Sedia
S. Jatta, the National Assembly Member (NAM) for Wuli West has said that legal
mindedness is not a requirement to be an ombudsman, stating the person needs
substantial administrative or professional experience but not the legal
experience as indicated by Minority Leader Samba Jallow.
Hon.
Jallow said that Baboucar A. Suwaneh, President Adama Barrow’s nominee lacks
the legal judgment or investigative skills to be appointment the ombudsman.
Hon.
Jatta, who was speaking during an Extraordinary session on the appointment of
the ombudsman on Friday at the National Assembly Chamber said the president has
not put the cart before the horse; arguing that section 164 of the constitution
mandates the president to appoint an ombudsman in consultation with the Public
Service Commission subject to confirmation by the National Assembly, which he
has done.
Hon.
Jatta added that Standing Order 114 (2) mandates the Public Appointments
Standing Committee to consider and advice, report upon all appointments to a
public office to be by the executive, subject to confirmation of the National
Assembly and any other matter, which he said was done by the committee.
Hon.
Jatta, however, argued that issues raised by the committee are not the issues
that disqualify Baboucarr A. Suwaneh as his academic qualification vis-a-vis
experience prove that he has the substantial administrative or professional
experience.
“Ombudsman’s
office is very critical, the person running that office should not be dented
with any social weapon, the person running that office should not have woe with
anybody of obligation,” he added.
According
to him, the ombudsman’s office is powerless for the past years as it has been
existing for the sake of existing. He said this rendered the office not
performing its functions because it did not have power. “We have reports in the
parliament about former government of cases in which people were unjustly
dismissed and ombudsman reacted to their dismissal but they refused and they
are not restated.”
He
noted that the ombudsman has been recommending things and no one had ever come
to implement them. He defined the meaning of the ombudsman, saying that if one
is unjustly treated and fired, it’s the ombudsman who will make sure that you
are treated justly.
