Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – President Adama Barrow convened an emergency Cabinet meeting today at the State House to address the escalating controversy surrounding the sale of properties belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh. This development coincides with the National Assembly’s scheduled extraordinary session tomorrow, aimed at scrutinizing the legality and transparency of the asset disposal process.

According to a source in the government, the closed-door Cabinet meeting centered on briefing President Barrow on the current status of Jammeh’s seized assets, evaluating the management of the sales, and formulating a unified government response to growing public and parliamentary scrutiny.

While no official statement was released immediately following the meeting, insiders indicated that President Barrow emphasized the imperative for complete accountability and legal clarity in the disposition of assets confiscated from the former leader.

The controversy stems from the aftermath of Yahya Jammeh’s departure in 2017, when the Barrow administration established the Janneh Commission to investigate his financial dealings. The Commission’s 2019 report concluded that Jammeh had unlawfully acquired millions of dollars in state assets, recommending the seizure and sale of properties linked to his regime.

However, recent revelations published by The Republic, through an investigative report by journalist Mustapha Darboe, exposed significant irregularities in the management and alleged secret sales of these confiscated assets, igniting public outrage.

In response to the report, civil society organizations and citizens launched vigorous campaigns demanding full disclosure of the seized assets, the procedures surrounding their disposal, and the identities of the beneficiaries.

These demands culminated in youth-led protests, which resulted in arrests but also compelled the government to release partial disclosures and eventually free detained demonstrators.

The National Assembly’s extraordinary session tomorrow is expected to further intensify scrutiny of the government’s handling of the asset sales, potentially leading to increased pressure for transparency and accountability.

The confluence of the Cabinet meeting and the upcoming parliamentary session underscores the gravity of the situation and the government’s attempt to address the mounting public concerns.