The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice has submitted letters of request for information six public institutions in line with the Access to Information Act 2021.
A statement available on Monday, said the institutions are namely; Office of the President, Ministry of Lands, Regional Governments and Religious Affairs, Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources, Gambia Tourism Board, Gambia Ports Authority and State-Owned Enterprises Commission
The statement the letters submitted individually to these institutions seek the following information as a matter of citizens right to know:
1. The official source of the 57 pickup trucks donated to the National Assembly Members by the President of the Republic in 2017.
2. The performance contract signed by the President and the following state-owned enterprises in 2023:
a. The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA),
b. The Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and
c. Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC)
3. The original proposal of the Minister of Lands and Regional Governments, Religious Affairs submitted to the Cabinet Meeting of 19 September 2024 on the de-reserving of parts of Abuko Nature Reserve.
4. The full report of the multi-sectoral taskforce, which was formed by the Ministry Lands, Regional Governments and Religious Affairs and submitted its report in June 2023 to review the allocation of demarcated plots of land at the Kamalo industry layout.
5. SOE Commission Report on Nawec.
6. Full Report of the fire incident at the Ministry of Fisheries in 2019
7. Revenue collected by GTBoard from January 2017 to December 2023, according to,
a. Source of revenue collected
b. Annual total collection
8. Signed Concession Agreement between the Gambia Ports Authority and Albayrak Group of Turkey for the expansion of Banjul Port and the development of a new deep seaport in Sanyang.
These requests are made in accordance with Section 6(1) and Section 11 which require public institutions to manage its information to facilitate access to information, and that citizens have a right to access information from a public body, respectively. We have also submitted copies of these request letters to the Information Commission.
EF Small Centre is committed to transparency and accountability of public institutions as a means to ensure adherence to the rule of law, efficient delivery of public services, protection of public interests, and to prevent abuse of office and corruption.
These request letters to these six institutions are the first batch in our quest to ensure that citizens have access to public information. We urge all citizens and entities to utilize all accountability mechanisms in the country to strengthen democracy and good governance, hence guarantee sustainable development.
