The presidency said the report compiled by the investigators on the fertilizer scandal at the agriculture ministry is before the attorney general for advice.
The director of press and public relations at the State House has told journalists on Wednesday that President Adama Barrow has sent a file on allege involvement of top agriculture officials in the selling of expired government fertiliser without following due process to the office of the attorney general for advice.
Amie Bojang said the report is currently being reviewed at the justice ministry though it is not clear if any action will be taken.
Minister Omar Jallow and some top officials of his ministry have contracted a private businessperson to disposed spoilt fertilizer in the custody of the state without following due procedure.
The businessman who sells mainly maize and corn was contracted by the agriculture ministry on the authority of minister Jallow to dispose the spoilt fertilizer.
Though the ministry told the businessman, Omar Dibba, not to sell it in Gambia but he broke that promise and sold it to a Mauritanian national Sheikh Faal in the country.
And thousands of bags of the same fertilizer was also transported to Senegal despite warning from the National Environmental Agency that it could harm people and crops.
And intelligent officers who investigated the issue has found out that Minister Jallow acted in “bad faith”, contracted the disposal of the fertilizer for “financial reasons” and recommended for his file to be sent to the justice ministry for advice.
For over 7 months, nothing was done by the president but today the director of press told journalists that the findings of the investigators have been sent to the justice ministry for advice.
However, Bojang has fallen short in explaining if the presidency has acted only after the story has been exposed by Kerr Fatou or since 7 months ago when the presidency was aware of the incident.
“The information we have up to yesterday is that the ministry of justice is still reviewing the report that was submitted to them,” Bojang said.
When asked if she meant the report is being reviewed since over 7 months ago, Bojang answered “I am not sure about that (but) you can follow up with them (AG chambers) to find out why and how long” the file has been with them.
Kerr Fatou could not reach officials at the AG chambers for comment as to when they have received the file.
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