Africa-Press – Gambia. The National Assembly confirmed the nomination of seven members into a special inquiry committee to probe the sale and disposal of the assets seized from former president Yahya Jammeh.
The committee is chaired by deputy majority leader and member for Old Yundum Abdoulie Ceesay. Other members are Madi Ceesay (UDP) vice chairman, Suwaibou Touray (PDOIS), Omar Jammeh (Independent) Sheriff Sarr,(APRC )Alhagie Mbow (NRP)and Kebba Lang Fofana (Nominated).
The committee has been given 120 days to submit its findings and recommendations.
According to the majority leader the committee will be given a lead counsel that will lead the process of investigations.
However, during the debate on the nomination of committee members, several lawmakers raised objections on Abdoulie’s Ceesay chairmanship and the lack of gender representation in the committee.
Lamin Ceesay of Kiang West contended that Abdoulie Ceesay is representing a government that has officials implicated in the sale of the assets who are still serving in government. Several other NAMs including the minority leader Alhagie S Darboe, Almameh Gibba and Kemo Gassama, all objected to Ceesay’s chairmanship and proposed Wuli West NAM Suwaibou Touray instead.
NAM Darboe argued that looking at the complex nature of the inquiry, all parties in the Assembly except PDOIS are conflicted which makes Suwaibou a suitable candidate for the position of chairman.
Majority leader Bilay G Tunkara however differed with the objections stating that “nobody wants transparency more than this government,” adding that Hon Ceesay is a man of integrity who can handle the position of chairman.
Nominated member and deputy speaker Seedy Njie stated that arguments raised by most of his colleagues questioning the composition of the committee are not welcome. “All of us belong to parties. The issue of personality, chairmanship, and gender becomes personal. This is about capacity and being upright,” Njie said.
Following these contending arguments, the matter was put to a vote with 24 NAMs approving the composition of the committee while 16 voted against and 1 abstention.
Meanwhile protest group Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) has warned that any attempts to select a pro-government national assembly member as chairperson of the inquiry committee will not be accepted.
“We totally reject the idea of an NPP NAM to lead such an important committee. For a transparent process where accountability will not be compromised, we implore the Assembly to select an independent NAM to lead this important process. Anything other than that should be rejected by the Gambian people,” the group said in statement.
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