By: Binta Jaiteh
Hamat NK Bah, the Minister of Lands has spelt out new strategies to protect citizens from real estate scams with a special tribunal to handle land disputes.
Hon. Bah who is also in charge of the Ministry of Regional Government and Religious Affairs says the government is stepping up efforts to curb the rising wave of real estate scams in The Gambia.
He was speaking during question and answer session on Wednesday in the National Assembly where he faced questions on the surge of fraudulent land sales, the status of the Kamalo Investigative Report, and the lifting of a construction embargo on the disputed Kamalo layout.
Responding to questions, Minister Bah said the draft Real Estate Bill was nearing validation stressing that citizens were being advised to verify land transactions with the Ministry’s technical departments before signing any agreements.
“We are sensitising the public to utilise our technical department for verification and advice pending the enactment of the Real Estate Bill,” he told lawmakers.
The Minister also revealed that he had met with the Minister of Interior to strengthen collaboration with the police in bringing scammers to justice.
Hon. Bah indicated that weekly management meetings have been initiated to hear complaints from victims which have already resulted in a noticeable decline in reported scams.
Addressing concerns on the repeated disputes over land allocations, Minister Bah explained that his Ministry has engaged with the Chief Justice and the Minister of Justice to establish a special court dedicated to land matters.
“This tribunal will provide a formal mechanism to resolve conflicts arising from land scams and mismanaged allocations, offering relief to victims who often face lengthy delays and uncertainty. These steps are aimed at protecting citizens, enhancing transparency in land management, and ensuring that offenders face consequences. Government is committed to restoring public confidence in the real estate sector,” Minister Bah assured.
