Africa-Press – Gambia. The executive members of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) on Thursday appeared before the National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee to present their petition calling for investigations into three key public interest issues: audit reports, land allocation, and the GPA Missing Millions scandal.
The GALA delegation, comprising Hakeem Touray, Omar Sanyang, Kaddy Jadama, Kexx Sanneh, Al-Amin Lyed Drame, and Abdoulie T. Bah, was invited following the group’s petition to the Clerk of the National Assembly. Upon arrival, the team was received at Committee Room 2, where they met with Hon. Suwaibou Touray (Chairperson), Hon. Fatoumatta Jawara (Vice Chairperson), Hon. Amadou Camara (Member), and Modou Bah (Clerk).
During the session, Chairperson Hon. Suwaibou Touray informed GALA that only one of the three issues—the audit reports investigation—was approved for immediate consideration by the clerk. He explained that the other two matters, land allocation and the GPA Missing Millions, could not proceed as GALA had not yet engaged the relevant authorities before petitioning Parliament.
“The Public Petitions Committee serves as the last resort,” Hon. Touray emphasized, urging the organization to first seek responses from the concerned ministries. “If those engagements fail, you can then petition the National Assembly.”
GALA’s Media and Communications Officer, Comrade Kexx Sanneh, expressed frustration over delays in the GPA case, noting that GALA’s findings revealed that the police investigation had long been completed and forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers, where it has reportedly stalled for months without any public update.
Responding to this, Hon. Touray confirmed that the committee was aware of the matter, explaining that the police had completed their initial investigation, forwarded the report to the AG’s Chambers for legal advice, and were instructed to conduct further inquiries. The revised report, he added, has since been resubmitted and is now awaiting final legal advice from the Attorney General’s Chambers.
When asked if the Committee had taken any further action on the GPA issue since GALA’s petition, Vice Chairperson Hon. Fatoumatta Jawara clarified that the approval and assignment of petitions fall under the Clerk’s office, not the Committee’s discretion. “Once approved,” she said, “the committee undertakes the formal investigation.”
The chairperson also sought clarification on which specific audit reports GALA wanted investigated. Kexx Sanneh explained that the group’s immediate focus is on the COVID-19 Funds Audit Report, in addition to other critical reports highlighting misuse of public funds.
Following deliberations, the committee requested GALA to submit the specific audit reports they want examined. The session concluded with an agreement that GALA would formally engage the Ministries of Lands and Justice for official responses on the two pending issues—Land Allocation and the GPA Missing Millions.
If these engagements yield no results, GALA plans to resubmit a revised petition to the Clerk for renewed parliamentary consideration.
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