By Fatou Dahaba
Abubacarr S. Camara, Director General of The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), appeared Monday before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee investigating former President Yahya Jammeh’s land allocations in the Tourism Development Area (TDA), telling lawmakers he has no personal knowledge of properties owned by Jammeh or his associates.
“I would never know,” Camara testified. “This is a technical area, and I don’t think I have the knowledge to identify the different leased lands of the former President and his associates. GTBoard does not have a file that says anything about the former President.”
The committee is probing widespread complaints of irregularities, missing documents, and conflicting claims over prime tourism land allocated during Jammeh’s 22-year rule.
Camara told members that soon after taking office, his administration faced a flood of grievances from applicants whose files had been pending for years. An internal review revealed significant gaps in archival records, including incomplete files, missing payment receipts, and allocation letters issued without proof of payment.
He cited a 2007 case where an applicant presented an allocation letter but had no record of ever settling the required fees—a mandatory step before any lease becomes valid.
Pressed on how such critical records could vanish, Camara described the problems as “inherited challenges” rather than deliberate malpractice. “There is no deliberate withholding of information,” he insisted, stressing that legitimate leaseholders are only recognized after full payment and finance clearance.
The Director General confirmed that the Ministry of Lands, acting on recommendations from the Janneh Commission and the subsequent Government White Paper, had already reviewed and cancelled several allocations that violated procedure.
When committee counsel Aji Sainey Kah asked about the status of lands listed in the Janneh Commission report, Camara replied: “Most of them were done before I became DG.” He confirmed that leases flagged by the Commission had been cancelled in line with the White Paper.
Lawmakers expressed concern over the ongoing disputes in the TDA and urged a faster resolution to restore investor confidence in The Gambia’s tourism sector. The inquiry continues.
