Governor Central Bank of The Gambia
By Madi Jobarteh
First of all, kudos to The Alkamba Times for breaking the massive corruption at the Central Bank of the Gambia through money laundering. Indeed, the Gambian media is growing in quality in fulfilling their constitutional role of holding the Government accountable on behalf of the people.
The next logical action on this Central Bank scandal is for the IGP Abdoulie Sanyang to deploy his investigators and prosecutors to raid the Central Bank to obtain the necessary material evidence and arrest the Governor Buah Saidy and other concerned staffs. In a normal democratic society, such a scandal should immediately trigger the police into action. Therefore, I call on the IGP to assume his legal obligations of detecting, preventing and prosecuting fraud when it occurs in public institutions. The IGP cannot claim that he is not aware!
The press release from the Central Bank is not only insulting but it is also a clear attempt to mislead citizens. This press release exposes the Central Bank’s attempt to cover up blatant abuse of office and corruption in broad daylight.
The Governor of Central Bank Buah Saidy was copied and received a letter from Solie Law Chambers on the 10 February 2022 about this major scandal. But the Governor never told the nation about this scandal. He never informed the IGP about this scandal. Rather he kept quiet about it until 7 days later when news of the scandal was exposed by the media. Governor Saidy should be asked by the police why he failed to inform them about such a massive racket.
In their press release, the Central Bank said they had investigated and found that the story was untrue. But where is the investigation report? When was this investigation conducted? Who were the members of the investigation team? Which authority was informed about this scandal and the investigation? These are the fundamental questions that the Governor must tell the nation.
In light of the above questions, it is therefore a legitimate matter of national interest for the IGP to immediately raid the Central Bank to protect and confiscate the necessary evidence and arrest the Governor and relevant staffs. The IGP should launch a full-blown investigation and prosecution of this matter.
At the same time, this matter should immediately attract the attention of the National Assembly to open a public inquiry on the Central Bank. In the same vein, by now we should have heard the President making a statement on this matter and asking the IGP to open investigations. Similarly, the Attorney General Dawda Jallow should equally ask his prosecutors to begin the process of taking action on this matter. These actions are what will show Gambians that indeed the Government is committed to transparency and accountability in combating corruption and abuse of office.
It is indeed concerning that the incidence of public sector corruption is now out of control in this country. This is a clear threat to the peace and stability of the Gambia. Pres. Adama Barrow has demonstrated in practice, openly, his utter carelessness about graft in his Government. Barrow himself has acknowledged acts of corruption by himself as he had said it publicly that he was the one who asked the Secretary General to put the Chinese money amounting to D35M in his wife’s so-called foundation account.
This and many numerous cases of corruption can be found across his Government involving his ministers, associates and surrogates from 2017 to date. One of his minsters, Hamat Bah is already a subject of inquiry for corruption before the Public Petitions Committee of the National Assembly.
Therefore, citizens must be ready to occupy Banjul and demand an immediate end to the bastardisation of the country by immoral and corrupt politicians and public officials. This country is not a cake for them to greedily swallow as they like. Citizens are not donkeys to be cheated day in and day out by the very people they elected and appointed into public office. Public office is not for private gain but to serve and protect the public good. May God damn these corrupt officials!
The time to protest from Banjul to Koina is now!
For the Gambia Our Homeland
Comments are closed.