The admission by the Minister of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, Hamat N.K. Bah, that a Gambian government facility was constructed on Senegalese territory is a serious revelation that deserves more than passing parliamentary attention.
While the minister’s candid acknowledgment is welcome, the circumstances surrounding the construction raise fundamental questions about how The Gambia manages its borders, protects its territorial integrity and accounts for public projects undertaken in border communities.
A government facility being built outside the country’s recognised territory should prompt a thorough examination of how such a situation occurred. Was there inadequate surveying? Were government agencies unaware of the precise location of the international boundary? Were the necessary consultations with Senegalese authorities undertaken before construction began? These questions deserve clear and credible answers.
The ongoing border reaffirmation and densification exercise is therefore not merely a technical exercise involving boundary pillars. It is an important matter of national sovereignty and security. The Gambia must know, document and safeguard the precise extent of its territory.
At the same time, border management should not become a source of unnecessary tension with Senegal. The two countries share deep historical, social and economic ties. Families cross the border, farmers cultivate land, traders conduct business and livestock move between communities. Effective border management must therefore combine sovereignty with cooperation.
The ratification of the Niamey Convention provides an opportunity to strengthen this approach. However, legal frameworks alone will not resolve weaknesses in border administration. The government must invest in competent institutions, accurate mapping, modern surveying technology and properly trained personnel.
Most importantly, lessons must be learned from the facility constructed on Senegalese soil. The government should establish how the error happened and ensure that it cannot be repeated.
Defending national territory begins with knowing precisely where that territory ends. The Gambia cannot afford uncertainty where sovereignty is concerned.
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