Africa-Press – Gambia. The Board Chairman of the Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA), Mr. Ebrima Cham, has denied any role in the sale or disposal of cattle seized by the Janneh Commission, citing lapses in valuation and oversight mechanisms.
Testifying before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee on the Sale and Disposal of Assets Identified by the Janneh Commission, Mr. Cham said that although GLMA was involved in the custody and care of the cattle, the agency did not lead or benefit from the sales.
“We did not sell a single cow,” he told lawmakers on Tuesday. “We were directed to feed and keep the animals alive, but the decisions regarding valuation and sales were outside of our mandate.”
Mr. Cham said GLMA was only approached after the assets had been handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture, under whose directive GLMA assumed management of the cattle at Abuko and Central River Region (CRR). He added that the agency was given no documentation on the origin, ownership, or condition of the livestock at the time.
According to him, GLMA relied on a veterinary assessment which concluded the animals were in poor health, and the agency was forced to purchase drugs and feed from its own resources to maintain the herds. Despite efforts to raise the issue with the Ministry, Mr. Cham said the agency never received formal valuation reports or sales receipts.
“We requested the valuation reports from the Veterinary Services, but they never came,” he noted, adding that GLMA was eventually surprised to learn the cattle had been sold without their knowledge.
Mr. Cham also said GLMA’s role was limited to record-keeping and welfare, not financial transactions or decisions on disposal. He said the lack of clear inter-agency coordination left many unanswered questions about who authorised the sales and where the proceeds went.
“We are being held accountable for something we had no control over,” he said. “The process lacked transparency.”
The committee continues its inquiry into the disposal of assets recovered from associates of former President Yahya Jammeh, amid growing concerns about mismanagement and lack of accountability.
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