fatu Network that the Senegalese drivers started protesting against the GRA tracking system as they transported goods from the northern to the southern side of their country. The tracking system aimed to monitor those goods to ensure they did not end up in Gambian markets. Amidst this, GRA imposed a tax of D1600 for using the borders. Mr. Ceesay mentioned that his counterparts called him decrying the levied duties, with Ceesay narrating how Senegalese authorities mistreated his colleagues.

“We Gambians are facing similar challenges and paying 10 times what they are paying because their police, gendarmerie, and customs officers are harassing our people, collecting money from us unlawfully. So we see it should be a win-win situation. Also, we, the union, support the E-tracking system because we know its importance, so we agreed with them that when they go back, they will stand down on their protest,” he outlined.

Mr. Ceesay asserted that following their conversation to end the unrest, the Senegalese Transport Union failed to honor their agreement and went ahead with the protest by parking all Gambian vehicles either entering or leaving the country, which prompted a reaction from the Transport Union. He underscored the significance of the E-tracking system in boosting The Gambia’s economy and helping to address tax leakages. This tension sparked widespread attention from the head of state, who held a brief telephone call to discuss ways forward in resolving the matter between the two states.

Mr. Ceesay vowed that as long as Senegalese brutality continues, they will resolve matters with tit-for-tat methods.

“We believe in eye for an eye, tit for tat, foot for foot, if they fail to understand. If they respect us, we respect them. If they stop us, we stop them. If they allow us, we allow them too, period,” he emphasized.

The GTU President alleged that the Senegalese authorities brutalized his people and spent a minimum of D10,000 on their security personnel. He called on the two heads of state to fast-track the bilateral agreements to smoothen the transport system, foster unity, and enhance trade and socioeconomic growth.

By: Dawda Baldeh

A land dispute in Kitty has taken a different turn as both parties have been urged to cease development and consult physical planning to determine the rightful owner of the property.

The conflicted land involves two private citizens, Lamin Conteh, a Gambian residing in the US, and Tijan Jaiteh, a former Gambian footballer and sports ambassador.

The Fatu Network has obtained documentation indicating that Lamin Conteh is the owner of the now disputed property, which he purchased nearly a decade ago.

Mr. Conteh has called on the government to take swift action and return his land.

However, Mr. Conteh alleged that he was asked to cease developing the land by the Siffoe Police, who informed him that the land is allocated to Tijan Jaiteh for the construction of a sports academy.

Due to the ongoing dispute between the two sides, a team from the Ministry of Lands, headed by the Deputy Permanent Secretary Mamudou Manjang, recently visited the site and asked both parties to cease development on the land immediately.

Police from Siffoe station also arrived at the site and asked Lamin Conteh to stop developing the place.

Mr. Conteh told reporters that he has all legal documents to the land in Kitty and that he acquired the land legally.

The disputed land measures 150 X 225 meters.

“I got this land about ten years ago. How come I want to develop it and the police and officials from lands are asking me to stop?” he questioned.

Conteh revealed that he will file a case against Tijan, who is also allocated the same land by the government.

“How can someone come from nowhere and claim ownership of my land?” Conteh questioned.

Conteh believes the government is playing double standards, reiterating his stance to defend his land.

Present at the site was the DPS at the Ministry of Lands, Mr. Mamudou Manjang, who informed our reporter that as long as there is conflict regarding the land, he will advise both parties to cease any form of development until further notice.

Mr. Manjang advised both Lamin Conteh and Tijan Jaiteh to go to Gambia Physical Planning and the Ministry of Lands, who will scrutinize all their documents.

Efforts have been made to reach out to Tijan Jaiteh for comments, but he could not be reached at the time of this publication.

We will bring his version once we are able to get his comments.

Modou Jonga, the former CEO of Brikama Area Council, testified yesterday at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry. He revealed that the council spent D2.5 million in 2019 and D2 million in 2020 on various ward development projects.

Jonga shared details on how the council had been ignoring procurement rules before he became CEO. He said, “The Council supported communities by building feeder roads, installing solar lights, setting up water boreholes, and increasing student scholarships. We also worked on road repairs, women’s garden projects, borehole repairs, fencing a football field, building toilets, and constructing markets. We disbursed D2.5 million in 2019 and D2 million in 2020 to the wards for their development.”

