By Dawda Baldeh
President Adama Barrow has promised to return the land assigned to him by the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs if the Chief Justice provides a letter of allocation.
The land previously occupied by the Chief Justice of The Gambia is situated along the South Atlantic.
Barrow was replying to his political godfather, Ousainou Darboe, who had earlier stated that he would confiscate the land allocated to President Barrow should he be elected president.
While speaking to party supporters in Brikama on Saturday, Barrow mentioned that Darboe had vowed to seize the government-allocated land if he were to become President.
“Darboe said the land allocated to me is owned by the Chief Justice, but I challenge him to go and ask the Chief Justice to provide a letter of allocation for the land then I will return the land,” Barrow said.
In a previous press conference, Darboe stated that government land allocations should only occur within the designated layout and pledged to reclaim the land allocated to the President if he were to become president.
In response, Barrow informed his supporters that Darboe is not the President, and he (Barrow) is more aware of this fact than Darboe himself. He disclosed that Darboe, along with his wife and child, had also received land allocations from the government.
“When Darboe was the Vice President, he applied for land (s) and during the process I sacked him.
“Darboe later sent someone to me asking me to help him with the land application for his wife and child.
“I called Minister Musa Drammeh (former Land Minister) and asked him to process the documents. The documents were processed, and his wife and child got their lands,” he said.
The Gambian President was speaking at the inauguration of the National People’s Party bureau in Brikama where he also made controversial comments that have been strongly criticized and condemned by Gambians at home and abroad.
