#Headlines

Parliamentary business  commences as Seedy Njie heads Defence Committee

Apr 26, 2022, 11:31 AM | Article By: Ismaila Sonko

Deputies of the Sixth Legislature of The Gambia on Monday 25 April started business of the Second Ordinary Session of the 2022 Legislative Year.

 

The meeting also witnessed the nomination of Seedy Njie as chairman of Defence and Security Committee of the National Assembly.

During the session, legislators sparred on various issues including the selection of committee members, as Banjul South lawmaker Fatoumatta Njai urged colleagues to work with conscience for the best interest of the country.

Hon. Njai’s remarks came while debating on the selection committee reports on selection of members for various committees at the parliament for the sixth legislature.

The Banjul South lawmaker argued there are committees in the six legislatures that do not have a female representation.

Hon. Njai therefore suggested that the report be sent back to the majority leader and his selection committee for proper scrutiny.

Sulayman Saho, National Assembly Member for Central Badibou, argued certain committee members from the previous parliament should be retained in their committees taking into account the vast experience they have gathered to maintain the momentum. 

He raised an eye brow over Hon. Seedy Njie’s nomination as chairman of the Defence and Security Committee, saying a candidate with defense and security background could have handled the position better.

“We can all agree that this is about nation building. If we are here with honesty and with nothing to do with compensation, then we should work together as a parliamentarian and move the nation higher,” he said.

The Central Badibou lawmaker said the committee is not going to be idle as deputy speaker Njie would be a very busy man at parliament.

He therefore suggested for someone who will invest his energy, time, skills and ideas to the committee to be considered for the position to ensure we have better security sector reforms in the country.

 “Everyone knows that the country’s security is fragile.”

He called on his fellow lawmakers nominated as chairperson of local and international committees to give a chance to others if they know that they cannot deliver to the fullest.

Read Other Articles In Headlines
Mr Saine
Pap Saine wins Africa’s most respected CEOs award
Jun 4, 2021, 12:31 PM

The co-proprietor of The Point Newspaper in The Gambia, Pap Saine has won the 2021 Africa’s Most Respected Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) award in the media-print category by The African Industry CEO Awards.

WB approves US$30m for Gambia to advance reforms in electricity, telecom sectors
May 18, 2020, 1:27 PM

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2020—The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a $30 million development policy grant to support The Gambia’s efforts to improve debt and public investment management, improve financial viability and service delivery in the energy and telecom sectors, and enhance the transparency and governance framework of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

President BIo
President Bio vows to avenge
Aug 16, 2022, 11:40 AM

As Sierra Leone gradually returns to normalcy after the August 10 violent demonstration that claimed many lives and properties, the president of the nation has vowed to punish all those suspected to have been behind the protest.

Gordon Jonathan Lewis
UNICEF observes Day of African Child with focus to end FGM in Gambia
Jun 16, 2022, 11:16 AM

Press release

Banjul, 16 June 2022 –This 16th June, we once again observe the Day of the African Child, but this time with a focus on assessing progress on policies to eliminate two of the worst harmful traditional practices, FGM and child marriage, compounded by underlying violence against children. In The Gambia, more than half of girls aged 0-14 years have undergone some form of female genital mutilation, whilst more than one in four girls is married before her 18th birthday.