By: Haddy Touray
Economist Morro Gaye has said that despite the many promises in the past months for the adoption of a new constitution before the end of 2024 by President Adama Barrow, the chance of realizing “this dream is now becoming a distant possibility”.
“The current proceedings at the National Assembly will soon come to an end and it is noted with grave concern that the proposed Constitutional Promulgation Bill 2020 is not included in this 2nd session’s agenda. However, the next ordinary session will be held in September 2024 immediately after the MP’s long holiday recess,” opined Mr. Gaye.
“It is now 4 years since the bill was rejected at the House. With time running short, it would be impossible to promulgate the new 2020 Constitution and gazette it before its second reading. It could be recalled that the bill was suspended for failing to meet the required number of votes dashing the hopes of many Gambians who wanted to have the old 1997 Constitution replaced. This existential threat to our constitutional democracy can only be solved by the enigmatic Adama Barrow,” he stated.
According to economist Gaye, it’s a national disgrace to hear ECOWAS expressing serious concerns about the long-delayed bill and reminding the president to urgently put it into force as soon as possible.
For more on Mr. Gaye’s opinion piece, please turn to page 4.
