By Muhammed MS’s Bah
The National Assembly’s Special Select Committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets linked to former President Yahya Jammeh has wrapped up a week-long inspection tour, as questions mount over what happened to the former leader’s vast wealth.
From the State House garage in Banjul to Jammeh’s lavish Kanilai residence and farmland in Siffoe, Banjulnding, and Farato, lawmakers spent four days inspecting vehicles, properties, and other assets flagged by the Janneh Commission.
The visits, conducted between 1st and 4th September, were part of efforts to verify the current status of the assets, confirm ownership, and scrutinize how they were sold or disposed of.
“We needed to look at these places ourselves, not just rely on paperwork,” one lawmaker explained during the tour. “There are too many unanswered questions about what happened to these properties, and Gambians deserve clarity.”
Other sites inspected included the State Guards Workshop (formerly MSA), the National Museum, and the Banjul International Airport.
The Committee was set up earlier this year following growing public criticism of how Jammeh’s assets were handled after the Janneh Commission. The Commission had revealed the former president’s sprawling financial empire, much of it acquired through questionable means.
However, the disposal of those assets has itself been dogged by allegations of mismanagement and lack of transparency.
The findings from this week’s site visits will feed into the Committee’s final report, which is expected to recommend stronger accountability measures when presented before the Assembly.
Public hearings resume on Monday, 8th September, coinciding with the opening of the National Assembly’s Third Ordinary Session, a sitting that is already attracting significant public attention.
