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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Momodou |
Posted - 09 Oct 2018 : 08:34:18
Why is The State house denying this when Hon. Madi Ceesay confirmed that he received D10000 from President Barrow through one Mr. Cham?
Press Release
RE: National Assembly Member, Sanna Jawara’s Allegations against President Barrow
State House, Banjul, 8th October 2018 - It is with great dismay that to learn of the series of serious unfounded allegations made by Sanna Jawara, a sitting National Assembly member, most notably, that the President ‘’has started paying some parliamentarians D10, 000 each month in envelopes’’. Hon. Jawara went as far as suggesting that some National Assembly Members ‘’physically queue up for monthly handouts’’ from the president - grave claims that he could not substantiate.
The claims were maliciously designed to bring disrepute to the person of the president and the office he occupies. Contrary to what Mr. Jawara stated, without any evidence whatsoever, no National Assembly Member was invited to State House to receive money in return for any favors, including political support. President Adama Barrow has been supporting and continues to support individuals and groups whenever he can. It was in the same spirit that His Excellency, the President donated vehicles to members of the same body to ease mobility and communication constraints with their constituents.
The President was elected as an independent coalition candidate. Thus, rather than politicking, he is occupied with finding solutions and addressing the development needs of the people that overwhelmingly elected him into office. Which is why he succeeded in securing several capital investments that would directly impact the lives of ordinary Gambians and drive them out of poverty, as stated in the National Development Plan 2018-2021.
Moreover, the President’s focus is on the bigger picture of delivering a new Gambia that we could all be proud of; one that would provide a conducive place where all Gambians can realize their full potentials. His vision is to see a country that is anchored on empowered institutions that would guarantee and protect the rights and dignity of all citizens irrespective of their political, ethno-linguistic and religious differences. It is in the same spirit that he constituted a Constitutional Review Commission, among other transformational and institutional reforms, to recreate a Gambia fit for all.
End
Contact:
Amie Bojang-Sissoho
Director of Press & Public Relations
Office of the President, State House, Banjul
Email:absissoho@op.gov.gm
dpprop2017@gmail.com
Tel: +220 9957592
Twitter: @BarrowPresident
Facebook: Barrow PORG
Website: statehouse.gov.gm
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| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Momodou |
Posted - 10 Oct 2018 : 14:12:35
Sidi Sanneh - Editorial: President's Barrow's lame response to the latest bribery scandal dogging his administration
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
By Sidi Sanneh
https://sidisanneh.blogspot.com/2018/10/editorialpresidents-barrows-lame.html?
When you are in a hole, stop digging, so goes the adage but by the look of things, President Barrow seems to be doing just the opposite gauging from his response to the latest scandal dogging his administration about alleged cash payments to selected members of the National Assembly.
Hon. Sanna Jawara, a UDP National Assembly Member for Upper Fulladu West was the first to sound the alarm by claiming that he was offered a D10,000 (equivalent to $200) from a political operative of President Barrow as gifts to help parliamentarians in difficult economic times. It was not a one-off payment but a monthly stipend of an unspecified duration.
According to the parliamentarian from Upper Fulladu West, he politely turned the offer down - a payment he saw as a an attempt to corrupt him and his colleagues, as he became aware that similar offers were made to other members of the National Assembly.
Hon. Madi Ceesay, another UDP National Assembly Member representing SerreKunda West, responding to journalist questions confirmed that he too was offered and accepted the sum of D10,000 from the same political operative acting on behalf of President Barrow. He saw no reason not to accept the money which, to him, the payment does not constitute bribery, implying that because the sum is too small to cross his self-imposed threshold to qualify as bribery.
In a characteristic style that has now become routine, a non denial denial in the form of a hastily and clumsily crafted press release rebutting bribery allegations that the State House characterized as unfounded and unsubstantiated despite confirmations from two parliamentarians that they have been offered and/or have accepted D10,000 from President Barrow.
Contrary to presidential claims, the allegations have been substantiated. Were parliamentarians the being enticed by the president to support him to secure the presidential nomination under the UDP banner? If this was the purpose, the payments then present a quid pro quo condition. Even if President Barrow was not expecting anything in return, the mere perception conveys the impression of bribery and a clear breach of the principle of separation of powers. In this case, the executive appears to imposing its will in an attempt to interfere with the legislative independence of the legislature.
The State House press release admits that the president routinely supports individuals and groups, financially and materially, including the 57 vehicles he gifted to members of the National Assembly, the source of which has been shrouded in mystery. To deflect a barrage of criticisms, the presidents attributed the gifts to a philanthropist who prefers to remain anonymous. It is not the role of a president who's paid a fixed annual salary to be financially supporting individuals and groups including parliamentarians.
