By Adama Makasuba
Omar Beyai, deputy leader of the Gambia Action Party (GAP), has questioned the national assembly for prolonging the setting up of the anti-corruption commission.
The national assembly has passed an anti-corruption bill pending the house’s approval to set up the commission.
“Fighting against corruption should be entrenched. The executive has done what they should do, but what is the national assembly waiting for because the bill is there? Are they all corrupted, what do they fear, let us set up the anti-corruption commission and we put very vibrant people who will fight for the best interest of the Gambian people, and until that is not done corruption will always be there? We cannot eradicate it but we can minimize it,” Omar Beyai said.
“So, I am urging the president [ Adama Barrow] though he has done his part but also the speaker and the deputy speaker let them also do their part to ensure the anti-corruption commission is set up,” he urged the authorities.
According to him, he denounced appointing politicians as state ministers and offered that they should be technocrats who will deliver in those ministries.
“The type of parliament we have in this country gives power for political appointments, but for me, I will not appoint politicians because they are politicians and I need technocrats who will deliver expertise in their area. Like if you come to agriculture, I will give it to an agriculturist who knows the nitty-gritty of agriculture. But if I give someone a position, he cannot perform which means I am compensating that person.
“And it is sabotage and for me, it is a mismatched appointment. The ministers should be technical people with highly inclined people so that the nation can progress,” he noted.