Africa-Press – Gambia. Amadou Sanneh, The Gambia’s former Minister of Finance, has distanced himself from the sale of assets seized from former President Yahya Jammeh, including aircraft, vehicles, and other properties. Speaking in an interview , Sanneh clarified that all Jammeh’s assets were managed by the Janneh Commission, not the Ministry of Finance, during his tenure.
“The Assets of Jammeh came through the Janneh Commission, they discovered the list of many assets, from properties, Cars, and airplanes, but they were all under the custody and control of the commission,” He Said.
He explained that in the wake of the country’s economic challenges in 2017, the government, with support from the World Bank and other international partners, began tracing Jammeh’s assets with the intention of liquidating them to support national recovery efforts.
“In 2017 the country was hard and we decide with world Bank to sell of the assets and remove the country from the difficulties we approach some of his planes I think in Germany or Holland With the world Bank team and assistance of other agencies, the US and UK were helping us to trace some his assets. And we’re trying to put that on the market, but when the commission heard about it, they said no, it’s their role under their legal provisions to sell the assets. That is how they removed us from it, so none of the planes were sold under my time,” He Said.
Sanneh said the only asset disposal initiative he initiated as Finance Minister involved the introduction of a vehicle policy aimed at removing old and dysfunctional government vehicles.
“The Process that I started was the vehicle policy, and then the old and dysfunctional vehicles that were parked at Quadrangle and ministries. I put in the process under the financial regulations, we set a disposal team chair by my DPD Yahya Drammeh, they did their meetings and value to dispose, but even before they disposed of these vehicles, I was moved out of finance,” He Said.
Addressing the controversial sale of agricultural aircraft and tractors to Turo Darboe, Sanneh said he had no knowledge of the reported higher bids by other companies.
“What Turo Bought, the Aircraft, tractors, and Agricultural spring tractors, we once mentioned it, but the company that the report mentions those are news to me, and even if those are there, it happened after I left finance, so I couldn’t have sold those planes. But records should be there to set things straight. But I don’t remember those companies competing with Turo. In my recollection, Turo expressed his interest, but to say that he met with other competing bids that bid more than him and they offered it to him, I was not aware of that,” He Said.
Sanneh also responded to allegations that he personally benefited from Jammeh’s assets, specifically regarding his Hummer vehicle.
“I have that Hummer vehicle when I was doing private practice. I resigned from the DPS trade, I see that I couldn’t work with them. I resigned, and then I started private practice as a professional accountant. During my private practice, I was able to buy this Hummer. During 2018, well before I went to prison, I was having the hummer during Jammeh’s time. People are just saying what they like, but that is not close to the truth,” He Said.
He stressed that the handling of public assets is governed by strict financial regulations and urged authorities to ensure transparency and accountability.
As a matter of government procedure, the truth should not be obscured by misinformation. Sanneh emphasized that all records should be legally accessible, and when questions arise, it is the responsibility of the government—particularly the Ministry of Justice—to inform the public and clarify whether due process was followed or explain how the actions were carried out.
“But if you don’t bring out the facts and people don’t know that is what brought all the opinions and judgements, but under the financial regulations all these assets should have been listed and all the assets sold and how they were sold should all be made public,” He Said.
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