By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
In the ongoing constitutional review process, more and more Gambians are calling for limited powers to be vested in the hands of the President of the Republic.
The Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), established under the Constitutional Review Commission Act of 13 December 2017, was assented to by the president on 13 January 2018.
The Commission has been set up to draft a new Constitution that truly reflects the aspirations of the people of The Gambia.
The 1997 constitution vested the powers of appointing the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission and its seven Commissioners in the hands of the President. However, as the national consultation for a New Constitution comes to climax, many Gambians are reechoing and contesting that such powers should be entrusted in the hands of the Head of State.
“For me, I don’t think the president should be given the mandate to appoint the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission and its Commissioners. These powers should be given to the Judicial Service Commission which I think is independent enough to handle such a responsibility,” said Councillor Ousman Bah of Giboro ward in Kombo East District of West Coast Region.
Arguing his points before CRC Vice Chairperson Awa Sisay Sabally, Bah said that otherwise the impartiality of the commission will remains in the shadows, revealing that such powers can be abused by the President in the event where such appointees failed to heed to his dictates.
The Gambian President is responsible for appointing the Governor of Central Bank and its Board of Governors, which gave ex-president Yahya Jammeh carte blanche to clandestinely withdraw millions of dalasi from state coffers during his 22 years of authoritarian rule.
“For me, what I want to see in the New Constitution is for the President to stop appointing people to our important and trustworthy offices, because if the President continues to appoint such people, he will continue to sack them at his will especially if they don’t dance to his tunes,” said octogenarian Ebou Jagne.
According to Mr. Jagne, it would be very dangerous to leave the powers of appointing the Governor of Central Bank and its Board members with the President.
“The embezzlement of millions of dalasi by Yahya Jammeh through the aid of the former Governor of Central Bank is a clear testimony that this power of appointing the Central Bank Governor and its Board of Governors cannot be entrusted in the hands of the President,” Jagne emphasised.