By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
A leaked voice note has surfaced featuring the voice of United Democratic Party (UDP) Parliamentarian, Hon. Ya Kumba Jaiteh explaining that the idea for the D54.4 Million Building Loan for National Assembly members (NAMs) “came to [her] in their Budget Line, NAO (National Audit Office) Loan Scheme, a new item for D35 Million. I suggested that we cut down to D17 Million for NAO because of their size and start a loan scheme for the National Assembly too.”
Responding to UDP party supporter Karamba Touray, Hon. Jaiteh doubled down on her proposal by calling the D54.4 Million Building Loan scheme her legacy and “whatever I take from it I’ll live with it. I think I’ve done a good thing and am very proud of myself for creating a loan scheme legacy for Assembly Members and Staff” she said.
The outspoken NAM who was nominated by President Adama Barrow in April 2017 eventually defeated President Barrow’s unprecedented legal challenge to replace her seat. Since emerging victorious against the President in January 2020 she has grown in influence in the National Assembly and is recognised as one of President Barrow’s staunch critics, rarely missing an opportunity to scrutinise Cabinet Ministers in Parliament. She is currently embroiled in a separate court case for allegedly obstructing and assaulting a Drug, Law Enforcement Officer.
“Tendency for NAMs to be Corrupted”
In Hon. Jaiteh’s view “a very good basis for doing this” is that “this loan scheme has been in existence in the Civil Service from time immemorial. These are the opportunities created to encourage people to stay in the civil service given the low rate of salaries they are being paid and it’s extended to the entire public service. For example, PURA’s Loan Scheme for Car Loan is D1 Million Dalasis.”
“So, it is the National Assembly alone out of the entire public service that does not have access to these loans and that is not fair given the fact that we are Political persons and we are making decisions on behalf of the entire country and there is a tendency for us to be corrupted given the low earnings we have. Look at what happened with our UDP NAMs. One of the reasons they went is because [President Adama] Barrow promised them money to build their lands or give them built lands.”
“So, this is the reason why it is important to create such benefits so that these people will remain incorruptible. Give them the benefits they require.” Hon. Jaiteh seems to put up a logical argument that NAMs need more benefit to make them incorruptible however, one seasoned Economist disagrees.
According to Dr Tunde Basil Jones, a seasoned Economist “there is no correlation between the high salary of MPs and them being incorruptible. Nigerian and Kenyan MPs are highly paid yet they are corrupt. On the other hand, look at a county like Rwanda where MPs salaries are nowhere close to Nigeria and Kenya and yet we see how patriotic, effective, dedicated and hardworking they are, putting national interest above all else.”
16 Months Repayment Period?
A confident Hon. Jaiteh gleefully declared that “I did my research” as she detailed how she calculated the feasibility of the loans being repaid. She started off by calculating “the people that were allocated the plots, so it’s not just the members but the staff too. That’s why it went to D800,000 per head and it is not compulsory. If you want you take it, if you don’t want you don’t take it.”
At this point, she acknowledged that “people are worried how we’re going to pay this. But the idea is we are paid our gratuity because we don’t have pensions as National Assembly Members. At the end of every term, you are paid your gratuity. So, if you pay and there’s something left, they take it out of your gratuity and our gratuity is calculated around the same amount. Between D700,000 to D800,000. That’s why I pegged it at D800,000. I did my research.”
Speaking to former Finance Minister, Hon. Abdou Kolley he raised some concerns on the possibility of NAMs paying back the loan before their term ends. “Depending on how much will be allocated per NAM will they be able to fully pay off within the remaining time of their mandate? What collateral will be in place to ensure the full recovery of these loans?”
To answer some of these questions we looked at the time left for NAMs to pay off the loan before their term expires and their basic salary to repay the loan. NAMs have from January 2021 to begin taking the loan and their term is expected to end in April 2022 meaning that NAMs have 16 Months to complete their term and repay their loan. Hon. Jaiteh also concurs in her voice note when she said: “We are saying give us this loan in a one-year four-month period and we’ll pay it off.”
If NAMs are to pay off the D800,000 building loan within 16 months they will have to fork out D50,000 every month in loan repayments. It can be seen that only the Speaker of the House takes home a basic monthly salary exceeding D50k. The 2021 Draft Manpower Budget pegs the Speaker of the House as the highest earner, taking home D51,544.50 basic salary every month while the second-highest earner is the Deputy Speaker with a monthly wage of D28,425.
The third and fourth highest earners are the Majority Leader (D27,546) and the Minority Leader (D25,0000). Other Elected and Nominated NAMs earn the lowest monthly basic salary of D22,500. This proves that barring the Speaker, no NAM can afford to pay up their D50k monthly loan repayments from their basic salary. Nonetheless, Hon. Jaiteh mentions that NAMs could pay off their outstanding repayments with their “D800,000 gratuity”.
“Only National Assembly Members Don’t Have it”
Giving more reasons why Parliament should be appropriated a D54 Million loan while the country struggles to recover from the Pandemic, Hon. Jaiteh lamented that “all the Ministers, everyone, they all have access to this loan, Judiciary, all the Ministries only National Assembly members don’t have it. When we came in the bank offered us loans of D340,000. It is killing members because they are paying 23% on it. When they have this loan, they can go clear that and use the rest to finish their building. Some members have completed their building others can’t even afford to start.”
“So, when we finish being National Assembly members the same people will turn around, castigating us for not having a house to live in after becoming a National Assembly member. Most of these NAMs are renting. So, if you want your members to stick to the job and not to be corrupted you have to give them benefits to keep them safe. This is the whole idea of it. I’m proposing this loan, not for my benefit. I have a house to live in for the rest of my life. I don’t care if I build this house or not but others don’t.”
On the surface, the argument that other Public Servants are enjoying benefits which the National Assembly is being denied appears logical. However, upon close inspection, it can be seen that NAMs enjoyed over D29.1 Million in allowances in 2020 and are set for the same in 2021. Although allowances have remained constant, NAMs are also set to benefit over D29.1 Million in allowances if the 2021 Draft Budget is approved.
Below are some of the most notable allowances;
- Basic Car Allowance: D10.29 Million
- Constituency Allowance: D6.36 Million
- Special Incentive Allowance (NAM Staff Only): D4.62 Million
- House Rent Allowance: D3.48 Million
- Transport Allowance: D2.7 Million
“Concerned About the Timing Given the Pandemic”
Towards the end of the 4:35 minutes long voice note, UDP’s Hon. Sanna Jawara of Upper Fulladu West queried Hon Jaiteh, asking “I think they [the people] might be concerned about the timing given the Pandemic. What’s your say in that?”
Hon. Jaiteh responded confidently, saying “even with the Pandemic issue we are paying this money back and all of the staff they have these loans, the rest of the Central Government and Public Service. They have these loans for a lifetime of their service. We are saying give us this loan in a one-year four-month period and we’ll pay it off. So, it’s going back, it’s not affecting anything in the economy or whatever it is. That’s how I see it.”
To verify Hon. Jaiteh’s claims, we ask former Finance Minister Hon. Abdou Kolley if the D54.4 Million Building Loan will not affect the Economy. In his view Hon. Jaiteh “can argue that other government agencies have loan schemes so NAMs also need a loan scheme. I have no problem with that but saying it will not affect the economy I beg to differ. This is money that could have gone to the provision of urgent medical supplies for example.”