Africa-Press – Gambia. The National Assembly failed to proceed with its scheduled business after lawmakers could not form the required quorum, prompting yet another adjournment and reigniting debate over chronic lateness and absenteeism among members.
The sitting, expected to begin at 10 a.m., was delayed as the Speaker waited for more than the stipulated time for members to take their seats. Only a handful of lawmakers were present, pushing the day’s agenda into uncertainty. When the Speaker finally took the floor, he expressed concern over the persistence of the issue, describing it as “a situation that has gone on for too long.”
Member for Lower Saloum Honorable Sainey Jawara, visibly frustrated, urged the Speaker to take a firmer stance: “Honourable Speaker, you have to take the bull by the horn. Members cannot be in their homes when they have vehicles, everything, and still delay proceedings.
Honorable Samba Jallow Member for Niamina Dankunku argued that the issue of quorum has lingered since the Fifth Legislature. It is our own rule if we don’t respect it, who will respect us?”
Honorable Alagie Mbowe member of Upper Saloum, however, argued for flexibility, pointing to the standing orders which allow the Speaker to defer commencement for up to an hour. “Our rules are not meant to be so rigid that they stop us from doing business,” he said, suggesting that members could use the time to mobilise their colleagues.
But the Speaker insisted on upholding accountability. He reminded the Assembly that the law provides two options in the absence of a quorum: defer for up to one hour or adjourn to another day. He made it clear he would not extend the waiting period. “If I am adjourning, I will adjourn to the next day,” he said. “We must learn the lessons. Things have fallen apart, and we need to do better.”
With attendance still insufficient, the Speaker adjourned the session to today, 3 December 2025, at 10 a.m. prompt underscoring once again the pressing need for discipline within the country’s legislative body.
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