Gambia: Land Questions and Alkaloship Dismissals

The most challenging issues of regional administration are land and the security of village heads or alkalos. Google mapping and digitalisation have made it possible for properties to be easily located and any government that seriously wants to put land disputes to and end should have started with the proper legislation of rates and proper Google mapping of all lands that are paid for by their owners.

Hence digitalisation should have provided the data that enables the identification of multiple claims of land and such disputes could have been addressed by a land commission that would establish the real owners and help to provide compensation to those who have been disadvantaged for one genuine reason or another.

Evidence from such disputes may indicate impropriety by village heads and such allegation of impropriety may be referred to a tribunal for investigation and ruling. This could then be relied on by the state to reprimand a village head.

Such a system would not transform a minister into a prosecutor, judge and jury, to reprimand village heads.

Foroyaa is actively looking into the question of land and village administration.

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