The community of New Yundum is reportedly “displeased” over Government’s decision to allocate their land to lawmakers for residential purposes.
The village development committee (VDC) of the Kombo North settlement said it is holding a press conference on Saturday to denounce “the unjust land allocation” to the lawmakers.
The plots are situated at New Yundum Reserve Lands opposite Yaranbamba Housing Estate, said Malang Bojang, the secretary general of the VDC.
“The village development committee will be issuing a strong statement in condemning the act and thus request for the immediate return of the plots to the community with immediate effect,” said Bojang.
Bojang said the lands were newly allocated and most of the lawmakers have not start developing the plots.
The lawmakers were reportedly served a notice indicating that they are given 6 months to fence the plots or have them returned.
Sanna Jawara, a lawmaker and member of the United Democratic Party, has told Kerr Fatou that the lands were allocated to civil servants and not just lawmakers.
Jawara said all the lawmakers are given plots except Halifa Sallah who said he has a land already.
“It is not just for National Assembly members… It is for Government officials. It is a longstanding tradition that every 2 years, Government allocate lands to civil servants,” said Jawara.
Jawara said this is not the first time lawmakers are allocated land by Government. He said previous lawmakers who have had lands allocated to them by Government before will not benefit from this one.
The lands are given by officials of the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government, according to Jawara.
The plots are at least 20 by 20 meters, said Jawara who also gets his own plot from the land allocation.