Africa-Press – Gambia. Essa Faal, leader of the APP-Sobeya political party, has strongly denied allegations of corruption over the acquisition of government-owned land, stating that his actions were transparent, lawful, and motivated by a desire to invest in The Gambia and create jobs for Gambians.
Faal, a prominent lawyer and former TRRC lead counsel, revealed that he paid $125,000 to the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) in connection with a proposed tourism development project—money he says has yet to be refunded.
He explained that the process began after a conversation with the Director General of the GTBoard, who encouraged him to reapply for land following knowledge of his investment ventures in Senegal.
“I told him, I once applied, but I was not allocated. He told me to try again and if everything is okay, you will probably get it.” Faal recounted.
He noted that he subsequently decided to prioritize investment in The Gambia over a waterfront project in Dakar, Senegal, to focus on providing employment for Gambians. “I cancelled my Waterfront project in Dakar because I cannot do it both, I don’t have that money,” Faal noted.
He said he subsequently prepared all the required documents and submitted them to the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) “In the meantime I got appointed a lead counsel at the TRRC,” he noted. Faal stated that he paid an application fee of D55,000 and requested a five-hectare plot of land. “The first application was in July 2019, but some documents were missing. I finally submitted the full documents on 30th July 2019,” he added.
He said he later received official acknowledgments from the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) confirming receipt of his application on October 2nd and October 14th.
“After my application, I submitted the papers. GTBoard felt this was a nice project; they decided to send it to the minister. They sent it to Hamat Bah. I am not in the same political party as Hamat; we don’t have the same vision for Gambia. He believes in NPP, which I don’t believe, but I must say, with all that is said about him. Allegations of corruption against him and a lot more, I will not lie. Hamat dealt very well with me, especially at the beginning. He told me he was impressed with my project and that the president should see it for him to know that his idea for a new vision for Gambia is running.”
He said that Minister Hamat Bah later facilitated a meeting between him and President Adama Barrow at State House. “He saw it, and he was happy. He told me, ‘Mr. Faal this is what I believe in. We should give Gambians the opportunity to invest in their country.”
The APP-Sobeya leader firmly denied claims that his meeting with the president was intended to influence the land allocation decision. “It would be hilarious to expect that I, an ordinary person, can influence the president,” Faal said. “You see how excited the Director General of GTBoard was to sell the project to the minister? That was how excited the minister was to also sell it to the president. We have to be honest: investments in a lot of countries, they go to the president. The president looks at it and says yes or no whether we like it or not. That does not mean that I was looking to bypass the board.”
Faal stated that on January 16, 2020, he received a provisional offer from the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard). According to a letter from the board, his application had been reviewed and deemed consistent with the Tourism Development Master Plan for hotel development in the West Coast Tourism Development Area (TDA).
“I was told to pay $125,000 within fourteen days,” Faal explained. “I asked GTBoard the place I was allocated; they said they didn’t know at the time. But they said they will look into the various areas. I told them I will not pay until I see that place, I was allocated. Hamat will sometimes call me and say ‘Mr. Faal you didn’t pay yet,’ and I will also tell him I don’t know the place I am allocated yet. He told me they were thinking of various places, maybe Tanji, Sannehmentering or one of the plots that was allocated to Sheraton because they didn’t develop it.”
He said that after receiving the provisional offer, he met with the president, who inquired about the status of his project. “I told him that I have received a provisional offer, but I was not told where I was allocated; that’s why I didn’t pay. He told me If you don’t pay and they don’t give it to you, it’s your problem; you cannot blame anybody,” Faal recounted. “That’s what he said, and I thought what he said was also fair. So I advised myself to pay and see what they will give me. At this stage I don’t know where I will be allocated. I went ahead and paid the $125,000,” he said.
He stated that after making the payment, he was informed that the money was non-refundable. When he inquired further, he was told the policy had changed. “They told me that was what the board decided. I told them it was unfair to me,” he said.
When asked about his reaction upon learning that the proposed properties were linked to former President Jammeh, he responded, “I don’t have any thoughts because I don’t have any understanding of what these properties were. It was later I knew what was behind all these. People should realize that Jammeh properties were in two baskets. One was, what Jammeh bought for himself; they said he stole state money and bought them, and the second basket is the state properties that they said Jammeh took forcefully. So a land belonging to the government, Jammeh took forcefully, took it back to the government. The leases will be cancelled. So it’s like, this is not Jammeh’s property; this is Gambia government property that was taken by Jammeh.”
Essa Faal further stated that the issue is being politicized due to APP-Sobeya’s rapid growth as one of the fastest-expanding political parties in the country. “they also want to trap and destroy me. They have sent people to attack and insult me, I don’t mind them. My sister was insulted; I didn’t respond. If you are a rising politician, they will do everything to damage you. Many people see me as a threat in the Gambia’s political establishment. Many people see me as having the potential to become the next president,” he said.
Faal stated that the government later offered him land at Sanmentereng; however, he was informed that this was not a final allocation. According to a letter he received, final approval was contingent upon the decision of the inter-ministerial committee reviewing the Janneh Commission report. “But they had already taken my money for over a year. A few weeks later I announced that I would run for the presidency, and the situation changed. Essa is now a politician, and therefore Essa has to be broken down.”
Since announcing his presidential candidacy, Faal stated that the Inter-Ministerial Committee has declined to make a decision regarding his project. “I could not do anything here, and they are still holding my money since 2020. When I contested for the election, I declared that I was given a TDA property. They wrote to me asking why I declined that.”
Essa Faal stated that he subsequently responded to the government’s letter, providing clarification on why the property was listed in his asset declaration.
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