By Edrissa Jallow
On the final sitting of the National Assembly’s Fifth Legislature, the Speaker of the House Hon Mariama Jack Denton opened the floor for National Assembly Members (NAMs) to participate in the Adjournment debate on 28th February 2022. Various NAMs seized the opportunity to urge government institutions to take responsibility for the issues hindering the development of their constituencies.
NAM for Banjul North, Hon Ousman Sillah of the PDOIS noted some of the challenges in his constituency and called on the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Environment and the Office of the Vice President to address the challenges retarding the development of Banjul North.
Hon Sillah highlighted that “Banjul as a region is being threatened by climate change, — one of the factors to mitigate climate change is to promote and protect the environment and the ecology”. This he says can be achieved by building canals.
Speaking about the open drains just walking distance from the New Parliament Building, Hon Sillah urged the incoming NAM for Banjul North [if he loses] and the Executive to address the infrastructural challenges affecting Banjul.
NAM for Bakau, Hon Assan Touray of UDP also deliberated on the poor condition of government buildings in his constituency. Hon Touray highlighted the poor condition of the country’s only National Stadium and the lack of mobility for Police Officers stationed at Bakau.
According to Hon Touray, government buildings could be refurbished and used to accommodate state guests instead of paying expensive hotels “but until now the executives fail to consider my concern”. Hon Touray noted that he has “made this appeal before the minister here several times until now the executives fail to respond”.
Kiang Central NAM Highlights Housing and Bushfire Challenges
NAM for Kiang Central, Bakary Camara of the UDP raised concerns for the Ministry of Local Government and Lands to address problems around housing and property dealers (Agents) in the country. Hon Camara also urged the Ministry of Environment to play a more active role in addressing bush fires in Kiang Central.
“I have been calling the Minister of Local Government and Lands to please face these challenges and as a minister to take it as a responsibility. The Landlords are now taking the laws into their own hands by increasing the rent sometimes even on weekly basis sometimes on monthly basis, there is a gap we need to fill,” said Hon Camara.
Also “you have Gambian’s that are working both in the country and abroad, they will manage to save something from their small salary to try and then buy a land on instalment, you will pay after 3 years you ask them to show you the land that you have been paying for, they will not be able to show you any piece of land” argued Hon Camara.
The Kiang Central Representative urged the ministry to come up with legislation to regulate land transactions in the country as tenants and property buyers are often exploited.
On the issue of bush fires in Kiang, Hon Camara revealed that the situation has caused destruction and harm to the environment, people and animals in his constituency. He lamented the insignificant charges imposed on culprits found guilty of the act. In his view, fines of D1,500 and D3,000 do very little to deter future offenders.
Calling for legislative amendments, Hon Camara encouraged the government to table the Forestry Act 2014 for an amendment to better hold culprits of bush fires accountable.