By Landing Colley
Anger arose in Brufut settlement following the remarks made by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Lands who they claimed said there is not building permit given.
Buba Sanyang, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Lands was quoted speaking during a press conference that the Commission is not done settle the land issue and the youth started to build fence without an authorisation while his remarks was in contrary to the Janneh commission’s recommendation that the land should be returned to the community as multi-purpose centre.
Speaking at a press conference held in Brufut on Saturday, Alhagie Lamin Fatty, chairman of the community’s VDC noted “If we could recall back the youth of Brufut do not have a football field to play, and the school field is closer to the clinic which disturb patient at the clinic.”
“Since the demarcation of the Brufut Height the Strazer land was set aside by the government and recommended as multi-purpose centre. Looking at the map of TDA this place is recommended as multi-purpose centre,” he disclosed.
He said from 90s up to date the main problem is to issue document of the Strazer land for the youth and sport and local government as they refused to help them having the document.
According to him, government wants some part of the Strazer land and that’s not in their interest, but their interest is to make it as multi-purpose centre still they cannot get the green light from the government.
He asked rhetorically that “In The Gambia from Banjul to Kombo North is there any building permit given people to build house or do they just go ahead and build since 1999 to 2000.”
Abass Manneh, chairperson recovery committee, said the Strazer land was set as a football field but the taskforce community plus the sport community had made some plan to ensure the land will not serve as only football field but also multi-purpose centre and the plan is with government.
“We were once called by the Ministry of Lands, Local Government and Religious Affairs about the Strazer land and it was confirmed to me that they want some parts of this land and my respond to them was even one inch will not be given to them,” he said.