By Kebba Ansu Manneh
At least over a D3.2million worth of properties have been claimed to have been destroyed during the recently conducted demolition exercise carried out at Sukuta-Salagi by the Physical Planning Department, the affected families have disclosed to this medium.
The affected families have since challenged the Director of Physical Planning, Mamudu Manjang to produce evidence of land compensation paid to families in Sukuta who had lost their landed properties at Salagi-Proper.
Lamin Jatta, a member of the affected families of Sukuta disclosed that close to D3.5million worth of properties were damaged and destroyed by the physical planning during their recently conducted demolition exercises. He said the authority failed to issue any letter of notice to the affected families prior to embarking on the demolition exercise that did not allow them to remove their valuables from those properties.
He disclosed that structures such as fences, buildings, boreholes, poultry farm, furniture workshop, welding workshop, and a market allocated to Sukuta-Salagi women were all bulldozed to the ground without no prior notification. These properties, he noted, belong to the Kenebaring Kabilo of Sukuta.
“Among the people affected by the recent demolition exercises conducted by physical planning includes Abass Sillah and Karamo Sillah who lost more than two hundred thousand dalasis (D200, 000) on expenses spent on fencing. Abou Bojang, Saikou Bojang, Ousman Bojang spent D500,000, and D700,000 respectively, while Sukuta-Salagi women spent more than D500, 000, on the demolished market,” Lamin Jatta revealed.
He said the families have since engaged their lawyers in their efforts to get compensation from the physical planning authorities for the unnoticed demolition and the damages made to their properties. He argues that properties destroyed by the physical planning belong to their families who are extremely finding it difficult to have somewhere to stay in Sukuta.
On his part, Ousman Bojang said he lost his welding workshop, a wood workshop, a poultry farm, a borehole, and three building structures. He too confirmed that there was no prior notice for the demolition issue to him or anybody.
Bojang revealed that more than ten (15) youth were employed by him and they are working in his workshops and the poultry farm and now they are out of work because of the demolition.
According to him, the properties in Salagi belong to different Kabilos and none of them ever receive any compensation from either the government or physical planning. He noted that the only compensation received by the Sukuta families in Salagi is on Salagi Extension but not the Salagi Proper.
He dismissed any suggestion made by the Director of Physical Planning, Mamudu Manjang that families in Sukuta have been adequately compensated, while he challenged him to come forward and clear the air on the compensation said has been given to affected families who are still struggling to get back their lands at Salagi Proper.
“We understand that Mamudu Manjang was in news saying that families that lost their properties in Salagi have been compensated. This statement is far from the truth, the only compensation received by affected families has been on the Salagi Extension but no single butut or property is given to any family as far as Salagi Proper is concerned” Ousman Bojang clarified.
He added: “We are challenging the Director of Psychical Planning to produce any evidence or pieces of evidence of property compensation given to any family in Sukuta who lost their lands at Salagi Proper.
Bojang called on the Ministry of Local Government and Lands and the government of President Adama Barrow to act before it is late, saying physical planning has been trampling on their properties through the use of force and that cannot continue forever.