By Yunus S Saliu
The government of The Gambia has assured the populace of The Gambia that justice will prevail over land ownership conflicts that is now a nightmare in the country.
President Adama Barrow delivering his statement at the Nation Address for the opening of the 2020 Legislative Year at the National Assembly Thursday, 17th September stressed that the recent land ownership conflicts stirred by individual interests have been noted by his government.
Having inherited most of them, he said “I reassure those affected that my government is working to ensure that the rule of law and justice prevail. The ultimate goal is to sustain peace so that we can focus on development and live together peacefully.”
According to him, economic activities within Land, Regional Government, NGO and Religious Affairs sectors have decreased.
“As a result, revenue collection has reduced. Whereas, for example, from January to March 2020, Eight Million, One Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand, One Hundred and Forty-Three Dalasis (D8, 148, 143.00) was realised, representing a monthly average of Two Million, Seven Hundred and Sixteen Thousand and Forty-Seven Dalasis (D2, 716, 047). The figures dropped during the Covid-19 period,” he disclosed.
President Barrow went on that the Department of Community Development, under the Ministry of Lands, is now implementing participatory demand-driven community development strategies to enhance decentralised structures and support Community-Based Organizations.
All these initiatives, the president said, are geared towards reducing poverty and facilitating sustainable socio-economic development for all, while plans are underway to present the NGO Bill before the assembly.
His Excellency Adama Barrow revealed that in spite all the challenges relative to the pandemic, “the Ministry signed an MoU with Helping Hand Foundation Belgium to provide funding of about Five Milion Dalasis (D5 Million) for over twenty communities and capacity building training on management and enterprise development.”
On the other hand, he continued, the 2020 challenge, which was expected to generate over Ten Million Dalasis (D10 Million), has been cancelled. “This has blocked the implementation of community projects valued at Ten Million Dalasis (D10 Million),” he noted
In response to the needs of out-of-school youths, he said, support is provided for women and youth to acquire life and livelihood skills. The aim is to expand employment opportunities for them. He assured that the recently launched Ecosystem-based Adaptation Project will further support this initiative in LRR, CRR and URR.
The President stressed that “Unfortunately, the skills and capacity building training for a target-group of five thousand (5000) youths and women has been stalled. A total of over Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dalasis (D2.5 Million) has been lost by these entrepreneurs due to the lockdown.”