By: Mariama Njie
The Gambia Civil Society organization and Trade Unions have welcomed and supported government’s decision to revive the final draft constitution through support of International IDEA and former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference organized by Civil Society Organization at Tango office, John Charles Njie, Chairman of TANGO representing Gambian Civil Society and Trade Unions said, they have with interest revived news of the government’s decision to revive the final draft constitution through a national consensus building process, three months after it failed to pass through in the National Assembly.
“Gambians have recognized that the 1997 constitution is in many ways deficient in providing a democratic and progressive dispensation because of the numerous undemocratic and self-serving amendments it was subjected to under the former regime,” he added.
He stated that “it was for this reason that most Gambians welcomed the creation of the Constitutional Review Commission in 2018 as a mechanism to enable the country draft a new constitution within a wider framework of transitional justice, a process Civil society considered as widely inclusive.”
Njie lamented that they were not only disappointed by the failure of the National Assembly to pass the final draft constitution to its third reading but also the lack of a passionate drive by the executive to defend a bill it had sponsored.
The draft bill was rejected without a substantive debate on the substantive provisions, the reject of the draft by a sizeable number of National Assembly members in only its very first reading is an indication of the absence of a political consensus among the members, he said.
“We are hopeful this would unlock the key sticking points on the top contentious issues thus brokering a common non-partisan ground in the national interest,” he added.
He explained that, the inclusion and participation of civil society as a non-partisan entity is urgent, legitimate and critical build meaningful political consensus.
He added that any new draft constitution must uphold and guarantee the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Gambian.
Also, he emphasized that, empower the national assembly as peoples’ representation which will have all the necessary oversight powers to check the executive and all other structures of the state that they adhere to the rule of law perform their functions effectively and prevent corruption.
The Gambia civil Society strongly urges President Barrow, International IDEA and Mediator Goodluck Jonathan to ensure transparency, participation, inclusion and national consensus for that their position on the process and outcome for a new constitution.