Government of The Gambia has in a press release issued on Thursday 13th January and signed by Ebrima Sankareh – Government Spokesperson – denied and described the allegations circulating on social media on government allocation of 250 hectares to an Indian Company as “utterly false and malicious political propaganda.”
The release noted that the issue is being falsely portrayed on some social/online media platforms.
“This morning, an online platform, alluding to a local television advertisement, falsely posted without verification, scurrilous and malicious allegations that the Barrow Government allocated vast hectares of land to an unnamed Indian company. Evidently, the report, a laughable piece of ‘yellow journalism’, failed to provide evidence to support the authenticity or veracity of the allegations. Instead, the rambling piece of political propaganda degenerated into insults and innuendoes, maligning the character of innocent citizens.”
It disclosed that the land in question was totally a private transaction between Mr. Nandu Rajwani, a naturalized Gambian-Indian businessman who has lived in the country for forty years and the village community of Bissari-Madi, Foni Bondali District.
The press release further confirmed that CEO of EMK Stores Limited, Mr. Rajwani who employs over a thousand Gambians entered into a 5.5 Million Dalasis private land transaction with the said community in July 2021, adding that the land has since been put to use and currently creates employment opportunities for 7 Indian agronomists and over 100 Gambian agricultural workers.
It emphasized that the government has no hand in the said transaction, calling on people to first verify information before publication.
“The Gambia Government wants to make it abundantly clear that contrary to the false report of complicity in the land deal, it was neither a party to the transaction nor involved in the negotiations, sale and transfer of the land to Mr Rawjani.While The Gambia Government encourages public scrutiny as evident in the newly-enacted Access to Information Law, it equally urges journalists and citizens who take to Social Media to verify stories to avoid constant misinformation.”
