By Binta Jaiteh
Justice Minister and Attorney General yesterday (Wednesday) failed to appear before the National Assembly members as political reason, Information Minister Ebrima Sillah told the house as he stepped in for him.
Honorable Ebrima Sillah said: “a constitution is both legal and political document and its failure at the National Assembly is due to political reasons.
According to him, as a result of the draft falling to pass at the third reading stage, there is an urgent need to initiate political dialogue.
“In this regard the mediation as the most desirable option, Attorney General was given cabinet approval to re-negotiate and mediate the said draft to political actors and other stake holders. The Ministry of Justice is with believe that international IDEA being an independent institution in constitutional building processes is the best partner to accompany them in the mediation process,” he said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Mariam Jack Denton said the Ministry supposed to inform the Honorable Assembly earlier.
Honorable Sidia Jatta, member for Wuli west said in their committee (FPAC ) they are establishing rules and one of them including engagement with the National Assembly which takes precedent of everything and they cannot continue for Ministers refusing to answer their calls and there is nothing more important than Assembly sitting in this country and If they don’t take a stand it means the Assembly is useless.
He said he moved a motion and second it on (53k) as a matter of urgency that henceforth any Minister who is unable to attend a session of the Assembly to answer he or she should inform the Office of the Clerk beforehand, and that should also indicate the colleague chosen to represent him or her and deal on his behalf.
Honorable Ousman Sillah, member also asked that leading to the eventual adoption of a new draft to usher in the highly desired, Third Republic was failed to pass the second reading stage and whether is prudent to send it back so that they can find for alternatives.
However, he said is important to note that the Ministry is not creating a new draft they only mediating on the contentious issues raised by Honourable members and during the debate on the draft constitution with the aim of reaching a consensus.
“He said, the Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria is engaged as the chief mediator together with international IDEA with political parties, civil society in the mediating process. Progress has been made so far as parties have reached consensus, on all the issues except the issue of the proactivity of the current presidential act,” He stated
