By Assan Bah
Mamadou Jallow, a victim of the recent demolition exercise carried out by the Department of Physical Planning and Housing in Old Yundum, has called on the Gambia Government to uphold the rights of its citizens, arguing that shelter is a fundamental human right. Speaking on 1 May 2025 at the site of the demolished structures, Jallow, flanked by other affected residents, said: “The owner of this storey building”—pointing to a nearby structure—“is now suffering from trauma because of the damage caused. How long will it take him to recover his losses?”
“If people work hard for their money, they deserve respect. Shelter is a human right, and it is the government’s responsibility to defend its citizens,” he asserted.
Jallow also urged the government to regulate estate agencies, expressing concern over what he described as unqualified individuals operating in the sector. “No one should just walk around with a handbag and start an estate agency. Where do we fall now? It’s as if the government is enabling people to scam its citizens and then leaves them at their mercy,” he said, adding that estates obtain their documents from government offices, complete with official stamps and signatures.
He called for collaboration between the authorities and victims to find a solution that would restore hope to those affected. “The government must step in. If S&J is at fault, they should bear the cost of the damages. If not, who will stand for us?” he questioned.
According to Jallow and other victims, they received no formal notice from Physical Planning. “We only received calls informing us that our compounds and fences had been demolished,” they claimed.
The land in dispute was reportedly acquired by S&J Properties and resold to private buyers. Abdoulie Jeng, S&J’s Logistics Manager, told Foroyaa that the company obtained approvals from the Department of Physical Planning, signed by the then Chief of Kombo North. He said the company filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Lands at the Brikama High Court after the government claimed the area was a state reserve, but noted that the state has yet to appear in court despite multiple summonses.
“The place cannot be a reserve land. The case is before the court, and the government has not provided any document to prove otherwise,” Jeng said. He added that the state was initially expected to take 150 metres from the Coastal Road and 100 metres from Yundum Barracks—limits he said would not have affected their clients’ plots.
“I believe they should have consulted us before demolishing the structures. We bought the land legally from the rightful owners before selling it to others,” he added.
Mrs. Malleh Touray, another affected resident, appealed to the government for dialogue. “I am calling for a peaceful resolution. If the government owns the land, let’s negotiate and get compensated,” she said.
Babucarr Waggeh, who owns two plots in the area, said he had begun developing one of them when he learned it had been demolished. “I bought these lands three years ago and have all the legal documents,” he said, noting that he even secured a development permit from the Department of Physical Planning.
“They never inspected the site. I sent someone to apply for the permit, and it was granted,” he lamented, echoing calls for dialogue. “An empty plot in this area costs no less than one million dalasis. The government should negotiate with the estate. Even if compensation is needed, there should be a process.”
Waggeh insisted that residents were never informed the area was a government reserve. “Why are we just hearing this now, after years of investment and development? If we had known it was government land, we wouldn’t have bought here,” he said.
Foroyaa visited the Department of Physical Planning to obtain their side of the story, but staff said the Director was out of the country and advised returning at a later date. The paper will continue to follow the matter and keep readers informed.
