By: Fatou Krubally
Former Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, Mr Habib Drammeh, was on Thursday grilled by members of the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee probing the sale and disposal of government assets identified by the Janneh Commission, over missing funds linked to the sale of tractors procured under former President Yahya Jammeh’s agricultural initiative.
Appearing before lawmakers, Mr. Drammeh defended his role, insisting that his office only facilitated coordination between the relevant ministries and did not directly participate in the sale or management of proceeds. “My office never handled any sales or funds. The process was implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture in consultation with the Ministry of Finance,” he told the committee.
He explained that the tractors were initially provided to boost agricultural mechanization and support local farmers and cooperatives through subsidized ownership schemes.
However, legislators pressed him to clarify whether the disposal of the tractors followed due process and how the revenue generated was managed.
In response, Mr. Drammeh maintained that all relevant institutions were consulted and that the exercise was guided by government policy directives. “If certain documents are missing today, that does not mean the process was irregular,” he said, suggesting that records-keeping gaps may have occurred after he departed from office.
Members of the committee, however, expressed concern over inconsistencies in the testimonies of former officials and the absence of clear documentation on the transactions.
The lead counsel of the committee described the situation as “a troubling case of administrative lapses,” urging the witness to provide supporting evidence to clarify the flow of funds.
Mr. Drammeh further explained that the objective behind the tractor sales was to promote sustainability within the agricultural sector, allowing farmers to take ownership of the equipment rather than relying solely on government resources.
The hearing formed part of the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the implementation of the Janneh Commission’s recommendations, focusing on how public assets, including tractors, vehicles, and heavy equipment, were disposed of after being identified as state property.
The committee is expected to continue hearing testimonies from other former officials and institutions linked to the transactions as it works to establish whether proper procedures were followed and whether public funds were misused in the process.