By Alieu Ceesay
Habib Drammeh, the former Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, testified virtually from England before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee on Thursday, shedding light on the controversial sale and disposal of assets linked to ex-President Yahya Jammeh.
The committee, tasked with scrutinizing properties identified by the Janneh Commission as belonging to Jammeh, summoned Drameh to provide clarity on several transactions. Appearing via video link, the England-based former official confirmed receipt of the summons and delivered a detailed statement.
Drammeh recounted his initial involvement with the Janneh Commission, which began during his tenure as Managing Director of the Gambia Transport Company. “My first interaction was regarding the sale of tractors owned by former President Jammeh,” he told the committee. The commission had sought the company’s expertise to evaluate the equipment.
He revealed that the then-Minister of Agriculture made a direct plea for the tractors to be transferred to his ministry. Drammeh said he consulted the government’s vehicle control unit, which provided a comprehensive inventory. “Some tractors were already sold, but others remained,” he explained, noting that he personally briefed the president on their status.
The minister’s request, Drammeh emphasized, stemmed from a desire to ensure the tractors served their “intended purpose” – supporting the nation’s farming communities. “For the agriculture minister to plead for these tractors was so they could be used for farming,” he added.
A pivotal moment came when a presidential directive halted further sales. Drameh confirmed that the Janneh Commission ordered the remaining tractors relocated to a distinct site for safekeeping. “The overriding intention of the commissioners was that the farming community needed those tractors,” he stressed.
The testimony is part of ongoing efforts to recover assets allegedly misappropriated during Jammeh’s 22-year rule. The Janneh Commission, established in 2017, exposed widespread corruption and recommended the seizure and sale of properties tied to the former leader.
Committee members probed Drammeh on procedural lapses and decision-making hierarchies, but he maintained that actions followed official channels.
As the probe continues, Drammeh’s account reinforces claims that public resources were diverted for personal gain, while highlighting bureaucratic interventions aimed at redirecting equipment to agricultural needs. The committee is expected to issue findings that could influence asset recovery and restitution efforts.
