Sanna Jawara, National Assembly Member for Upper Fulladu West made allegations that President Adama Barrow has started paying some parliamentarians D10, 000.00 each month in envelopes.
This information was contained in the face book posting of the Upper Fulladu’s NAM earlier this Saturday 6th October 2018. According NAM Jawara’s Facebook Page posting, President Barrow has been giving lawmakers D10, 000.
Below is the full posting, which reads as follows;
It still feels an enigma to know that President Adama Barrow has started paying some parliamentarians D10, 000.00 each month in envelopes for what I don’t really want to know. It is either a true assessment of Dr. Ismaila Ceesay to argue that the President is clueless or that the President is foolhardy to strike the biggest insult on our democracy. It is insane for any President to directly give money to any legislator, period!!!
For whatever reason, there are more pertinent issues worth addressing than giving NAMs handouts. Poor Gambians are stagnant with no significant change in their lives or businesses since the uprooting of a dictatorship, faced with pitiable standards of living, dilapidated public services and prices of essential goods and services hiking everyday.
Youths, both male and female on the breadline, yearning for equal opportunities and a fair share of the National Cake.
Instead of addressing these and such similar issues amid the claims of millions of dollars in reforms etc, our attitude and approach towards fiscal and attitudinal disciplines and respect for the rule of law cannot be more closer to disgusting.
If like already the issues of the pickup trucks for NAMs, the promotion and brandishing of illicit Foundations and Movements, Unanimous Donors, Hazy Contracts awarded malevolent foreign outfits and the frivolous lavish travel costs are not enough hesitation for us to query. For the notion of National Assembly Members to physically queue up for monthly handouts is the lowest any leader can portray and make mockery of the legislative arm of his government. I wonder if the same offer is made to the Judiciary.
National Assembly Members of the 5th Legislature, how low will we bring ourselves down to. Instead of holding every Executive Public Office accountable, is this what we resort to? We are on the verge of betraying the trust and confidence of the Gambian people by sacrificing every fiber of our being.
This is a big shame and an insult on our democracy and I indeed resolutely distant and disassociate myself from anyone who promotes and condone such shameful acts. Such outbursts make you sometimes feel ashamed to be called a National Assembly Member in The Gambia.
From Hon. Sanna Jawara National Assembly member for upper Fulladu West (UDP).
NAM Jawara’s reaction
However, When contacted by The Voice Newspaper to verify the true nature of the alleged face book post, The Upper Fulladu NAM Honorable Sanna Jawara said, he cannot comment on the matter at the moment. The Voice insisted on hearing from his side of the story, but he maintained that he cannot comment on it period.