Posted by We are dismayed by the accounts of the ejected residents of Jabang who are struggling to shelter their families after their recent abrupt displacement by the authorities. To say the nation’s problems are becoming more and more problematic is an understatement; amid the economic uncertainties prevailing the world over, our people seem to have their own fair share of the troubles.
What is even disturbing to us is the fact that one of the displaced residents of Jabang indicated to us that the physical planning was consulted at the time the land was acquired for habitation, yet it was okayed. How comes the physical planning made a turnaround to demolish compounds that years back were given clean of bill to stay?
Unless the government comes with answers regarding the latest plight of the Jabang residents, we will not hesitate to blame the authorities for being insensitive to the conditions of the residents and for not coming up with option B to mitigate their troubles.
All these problems are coming hard on the heels of the peak of the rainy season when even those with proper shelter are wondering how to cope with the stress of flash floods. And now, displaced residents of Jabang will now be left to run from one corner to the other, looking for a place to sleep.
It is time, the Barrow government reined in on the physical planning department to get to work, and make sure those who seek frank advice from them are not betrayed; in the same vein, bribing must not be condoned against all odds.
Over the past years, the Gambia has seen a surge in real estate companies which is a welcome development. A responsible government, a government that is super sensitive to the growing concerns of its people should have clearly picked up the signs and come up with a comprehensive policy regarding geographical locations that are not fit for habitation.
People have the right to choose to live anywhere, yet they expect the authorities not to flip flop when they seek advice from them on how feasible their choices are when they make huge investments such as buying a plot of land, building and eventually settling in.