By: Binta Jaiteh
The National Assembly Member for Foni Kansala, Hon. Almamy Gibba, has expressed his disappointment in the appointment gynaecologist Dr. Babanding Daffeh to serve as a member of the Victims’ Reparations Commission.
The Foni NAM vented his disappointment during a debate on the report of the Public Appointments Standing Committee of the National Assembly for the consideration and appointment of members to the Victims Reparations Commission.
According to him, Dr. Daffeh lacks the standing to serve on the reparations commission because he “violated the rights of women by stitching [vaginal stitching] them.
“I will not join others to acknowledge what is abnormal and shall not be normal, looking at the fact that issues related to abetting gender-based violence are part of what we are preaching to the victims. If the rights of those people are violated by the same person [Dr. Daffeh], you can’t expect me to approve his appointment,” maintained NAM Gibba.
He charged that Dr. Daffeh has violated the same laws that people are preaching globally and based on that, he is not fit to be a commission member to be paid from tax payers’ money.
“I disagree with his appointment. Everyone knows that Dr.Daffeh’s job is to stitch young girls. Joining him on this issue will defeat the purpose of the report,” he argued.
The Foni Kansala lawmaker also called the victim’s reparation bill biased and tribalistic.
NAM Gibba’s comments did not go down well with the deputy speaker Seedy Njie, who told NAMs to respect the rule of law, adding that people should live by what they preach.
Deputy speaker Njie told Hon. Gibba that the discussion was around the report and not the victim’s reparations.
“As members, we should stop mentioning names of people who are not present at the Assembly to defend themselves.Your behaviour is out of order and your arguments are baseless,” deputy speaker Njie contended. He admitted that it is normal to question someone’s appointment but that onecannot dig into their personal life or in fact go into their conduct in public that cannot be substantiated.
“That is totally against the Standing Orders,” argued the deputy speaker.
