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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
 Posted - 07 May 2021 : 13:27:12
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https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/editorial/beware-of-illegal-land-dealers
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The Point: Editorial
Beware of illegal land dealers!
May 7, 2021
Dispute land continues to be a major problem in The Gambia these days. Land issues have become so serious that most of these disputes end up in our courts.
It is a fact that more and more families in the provinces are migrating to the urban and peri-urban centres on a number of factors. And most farmlands in the urban and peri-urban centers are now turning into settlements.
However, that should not be a basis for unscrupulous land dealers to sell properties that doesn’t belongs to them.
It is the news that residents of Sotokoi in the Kombo North over the weekend convened a press conference over the issue of multiple lands being unlawfully sold.
Already, some who purchased a plot have started developing their area by building houses.
It is high time government through the Ministry of Local Government and Lands do something to avert what could result to looming disaster. Disputes over land in most cases result to fatalities. It is such an explosive issues that need to be addressed immediately. Past experiences have taught us how serious land issues could turn into.
Therefore, residents of this Kombo North settlement called on the government to immediately address the issue before it goes out of control. Also, authorities need to look into the activities of some of the estate agencies and unscrupulous land grabbers in the country. Until then, the issue of grabbing and illegal sale of land will be an issue in years to come.
Certainly, most of the estate agencies operating in the country are ‘masking’ to be real estate developers while in the real sense they are exploiting people. Authorities including the Department of Physical Planning need to do a lot before endorsing some of these land developers. A thorough ‘fact and background check’ must be done to ascertain whether they are in fact genuine in their activities. If not any Tom, Dick and Harry could just appear from nowhere and pretend to be a genuine estate dealer.
Land issues especially in the Kombos are not taken lightly. Let’s be aware of unscrupulous land dealer. Each one, teach one. Together we will totally eradicate it in our society.
"The wise young man or wage earner of today invests his money in real estate."
Andrew Carnegie
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2022 : 17:37:51
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https://foroyaa.net/physical-planning-director-land-allocated-to-nawec-in-salagi-is-reserved-land/
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By Mustapha Jallow on July 22nd 2022.
Mamudou Manjang, Director of the Department of Physical Planning and Housing, on Thursday clarified that the Sukuta-Salagi land is a reserved place for the government, which is now allocated for NAWEC.
Manjang made this assertion at his office in Banjul, while responding to accusations and claims made by Ousman Bojang that he is the rightful owner of the said land used as a market.
He indicated that Ousman Bojang has no authority to allocate a market or canteens in reserved areas.
He said a place has since been identified for residents by the government to use it as a market. In fact, he said the residents are currently developing the area.
“Bojang had sold some part of these reserved areas. So, we had to also demolish the structure because this is government property,” he added.
According to him, there were due processes that were followed to acquire the places and documents were also shown to them so that they can understand that the place they are claiming ownership is a government reserved land.
“Those claiming ownership were all compensated. So, if they said they were not compensated, they should visit the lands ministry to get their compensation because the ministry is ready to engage them,” Manjang said.
After so many allegations against physical planning, he explained that the police mounted an investigation into the matter. Upon completing the investigation, he said the police came up with recommendations and one of them was that families must be compensated which was done. Manjang urged Ousman to desist from occupying government’s reserved lands, while noting that the women vendors selling in the area don’t know anything about the land.
“Instead, they are there to only give power to Ousman in order for him to gain control of the reserved land.
“The reason why we made the demolition was because they refused to move after time was given for them to relocate and in fact, we were also helping them to move their belongings but they did not,” he narrated.
According to the physical planning director, the place is an approved layout and their presence was to ensure the protection of the reserved land.
“It’s approved layout, which has been allocated to NAWEC by the lands ministry. So, there is a place identified for Salagi residents to use as a market. Therefore, an individual does not have the right to allocate or build a market for his people without involving relevant authorities,” he said.
Nonetheless, Mr Manjang referred our reporter to lands ministry for further information. The permanent secretary of the aforesaid ministry asked the reporter to write a letter to them first, before he grants him an interview.
Meanwhile, it was on Wednesday when women vendors and claimants of land at Sukuta-Salagi market expressed their anger and concerns over the demolished market by officials from the Department of Physical Planning.
They claimed to inherit the land in question from their forefathers and ancestors. But the physical planning director dismissed those claims, saying Ousman does not own the land, but it’s a reserved government property.
When our reporter visited the disputed land, he observed that the market, where mothers and other young women make little income to pay for their children’s school fees, rent, fish-money, and daily needs, was demolished. No structure or canteen was spared during the demolition.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2022 : 09:39:50
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https://foroyaa.net/category/editorial/
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August 11, 2022
Some people are claiming ownership of land in Salagi while the Physical Planning Department maintains that the land is reserved land which has been given to NAWEC for a project.
Foroyaa had requested for an interview with the ministry of regional government and lands to clarify matters more than a fortnight ago but that interview is yet to be granted. Foroyaa wanted to know the requirements of the law for declaring a reserved land, whether those procedures were adhered to, the right of the owners to compensation for the loss of their property and so on.
Now, all that is done is the serving of notices for a demolition exercise and defiance by people in the community.
Civil servants need to be transparent in the performance of their duties. They should always be pleased whenever they have the opportunity to speak to the media in order to sell their agenda rather than running away from the media.
We hope the ministry will grant an interview to Foroyaa as soon as possible and even other media so that the public in general and the stakeholders of the Salagi land dispute will be properly informed. |
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Land! land! land!