The extra-budgetary activities of President Barrow pose not only a moral hazard but it is also a threat to the well established, universally applicable norms of the budget process. Jammeh was the inventor of this surreptitious approach to public finance as a means of circumventing the budget process that distorted the public finance profile of the country rendering planning and implementing the country's economic programs difficult. The Commission of Inquiry into Jammeh's illicit wealth serves as reminder to how damaging these surreptitious forms of extra-budgetary expenditures can be.
We have been critical of Barrow's governance style or lack thereof and his apparent inability to focus on the core reform programs, carefully delineated in the Memorandum of Understanding that led to the coalition government. The principles set therein were, in our view, quickly abandoned. Instead, he exchanged governing for politicking.
In outlining progress such as establishing the Constitutional Review Committee, President Barrow disputes the view that he's focused more in the politics of personal survival by trying to assure Gambians that his major preoccupation has been and continues to be "finding solutions and addressing the development needs of the people that overwhelmingly elected him into office", a claim that is not supported neither by the data nor by the mood of the general public.
President Barrow's vision for the country is, according to the release, is to empower institutions so that they can "guarantee and protect the rights and dignity of all citizens irrespective of their political ethno-linguistic and religious differences."
Less than forty-eight later, President Barrow's Justice Minister was out issuing warnings to journalists, non-journalists alike that and we quote: "[R]ecently, we have noticed a worrisome trend in the country and this must be addressed. While we want to encourage a culture of tolerance and the freedom of expression,...this must not be equated with chaos or be used to tarnish the reputation of or smear innocent people."
The Justice Minister further warned that "many people rush to judgment and condemn the accused even when there is no evidence to support the allegation." He continued, "we cannot accuse, try and condemn people, all in one scoop. It amounts to mob justice." He then proceeded to "remind everyone that the publication of false news is still a criminal offense in this country as upheld recently by the Supreme Court and we will not hesitate to apply the law."
The minister's warnings were more like threats which, he says "are not intended to address any specific events as there has been too many such events in the country recently", one of the rare assertions I can readily see eye to eye on with the Honorable Minister of Justice. |
| Momodou |
Posted - 09 Oct 2018 : 13:08:39
Fulladu West lawmaker accuses Barrow of bribery
The Point: Monday, October 08, 2018
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/fulladu-west-lawmaker-accuses-barrow-of-bribery
Sana Jawara, the National Assembly Member (NAM) for Fulladou West in the Central River Region, has accused President Adama Barrow of bribing some lawmakers.
Mr. Barrow is accused of paying D10, 000 to each of those lawmakers allegedly involved, although his accuser Mr. Jawara, who posted this allegation on his Facebook account did not give names of those legislators, nor did he gives reason of the presidential gift.
“I never felt so dishonored and disgraced,” Mr. Jawara writes.
“It still feels an enigma to know that President Adama Barrow has started paying some parliamentarians D10, 000.00 each month in envelopes for what I don’t really want to know.
“It is either a true assessment of Dr. Ismaila Ceesay to argue that the president is clueless, or that president is foolhardy to strike the biggest insult on our democracy. It is insane for any President to directly give money to any legislator, period!!!” Mr. Jawara further writes.
He said for whatever reason, there are more pertinent issues worth addressing than giving NAMs handouts.
“Poor Gambians are stagnant with no significant change in their lives or businesses since the uprooting a dictatorship, faced with pitiable standards of living, dilapidated public services and prices of essential goods and services hiking every day.” (sic)
The NAM for Kantora District in the Upper River Region, denied receiving the D10, 000. “I want to make it clear that I didn’t receive any bribe from the President,” he said. “People should be very careful of such allegations without any evidence or prove to show. Gambians should be very careful of such allegations more especially when it comes to bribery.”
The lawmaker for Kombo South, Lamin Sanneh, equally denied receiving the D10, 000 from the President. “I receive a call from one Lamin Cham at State House to come and receive D10, 000.00 but I declined.”
Author: Momodou Jawo |
| Momodou |
Posted - 09 Oct 2018 : 08:36:48
The Following are reactions from FB:
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Who are you trying to fool here? You must have been possessed when you made those ludicrous statements about you being the boss, and that the UDP regional chairmen are your arms, ears and eyes and that the MPs should go through them as the chain of command. You also mentioned that you as the sitting president cannot be challenged as a presedential candidate underUDP ticket and if anybody does, he or she is trying to undermine your presidency. That was not politicking? At that moment you must have forgotten at that moment that you were an independent candidate voted in by a coalition. Please let's stop the hypocrisy!
Amie Bojang-Sissoho should feel insulted by your remarks as a person who is part of the coalition.
Gambia is bigger than an individual!
Long live the Gambia!
"The President was elected as an independent coalition candidate. Thus, rather than politicking, he is occupied with finding solutions and addressing the development needs of the people that overwhelmingly elected him into office. Which is why he succeeded in securing several capital investments that would directly impact the lives of ordinary Gambians and drive them out of poverty, as stated in the National Development Plan 2018-2021."
Numukenda
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How we got here as a Nation! by Madi Jobarteh
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