He explained that most of the spending matched the budget and that he regularly checked his actions against the Financial Manual, the Local Government Act, and the Local Government Finance and Audit Act.

When asked why there was no internal audit report for 2021, Jonga said it was the Internal Audit Unit’s fault and added that he did not prevent them from doing their work.

Jonga was then shown the Financial Manual, which outlines his responsibility to ensure all units perform their tasks properly. After reviewing it, he admitted he did not ask the Internal Audit Unit to carry out an audit to check the Council’s status.

He also mentioned that the Council was expected to meet at least once a month, but sometimes failed to do so due to a lack of agenda. Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez argued that this excuse was not valid, as there were many important issues to address for the welfare of the people.

Regarding procurement rules, Jonga admitted there were times when the council did not follow them. He noted that when he arrived, compliance was low, but he worked to improve it.

“The audit reports used to be ‘adverse,’ but I managed to improve the system to ‘qualified,’ introduced a procurement plan, created a fixed asset register, and made procurement more participatory,” he said.

He told the commission that in 2020, the council didn’t have an approved plan and used a draft plan for procurement instead. Although they prepared and submitted a plan for approval, they never received it.

“Having a plan that’s not approved is better than having no plan at all,” he said.

Lead Counsel Gomez referred him to the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA) Act, which states that procurement must strictly follow the Act, its regulations, and other laws set by the National Assembly.

After reading from the GPPA Act, Jonga agreed that it is crucial to follow the law for procurement and confirmed that having a procurement plan is mandatory. He acknowledged that making expenditures without a procurement plan was wrong.

By: Seringe ST Touray

As opposition leader Ousainou Darboe calls for President Adama Barrow to return land allocated to him by the Ministry of Lands, a high-ranking official within the Ministry has told The Fatu Network that Darboe had filed five land applications for himself and his family during his time as Vice President.

The source reveals that while Darboe was Vice President, he and his family submitted applications for:

• Darboe himself
• His wife
• His daughter
• His brother
• His sister

The Ministry informed Darboe that only three allocations were available. Darboe is said to have allocated land to his wife, sister, and daughter, specifically:

• The land for his sister is in Yundum and was previously owned by Sulayman Gaye.
• The land for his wife and daughter is in Bijilo and was previously owned by businessman Alhagie Jawara.

The Fatu Network has been following the land allocation dispute involving Darboe and President Barrow. Over the past several weeks, Darboe had accused President Barrow of receiving preferential treatment for a piece of land on Atlantic Road in Fajara. Darboe claimed that the President used his position to secure the land unfairly. “The land allocated to President Barrow was not just a matter of fairness but a clear abuse of power,” Darboe stated.

In response, Minister of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs, Hamat NK Bah, explained that their land allocation process is fair and applies to all Gambians, including the President. The Minister reminded Darboe that he himself benefited from land allocations during his time as Vice President. “It is important to note that Mr. Darboe himself benefited from land allocations during the Jawara administration and his tenure as Vice President,” Bah said.

The Ministry defended its decision to allocate land to President Barrow, explaining that the land had been vacant for many years. “The Ministry maintains and exercises the authority to reallocate the land as it deems appropriate,” the Minister said. The Ministry also mentioned that Darboe’s remarks were “misplaced” and appeared to be aimed at undermining the President rather than addressing genuine concerns.

Darboe has continued to challenge the Ministry’s explanation. During the United Democratic Party’s Convention in Spain, which started on August 3, he called on Gambians to demand that President Barrow return the land. “I urge Gambians to make their voices heard and request that President Barrow return the land,” Darboe said. His ongoing criticism reflects his dissatisfaction with the current administration.

The land allocation dispute has sparked a broader discussion about fairness and transparency in government. As the situation continues to develop, The Fatu Network will keep you updated with the latest information.

Editor’s Note: This information was added after the initial publication: Darbo’s team, specifically Almamy Taal, Spokesperson for the UDP, was contacted prior to our publication for comments regarding the inside information obtained from our source at the Ministry, but has not yet responded.