The Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) executive members made an appearance before the National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee on Thursday to submit their petition, which calls for investigations into the GPA Missing Millions scandal, audit reports, and land allocation—three major public interest issues.
After the organization petitioned the Clerk of the National Assembly, the GALA delegation—which included Hakeem Touray, Omar Sanyang, Kaddy Jadama, Kexx Sanneh, Al-Amin Lyed Drame, and Abdoulie T. Bah—was invited. The crew met with Hon. Suwaibou Touray (Chairperson), Hon. Fatoumatta Jawara (Vice Chairperson), Hon. Amadou Camara (Member), and Modou Bah (Clerk) in Committee Room 2 after arriving.
Chairperson Hon. Suwaibou Touray told GALA during the meeting that the clerk had only authorized the audit reports probe as one of the three topics for immediate consideration. He clarified that because GALA had not yet consulted the appropriate authorities prior to submitting a petition to Parliament, the other two issues—land allocation and the GPA Missing Millions—could not move further.
Hon. Touray underlined that the Public Petitions Committee is the last resort and urged the group to start by asking the relevant ministries for their reply. “You can then petition the National Assembly if those engagements don’t work out.”
Comrade Kexx Sanneh, GALA’s Media and Communications Officer, voiced his displeasure with the GPA case’s delays, pointing out that GALA’s findings showed the police investigation had been finished for a long time and sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers, where it has allegedly been stalled for months without any public updates.
In response, Hon. Touray stated that the committee was aware of the situation and that the police had finished their preliminary inquiry. They then sent the report to the AG’s Chambers for legal guidance and were told to carry out additional research. He said that the updated report has since been resubmitted and is currently awaiting the Attorney General’s Chambers’ final legal opinion.
Vice Chairperson Hon. Fatoumatta Jawara stated that the Clerk’s office, not the Committee, is in charge of approving and assigning petitions when asked if the Committee had done anything more on the GPA issue since GALA’s petition. “Once authorized,” she stated, “the committee conducts the official inquiry.”
The chairperson also wanted to know which particular audit reports GALA was interested in looking at. The group’s current focus, according to Kexx Sanneh, is on the COVID-19 Funds Audit Report as well as other important reports that expose financial mismanagement.
After discussions, the committee asked GALA to provide the particular audit reports they wanted reviewed. At the end of the discussion, it was decided that GALA will formally request official answers from the Ministries of Justice and Lands about the two outstanding issues: the GPA Missing Millions and Land Allocation.
GALA intends to resubmit a revised petition to the Clerk for further legislative consideration if these interactions are unsuccessful.
