By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education on Thursday appeared before the National Assembly Select Committee on Monitoring the Implementation of Government Projects for a consultation Meeting on the Public Building and Facility Bill, 2022.
MoBSE was required to submit its position paper on the Public Building and Facility Bill 2022 to the committee, but they were unable to submit it due to late communication.
Speaking to the members of the Committee, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Finance, MoBSE, Jerreh Sanyang thanked the Committee for engaging them on the Bill. He reiterated that MoBSE has a very vital role as they are engaged in infrastructural developments around the country, noting that MoBSE has facilities spread across the country.
“Unfortunately, we received the communication a little bit late. It was this morning that we came together and then reviewed the document. So, we can share some of our observations, but we will produce a position paper with your permission,” he told the Committee.
Hon. Yahya Sanyang, the chairperson of the Monitoring Committee, told the officials from the ministry to take their time and go through the document. He advised them that the document is a profoundly serious process, and he does not want them to work under pressure.
Hon. Sanyang asked MoBSE whether they have exhausted their position paper. He posited that when the document is submitted, they can’t review it again.
The Ministry answered in the negative and told him that they are not comfortable presenting their position paper at this time and that they need some time to come up with a good position paper on the Bill. The officials from MoBSE said they just appeared before the committee to explain why they cannot present their position on the Bill.
MoBSE said they received the document extremely late and urged the committee to give them time to work on an acceptable position paper. During their short engagement with the committee, DPS Sanyang said they have observed that MoBSE should be part of the board of the authorities, considering their vast array of infrastructural developments and the number of physical structures they oversee across the country.
“The Board takes very critical decisions, and we think we deserve to be part of the Member of the Board,” he said.
The Ministry is expected to appear before the Committee again with its position paper on the Public Building and Facility Bill 2022.