By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
In a fiery press conference held by the Sanyang Development Fund (SDF)-Gambia Chapter on Saturday, August 9, 2025, community leaders and prominent SDF members united in condemning the alleged mismanagement of Sanyang’s communal resources by the Village Development Committee (VDC). The gathering, attended by scores of villagers, spotlighted grievances over unilateral decisions, including the controversial relocation of the Deep Sea Port (DSP) and the allocation of over 14,000 hectares of communal land to Negmar Group, a Turkish business affiliate operating with GACH Mining Company, without formal agreements.
Yankuba Ceesay, Chairman of SDF-Gambia Chapter, opened the press conference by outlining its purpose: to address misinformation spread by the VDC and expose its “illegal activities and bad deals.” Ceesay emphasized that the SDF in The Gambia and the diaspora is committed to rectifying these wrongs, including pursuing a petition submitted to the Brikama Area Council (BAC) to dissolve the Sanyang Village Development Committee (SVDC). “The mismanagement of community resources and unchecked illegal activities by the VDC must stop,” Ceesay declared, vowing to explore legal actions to protect the community’s interests.
A significant point of contention was the VDC’s decision to relocate the Deep Sea Port without consulting villagers. Councillor Botto Bojang of Sanyang Ward accused VDC Chairman Abdoulie Botto Gaye and Minister of Works and Infrastructure Ebrima Sillah of misleading the public about the DSP’s location. Bojang refuted Sillah’s claim, made in an interview with Peter Gomez, that the DSP would begin at the Sanyang Eco-lodge. “I was part of the group that surveyed the area and agreed on the DSP’s starting point. The Minister’s statement is false and alarming,” Bojang said. He revealed that the decision to move the DSP was made during Ramadan in the presence of Sillah and Ousman Jobarteh, Director of Gambia Ports Authority, without community consent. Bojang stressed that this unilateral relocation is “not binding” and will not be accepted by Sanyang’s residents.
Further outrage centered on the VDC’s allocation of communal lands to the Negmar Group. Buba Bojang, an SDF member, criticized the VDC for renting vast tracts of land for a mere D3 million over three years, calling it “insanity” when small stores in Sanyang fetch D5,000 to D10,000 monthly. He demanded that the VDC rescind the deal and refund all payments, arguing that the committee overstepped its mandate. Bojang also rebuked the VDC for dismissing the involvement of diaspora SDF members, noting their financial contributions to the community.
Basirou Jabang, a vocal community leader, detailed a litany of alleged corrupt practices by the VDC, including the embezzlement of over D500,000 from illegal sand mining, D900,000 from GACH Mining Company for a health center waiting shed, and funds from juvenile fishing. He accused Modou Charreh Gibba of the Brikama Area Council of imposing Abdoulie Botto Gaye as VDC Chairman without adhering to the Local Government Act, noting that only 14 of 48 Kabilo representatives voted in the selection process.
Other speakers, including Seedia Bojang, SDF Treasurer, Pierre Mendy, and Buba Bojang, echoed calls for the VDC’s dissolution and condemned the squandering of Sanyang’s scarce resources. Surprisingly, former VDC members Lamin Sonko and Ousainou Badgie publicly apologized for their roles in illegal sand mining under Gaye’s direction and for misappropriating community funds.
The press conference underscored deep community discontent with the VDC’s leadership and decisions. SDF members vowed to pursue their petition with the BAC and explore legal avenues to ensure accountability. As Sanyang grapples with these allegations, the community’s call for transparency and justice grows louder, setting the stage for a contentious battle over its resources and future development.
Meanwhile, efforts to speak to VDC Chairman Abdoulie Botto Gaye proved unsuccessful at the time of going to the press.
