Madi Jobarteh, leading human rights activist has called on President Adama Barrow to suspend Hamat Bah, minister of tourism and culture, senior officials Gambia Tourism Board pending the outcome of a petition hearing before national assembly select committee.
It could be recalled that in June 2020, six staff of Gambia Tourism Board submitted a petition to the national assembly petition committee to investigate allegations of corruption, nepotism, indiscriminate allocation of lands within the tourism development area, abuse of office among other allegations that were allegedly committed by Hamat N.KBah, Minister of Tourism And Culture, Kodou Jabang Senghore, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism And Culture, Abdoulie Hydara, former director general, Gambia Tourism Board and Ousainou Senghore, former director of finance, Gambia Tourism Board.
The leading rights defender made this observation on his social media platform in his reaction to the ongoing petition hearing filed by disgruntled staff of the Gambia Tourism Board
In a petition letter submitted to the National Assembly Select Committee, Foday Bah, Adama Cham, Lazar Kujabi, Ida Lowe Njie, Lamin Bojang and Shiekh Omar Bah alleged that the above names has wrongly awarded the construction of five Eco-lodges contract to Lerr Group Construction Company without following due processes and has also been interfering in the smooth running of the Gambia Tourism Board.
They also called on the National Assembly to launch an investigations into the activities of Hamat N.K. Bah, Minister of Tourism for allegedly misappropriation of funds, poor bidding process over the construction of five eco-lodges in rural Gambia, awarding of fuel allowances to the minister of tourism, fraudulent awarding of licenses and lands within the tourism development area among others.
However, the National Assembly Select Committee head by Honourable Sunkary Badjie, has started probing into the matter and has already invited one witness from the Gambia Public Procurement Agency. It has also attracted heated debates and commentaries among Gambians using the social media and one among the lot is Madi Jobarteh who is with the view that President Barrow should suspend the Minister and the three other accused. “Given that the National Assembly Petitions Committee is investigating Hamat Bah and GTBoard, the President should suspend both the minister and concerned directors pending conclusion of the investigations,” said Jobarteh wrote on his Facebook Page. He added: “Let Barrow show Leadership!”
