By Mustapha K. Darboe
Claim: ‘Brikama Area Council may have increased compound rates unilaterally’
Source: Musa Drammeh – former Minister of Lands and Regional Government – now the Minister of Fisheries
Verdict: MISLEADING
The Gambians head to polls in under 2 years to elect a new President. The political environment is getting tense as the ruling National Peoples’ Party (NPP) battles for more grounds with its main challenger – the opposition United Deomcratic Party (UDP). At the heart of this tension is the management of the local councils, half of which is controlled by each party.
The claim
At the beginning of April, 2025, a nominated National Assembly member and member of the National People’s Party, Maimuna Ceesay-Darboe, criticised the Brikama Area Council (BAC) for “increasing rates” for compounds valued at D500, 000 from D300 to D2000. Her claim came after several such claims including one by a political adviser of the President, Dou Sanno.
In his appearance before the lawmakers, and in response to the claims made by the nominated National Assembly member, Fisheries Minister Musa Drammeh claimed that the issue over rates may have come back into public eye because of a “unilateral decision” by the Council to increase rates.
“I think the current council may have taken a unilateral decision to increase the licences which must have sparked the argument but not what was approved and gazetted in 2020 and if this was the case then they are out of the law and [the increase] is therefore illegal,” said Drammeh, who was Minister of Lands and Regional Government in 2020, in response to claims the BAC increased rates from D300 to D2000.
Fact–check
A copy of the Gazette published in 2020 by the Ministry of Land and Regional Government and obtained by the Fact–Check Gambia show the charges referred to as “increment” were made by the Sheriffo Sonko (BAC’s former chairman’s) administration and approved by the Ministry of Lands under Musa Drammeh’s ministerial leadership.
The D2000 rate (downloadable here) is approved for a property with a threshold of D500, 000 and above.
Verdict: The claim by Musa Drammeh, former Minister of Lands and Regional Government and now the Minister of Fisheries, is MISLEADING
