By Landing Ceesay
Hon. Bakary K. Badjie, the National Assembly Member for Foni Bintang Karanai, has called for the arrest of Heads of Institutions involved in mishandling public funds.
“I sincerely want to thank the FPAC Committee (Finance and Public Account Committee) for a job well done. We should start arresting the people, they should be arrested. It is time for the nation to be built, and the hope of the nation lies in our hands as the National Assembly. We can do something about it. But then what the heads of institutions are saying, the perception that they have and what is in their heads is that the National Assembly is just filled with mere talks and nothing will come out of it.
“I want everyone to know that with seriousness and with commitment even if you are related to any individual or any head of institution, if you mismanaged the public fund you must be accounted for it without compromise, without begging for relationship. Most of the time I wonder about the idea of democracy, does it mean that you can go with public fund for free and nothing comes out of it and then the West will hail you as a democratic government. This is actually what we are seeing. Look at what is happening in this government, almost 99% of the institutions are found wanting. They are not showing commitment,”Hon. Badjie told his fellow Lawmakers.
The Foni Bintang Karanai Lawmaker made these remarks in response to the report of the National Assembly Select Committee on Finance and Public Account on the 2019 Covid audit.
The FPAC report has unveiled numerous deficiencies within the financial records of public entities, encompassing ministries and various governmental institutions.
Hon. Badjie remarked that the Ministers have displayed no indication of regard for Parliament. He further emphasized that, based on their observations, the heads of these Institutions have also failed to demonstrate any respect for Parliament.
“If you mismanaged public funds, what is that telling us. You are telling us that you are draining this country, and you will continue to drain it. The hope of the nation lies in the National Assembly, whether the people know it or not. Whether they have faith in us or not. The fate of the nation lies in our hands. Now the ball is in our courts, would we let it go for free, would we rescue the Gambians, would we wipe the tears of innocent Gambian people, or we would continue to allow them to continue corrupting the system and go free? And everybody seated would be accounted for what you let go.
“We have the powers vested in us and the ball is now in our courts. From now on, the FPAC Committee let them adjust the recommendations, and let us come up with resolutions to hold them to account and start arresting them immediately and some of them should be sent home until when they are ready to pay the money that is required. In fact, even if you pay back the money, the honesty in you would have already evaporated. You are no longer honest to hold public office. Competency in any public office requires honesty, your sincerity, your passion, your patriotism, towards the nation that you have,” Hon. Badjie said.