By Ramatoulie Jawo
His Excellency, the Vice President of The Gambia, Muhammed B.S. Jallow, has informed members of the National Assembly that President Adama Barrow has not considered downsizing ministries or reducing the number of presidential advisers.
Vice President Jallow made this statement during a parliamentary session while responding to a question from Hon. Yahya Sanyang, the National Assembly Member for Latrikunda Sabiji. Hon. Sanyang had inquired whether the President had explored measures to reduce the cost of governance, including the downsizing of ministerial positions and presidential advisers.
“Hon. Speaker, I want to inform this August assembly that at the moment the president has not considered the downsizing of ministries and the reduction of Presidential advisers,” he told the members.
During the proceedings, Hon. Adama Camara, the Member for Nianija, raised a point of order, questioning how certain questions bypass the Speaker’s office. Citing Standing Order 38(g), he argued that questions should not seek opinions, solutions to abstract cases, or responses to hypothetical scenarios.
However, Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta dismissed the point of order, asserting that the question was specific and within parliamentary guidelines.
“This is a specific question, no assumption the vice president is standing in for the president the question is asked, and the vice president has answered the first question now there is a supplementary question let us wait for his supplementary question and to hear whether it is in orders or not,” the speaker said.
Hon. Sanyang, in his supplementary question, emphasized the role of presidential advisers in supporting the President’s daily operations. He inquired about the frequency of the President’s meetings with his advisers and the specific contributions of the Special Presidential Adviser since his appointment.
However, Speaker Jatta ruled both supplementary questions as substantive and therefore inadmissible in the current discussion. Hon. Sanyang challenged this decision, arguing that his questions were relevant and should not be dismissed.
In response, the Speaker noted that Hon. Sanyang’s conduct was inconsistent with the National Assembly’s standing orders and advised him to familiarize himself with the rules.
Several National Assembly Members, including Hon. Omar Jammeh (Janjanbureh), Hon. Sulayman Saho (Central Badibou), and Minority Leader Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe, raised concerns over the Vice President’s response. They noted that the original question sought clarity on whether the President had considered cost-cutting measures in governance beyond ministerial downsizing and adviser reductions.
Following consultations with the Table Office, Speaker Jatta clarified that there was a discrepancy between the question submitted, and the one received by the Vice President’s office.The Table Office’s official question read” Hon. Speaker, could his excellency the vice president inform this August assembly whether the president has considered measures to cut costs of governance, including the downsizing of ministerial positions and presidential advisers?”
Recognizing this discrepancy, Speaker Jatta requested VP Jallow to respond to the broader issue of cost-cutting measures in governance.
Vice President Jallow apologized for the oversight, explaining that he had been out of the country when the question was received and had only responded to the version that reached his desk.