Minister of Lands and Religious Affairs Hamat Bah has rejected claims that President Adama Barrow received two state land allocations, insisting that the President has only one valid allocation.

Speaking at a press briefing, Bah said an earlier allocation made to the President had been cancelled, leaving him with one allocation from the state.

“President Barrow was allocated one piece of land and not two. He got first allocation that was cancelled. Cancelled completely. He has only one allocation from the state,” he said.

The minister also addressed questions surrounding a company associated with the President, arguing that businesses linked to public figures should be treated under the same land allocation criteria as other companies.

He said the company had a right to apply for land to establish its headquarters, reduce rental costs, expand its operations and create employment.

Bah maintained that the allocation was processed through the required procedures and should not be treated differently because of its association with the President.

He also recounted an occasion when he offered to facilitate land for the President’s son to establish a business after returning from studies in the United States.

According to the minister, President Barrow declined the offer and said he did not want special treatment for his son.

“He said, ‘No, Minister, I don’t want anything for my son. I have a company and let him go and hustle as I hustle and work. Don’t give me any piece of land for him,’” Mr Bah said.

The minister argued that companies meeting the legal requirements should be considered for land allocations regardless of their ownership or association.

He said the government was preparing to publish all state land allocations dating back to 2017 in the Government Gazette to make the records accessible to the public.

By Adama Makasuba