FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Suwaibou Touray
2 November 2009
We have been focusing on politics in this column with the objective to document the contemporary history of the Gambia and to help our readers appraise themselves with the happenings of the past. We are now covering issues that culminated during the coup period of 1994. This we hope will go a long way in helping us have a better understanding of the evolution of politics in the Gambia as well as help forge a future genuine democratic dispensation for our homeland.
In the last edition, we have focused on a family in search of their son, a military officer who has not been seen a day after the attempted counter coup allegedly led by Lt Basiru Barrow in which some people lost their lives. We have also looked at the effect of the British travel advice and the second arrest of the former accountant general, Mr. Abou Denton in the defunct PPP government.
In this edition, we will bring you the report on the setting up of the commission of enquiry to probe the assets of the Ex-ministers under the former PPP government and the setting up of the National Consultative Committee.
Assets Of Ex-Ministers Under Probe
By Tuesday 29th November 2009, the public assets and properties recovery commission, which is one of the five commissions of inquiry set up by the AFPRC government, yesterday announced that the assets of some former cabinet ministers of the deposed PPP government were currently under investigation by them. The specified persons named are Bakary Dabo, Saihou Sabally, both of whom had served as vice presidents, Lamin Kiti Jabang, Omar Sey, Omar A. Jallow, Dr. Lamin Saho, A. A. Njie, Mrs. Louise A. Njie, Alieu Kama Badjie, Bubacarr M. Baldeh and Lamin Bora Mboge, all of whom had served as ministers in the Jawara regime.
The specified persons also include M.C Cham, Mathew Yaya Baldeh, Amulie Janneh, Landing Jallow Sonko, Alhaji Yaya Ceesay, Alkali James Gaye, Sarjo K. Touray, and Mbemba Jatta.
As a matter of national importance, stated the announcement, all persons with relevant information on the assets of the persons specified are kindly requested to submit the information to the secretary of the public assets and properties recovery commission, which is housed at NIPA building along Independence Drive in Banjul. The post office box was 1425.
The public assets commission assured the general public that the confidentiality of such information and the protection of the identities of all informants are guaranteed. The public assets commission, which was sworn in before the head of state, Captain Yahya Jammeh, on Wednesday November 9, is composed of Mrs. Justice Akoto Banfo of Ghana, as chairperson, and Abdou A. Faal, managing director of continent bank and Dr. Peter John Ndow, a retired director of medical services, as members. The secretary was Joseph Harris Gabbidon.
AFPRC SUCCUMBS TO PRESSURE, SETS UP CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
By Tuesday the 13th of December 1994, the AFPRC Military Junta has accepted to set up a consultative committee to enquire from the sovereign Gambian people when they would want the soldiers that overthrew the Jawara administration to return the country to civilian democratic rule.
The AFPRC announced their own timetable which they pegged at four years ending in December 1998 but there was a huge dissatisfaction and outcry and a backlash from the International donor community; that four years was unnecessarily too long and cut off aid and cooperation with the Gambia. The AFPRC insisted then that the Gambia is a sovereign country and would not allow outsiders to dictate what happened here and was adamant to reconsider their position.
However, by the 13th of December, barely a month and a half after the 4 year timetable was announced, the junta has now accepted to create some form of consultation to find out the feelings of the people which according to a foroyaa pamphlet was welcome from many quarters.
PRESS RELEASE
According to the press release from the office of State house, the government of the AFPRC has set up and appointed a 22 member National Consultative Committee to study and review the programme and timetable for a return to democratic constitutional rule.
According to the release, on Wednesday, the committee which was drawn from civil society organizations, chiefs and individual personalities was expected to submit its report within 10 days of the date of appointment. This committee did not include political stakeholders such as political parties or personalities as suggested in some quarters.
Its members were: Dr. Lenrie Peters (Gambia Medical and Dental Association) as Chairman; Surahata B. Semega Janneh ( Gambia Bar Association), Amie Joof Cole (National Women's Council), Riaf Diab ( Businessman), Pa Modou Faal, Gambia Workers Confederation), Deyda Hydara Gambia Press Union), Ousainou Faal (Gambia Teachers Union), Seefoo Bakary Bojang (Western Division0, Seefoo Dodou Sonko (NBD, Seefoo Buwa Kinteh (LRD), Seefoo Omar Batur Ceesay (MID), Seefoo Kanda Kasseh Juwara (URD), Dr. Ernest Bidwell ( Retired WHO Consultant), Omar K. Bojang Youth Leader), Rachael Palmer (Retired Principal), Gambia College, School of Nursing and Midwifery), Baba Galleh Jallow (Writer), Sulayman Ndow (Youth Leader), Musa Fatty (Retired Chief Education Officer), A.E.Cham Joof (Historian), and Momodou Aki Bayo, was the secretary of the committee.
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