#Headlines

FTJ says partisan politics among parliament’s challenges

Apr 21, 2022, 2:39 PM | Article By: Pa Modou Cham 

Fabakary Tombong Jatta (FTJ), a one-time National Assembly majority leader during the former regime has revealed in an interview that one of the biggest challenges in the National Assembly is partisan politics that compromise the supreme interest of the nation.

 

The veteran parliamentary member bounced back as the new speaker of the house after his nomination by President Adama Barrow and backed by the newly elected parliamentarians. 

The politician,; who is the current leader of the Alliance of Patriotic Reconciliation and Construction (APRC), was a key influence in President Barrow’s reelection to serve another term in office. 

Speaking in an interview with journalist Omar Wally after his election as the speaker of the house, he assured to be a watchdog that public funds are well spent, and people are accountable for their performance and responsibilities properly. He assured Gambians that his leadership at the national assembly will be dictated by their supreme interest of the people.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is that there is a lot of partisan politics in the National Assembly to the extent that we compromise the supreme interest of the people. My first task is to help and shape the mindset of the National Assembly members so that The Gambia is the center stage for all that we do,” FTJ, as he is known said. 

He called on members of parliament to untie their political affiliation to reflect on their decision, adding that the trend of wishing the government to fail in Africa is not progressive.   

“As an oversight institution, we must help the government in its progressive programmes which are for the good of the people to succeed. Equally, we should not lose sight that our overall function in terms of government expenditures and operations are not compromised.”