Following allegations of President Barrow engaging in bribing members of the National Assembly by Uppder Fulladu West Member Sanna Jawara, a senior member of the National Assembly and Gambian Journalist Madi Ceesay has confirmed receiving funds from the President. Mr. Ceesay made this admission while speaking to Omar Wally of the Fatu Network. Quizzed on whether he indeed received funds from the President Mr. Ceesay said “Yes I received funds from the President” Asked if he had asked what the money was for Mr. Ceesay angrily responded that he did not ask and that it was not an obligation for him to ask what the funds were meant for.
Mr. Ceesay’s admission of receiving funds confirms Mr. Jawara’s allegations that the president gave out money to members of the National Assembly through one of his aids Lamin Cham. The President’s office released a short press statement denying the alleged bribery but added that the President has been helping individuals and groups whenever they want. Atleast one other member Saikouba Jarju of Busumbala denied receiving such funds. Mr. Jarju speaking to Fatu Network said he was there to clear his name that he has not received any funds.
Mr. Madi Ceesay is a renown Gambian journalist who is the founder of the Daily News whose paper was shut down by Yahya Jammeh’s government for being critical for the government. Mr. Ceesay is himself known to be very critical of the former government. On numerous occasions his paper condemned the former Gambian leader on his human rights and abuse of office. Mr. Ceesay’s accepting of funds without asking is quite troubling. He appeared very angry when Omar Wally asked why he did not ask the reason for the funds. Ceesay said the president gave him D10,000 and not millions.
It is somewhat disappointing that Honorable Ceesay would defend receiving any form of monetary gift from the President. In fact many believe that Mr. Ceesay knows better than that and is one of the leaders of the National Assembly. His assertion that he was given the money without conditions is quite surprising. In his capacity as a National Assembly Member Mr. Ceesay and many others fully knows their responsibilities and cannot accept gifts from the President or anybody. Mr. Ceesay’s contention that he will again accept gift from the President is borderline disturbing.
Many Gambians are seriously bothered by this confirmed gift from the President. It is becoming a pattern that for President Barrow to engage in donating cash and materials to not only law makers but other institutions and citizens. These acts of donating the people’s resources to private individuals and public institutions to win their support is very troubling. This was Jammeh’s play book who bought his loyalty from Gambians for twenty-two years. The president occupying the people’s office cannot engage in giving funds in an effort to buy political loyalty. It is a mistake and borderlines corruption. If Gambia had strong institutions, this would have been a criminal investigation of both the President and the National Assembly Members. They are representing the interest of the Gambian people and must therefore cannot accept any form of gift from an equal branch of government. Mr. Ceesay however deserves credit for accepting the truth of receiving the funds. Gambians hope that he will help champion a bill in the National Assembly to stop the president and government officials from bribing citizens in positions of authority. At the very least I will minimize the form of corruption emanating from the executive.
Report filed by Demba Baldeh
3 Comments
Transparency and Accountability are the Bedrocks of Democracy
President Adama Barrow lives in a 30 room mansion in Banjul, rent free! He also does not pay an electricity/water bill, grocery bill, maintenance bill; therefore, he can afford to give Madi Ceesay D10, 000 of his own money. However, if this money was withdrawn from the Gambian Treasury, then May God—The–Almighty help us! President Barrow should tell the Gambian people where the money came from. No Accounting gimmicks! If the money was withdrawn from the Central Bank, just like during the days of the Kaninlai Butcher/Dictator, then the Governor and Managing Director of the bank owe the Gambian people a boat load of explanation, after we watched and heard the horror stories of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Further, if the money came from the Treasury, then the president owes every Gambian D10, 000. With a population of about 1.6 million, that comes to (1.6 million x D10, 000) = D16, 000,000,000. Let us convert it into US dollars at an exchange rate of D45. That number becomes (D16, 000,000,000/D45) = 355, 555, 555 US dollars. Does the Gambian government have that kind of money to distribute among its citizens? I don’t think so! Remember, we are neither Norway nor Kuwait. We don’t have an oil Sovereign Fund of billions of dollars. Our schools, hospitals, and roads are falling apart, and they need urgent repair.
I mentioned this in a previous posting: President Barrow has a template of governing to follow. It is called the Sir Dawda template. Sir Dawda never had a Youth Movement; Ladies Hannah, Chilel, and Njemeh never ran foundations. The Barrow Youth Movement comes out of the play book of dictators. Every project should go through the departments, which are headed by the directors and permanent secretaries, who are answerable to the ministers and parliamentarians, the representatives of the people. Foundations that are not subject to government scrutiny become cauldrons of fraud and nepotism.
As for the Palace Intrigue going on within the UDP party, the Gambian people want the government to function, by creating jobs for the citizens, and the streets of Banjul cleaned. Let the UDP party Chairmen/women, and Congress decide who their party’s candidate should be in the next presidential elections. We have seen what the infighting within the PPP ushered in: The Kaninlai Butcher/Dictator. Some of the players in the intramural fighting within the PPP ended up in involuntary exile, tortured, or imprisoned. Work within the Constitution of the party and be very transparent. Discord within a ruling party does not serve the interest of the country.
Mr. Trawally, the issue here is not about whether the President can afford the money or not. It is a question of a person occupying the office of the president handing out money to citizens much less elected representatives of the National Assembly. He is clearly buying loyalty in case he needs it tomorrow. If the president did something impeachable you think these people receiving free money from will vote to impeach him.
The president cannot give or receive any gift except a small gift from friends and family. It is an act of corruption and bribery if you may for the president to engage in any form of giving… If it was wrong for Yahya jammeh or Jawara to give out money to religious leaders then it is worst for Barrow to give out money to elected representatives… It is really sad that citizens are excusing this act of bribery…
Mr. Trawally, the issue here is not about whether the President can afford the money or not. It is a question of a person occupying the office of the president handing out money to citizens much less elected representatives of the National Assembly. He is clearly buying loyalty in case he needs it tomorrow. If the president did something impeachable you think these people receiving free money from will vote to impeach him.
The president cannot give or receive any gift except a small gift from friends and family. It is an act of corruption and bribery if you may for the president to engage in any form of giving… If it was wrong for Yahya jammeh or Jawara to give out money to religious leaders then it is worst for Barrow to give out money to elected representatives… It is really sad that citizens are excusing this act of bribery…