By: Fatou Dahaba
Vice President Muhammed B.S. Jallow has told the National Assembly that The Gambia’s recent border incident with Senegal has been resolved and remains under close watch, but that affected farmers and landowners will not receive compensation.
The assurance came during oral question time, after Hon. Assan Touray, Member for Bakau, asked what measures the government had taken to protect the livelihoods of farmers and landowners caught up in the latest frontier dispute. Communities along the border had earlier reported tensions with Senegalese security forces, including restricted access to farmland and anxiety over cross-border movement during the farming season.
Jallow said the matter had been handled through diplomatic and administrative channels and that the Ministry of Agriculture had already measured the acreage of farms potentially at risk.
“Honorable Speaker, I wish to inform this August Assembly that the matter has been addressed. Notwithstanding, the government is still monitoring the situation,” he said.
Pressed on whether the government had considered paying farmers or landowners who may have suffered losses, the Vice President was unambiguous.
“As I said, the issue of compensating did not arise.”
He added that officials had identified and calculated the size of the farms concerned as a precaution, but that the situation had been contained without lasting damage that would justify a compensation process.
“We know that we are potentially going to be affected. And the Ministry of Agriculture had actually calculated the acreage of farms concerned. But as I said, we are still monitoring. But the issue of compensation did not arise, as we speak,” Jallow said.
Touray followed up by asking whether contingency plans exist should similar incidents recur. The Vice President reiterated that the situation remains calm and is being observed by the relevant ministries.
Several residents in frontier communities had raised fears about access to fields and the safety of movement across the boundary. Lawmakers have also previously urged clearer official communication, arguing that affected villages often depend on rumors when government updates are slow.
