By Kemo Kanyi
Hamat N.K. Bah, Minister of Local Government, Religious Affairs and Lands, has warned Gambians against permanently transferring ownership rights to their land to foreign nationals, cautioning that such transactions could have serious consequences for future generations.
Addressing residents of Passy Chally Village in Lower Niumi during the nationwide Meet the People Tour, the minister said he had raised concerns about the practice in several meetings with local authorities, urging them to exercise caution when approving land transactions involving foreign nationals.
“There is something going on in your region. Wealthy people have finished the lands in the Kombo and the Foni. They have now turned their attention to this region. I have now seen that Gambians are being used by foreign nationals to acquire land property rights, who will later seek irrevocable power of attorney from the courts,” he explained.
Mr Bah claimed that he had caught some people engaging in such transactions but declined to disclose their identities.
“I am not mentioning their names, but they know themselves. I will not sign any transactions of that nature,” he told the gathering.
The minister appealed to regional governors, chiefs, village heads (alkalolu) and citizens not to endorse such arrangements, warning that their long-term consequences could undermine the interests of future generations.
He cautioned that parents who sell off all their land and other properties risk leaving their children without assets and exposing them to economic hardship.
Mr Bah advised landowners to consider using their properties as collateral for bank loans to finance businesses rather than permanently disposing of them.
He also suggested that landowners could seek assistance from the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) in facilitating investment arrangements, arguing that this would help ensure that land remains in Gambian ownership.
Turning to politics, the minister urged voters to continue supporting President Adama Barrow, arguing that the country needed continuity in leadership to sustain development.
He warned that Gambians who voted against President Barrow could later regret their decision, claiming that opposition leaders lacked the capacity to match the President’s record in delivering national development.
The remarks come as political activities intensify ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.