Members of the Public Accounts/Public Enterprise Committees of the National Assembly on Thursday expressed deep concern over relations between the Independence Stadium and Friendship Hotel (ISFH) and the Gambia for Gold.
Among the concerns raised by the members was that monies collected by Gambia for Gold, being payments for billboards at the Independence Stadium, were not paid to the Independence Stadium Management, which currently does not even know the exact amount collected by the Gambia for Gold.
In his contribution to the debate shortly after the submission of the Independence Stadium annual report and financial statement for the year 2011 to deputies, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, majority leader and member for Serrekunda East, said there are three things of concern to PAC/PEC members.
“These three things are the reports, the Gambia for Gold and Independence Stadium and Friendship Hotel situation, and the rent and the title deeds of the Independence Stadium and Friendship Hotel facilities,” he said, while questioning the state of affairs of the above mentioned.
Alagie Sillah, member for Banjul North, said there is a serious priority ranking at the Independence Stadium, and called for the monies collected by Gambia for Gold on billboards to be paid.
“The Independence Stadium is dormant; it is not operating 100 percent. So if that is the case, why is it that NAWEC bills are getting higher and higher?” he asked.
According to him, the Independence Stadium cannot continue to generate money for NAWEC because as he puts it, the Independence Stadium was not established for that.
Deputy Speaker Fatou Mbye called on the management of the Independence Stadium to make follow-ups with those that owed them money to pay their debts.
“You already have the list of your debtors who owe you; write to them because they should pay their debts, if you want to sustain your institution, and make the best use of the facilities in there,” she told the Stadium management.
Lamin Kebba Jammeh of Illiasa, Netty Baldeh of Tumana, Abdoulie Kanagi-Jawla of Sandu, Babou Gaye-Sonko nominated member, among others, all expressed their concern over the situation of the Independence Stadium.
In response to the issues regarding the Independence Stadium and the Gambia for Gold situation, Malang Jassey, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, said for the purpose of clarification, he would consult with his Ministry as to whether there was any directive between the Gambia for Gold and Independence Stadium concerning their mode of operations.
The PAC/PEC sessions continue.
