By: Yunus S Saliu
The Minister of Tourism and Culture without reservation told the people of Janjangbureh that nobody can claim ownership of national assets as these assets belongs to the people of The Gambia.
The Minister made this statement in Janjangbureh community during the just concluded second edition of the Janjangbureh Kankurang Festival held in the community between 18th and 20th January, 2019.
Hamat MK Bah, Minister of Tourism and Culture stated that national assets in the community of Janjangbureh belongs to the people of The Gambia though “they can be managed by the community of Janjangbureh.” But before that, he assured that his ministry under the government of The Gambia will establish a committee or commission which will be led by prominent Gambian historians including citizens of Janjangbureh community to establish the true ownerships and how those that are claiming them became the owners of national assets.
“As a government” he said “we cannot afford to see some of the historic places uncared for” noted that the government also is not out to break the law or harm anybody “but the truth must be established as the supreme interest of the Gambia shall not be compromised.”
Minister Bah disclosed government desires as to make Janjangbureh a heritage trail that will be the hub of tourism in rural Gambia.
He outlined some of the historic sites which include the oldest Methodist Church in Africa South of the Sahara, Armitage school which dates to 1927, the relics of the booming groundnuts trading firms of the 1920s and 1930s, the freedom tree where the first batch of liberated Africans, now called Aku were disembarked from Sierra Leone in 1830s.
He also reminded the community about the tiyansita, the ngansimba, the rich Mandinka, Fula, Mansuanka, Wollof cultures which are also in the island as it has rich mix of history and heritage to make the island a major destination.
To make government desires on the village come true, he reiterated on the need to formalize and legalise issues like the ownership of certain heritages sites on the island as there are questions to be answered because some certain heritages sites on the island are being lost because of the ownership is either not clear or cannot afford to conserve them as they should.”
