Reporters were on Tuesday prevented from providing media coverage for the parliamentary inquiry in the Russian petroleum saga, which reportedly involves US$30M.
This was the third time that journalists were denied access to proceedings, relating to the saga.
Access Bank-Gambia Ltd., one of the local banks adversely mentioned in the saga, appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance and Public Accounts and Public Enterprises Committee to testify in the parliamentary inquiry into petroleum products transactions valued at36,953.641 metric tons.
The inquiry previously heard from theNational Assembly Member for Lower Saloum, Sainey Jawara, the acting Registrar of Companies, Marie Therese Gomez and journalists, who covered the meetings.
The Central Bank of The Gambiaappeared before the committee in cameraon 1 September 2024, and the committee tasked the apex bank to investigate Access Bank-Gambia Ltd. and Eco-Bank-Gambia Ltd., over accounts linked to the Russian oil sales saga. The committee demanded that they present their investigation report and on 7th October,they reappeared before the committee to present the investigations and requested again for Parliament to hold the meetingbehind closed-doors.
Meanwhile, journalists were also barred from covering the meetings of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
Yesterday, journalists were asked to exit the room as the management of Access Bank Gambia Ltd., was not comfortable with the media’s presence. The management of Access Bank verbally told the committee that they preferred the session to be held in camera due to the sensitive nature of the report.
“We want the meeting to be in camera,”said the Access Bank Gambia Limited’s management.
The bank said the issue involves third parties, who are its customers.
The committee’s co-chairperson Alhagie S. Darboe granted the request, saying: “This forms part of our discussion at the briefing stage. The management’s request is considered based on the merit attached. We have no choice but to conduct the meeting behind closed doors.”
The Director of Committees at the National Assembly, Marabi Hydara, concurred that Access Bank Gambia Limited requested for the meeting to be held in camera.