Rejection of the National Assembly Members Salaries and Pensions Bill, Rejection of the Judicial Officers Remuneration and Other Entitlements Bill, Fair Compensation for all Public Servants, Equitable Allocation of National Resources, Accountability for National Assembly Members, Promotion of Social Justice, Engagement of Electorates Before Passing Critical Bills and Introduction of a New Pay Scale for Civil Servants are part of the eight demands they put forward.
“We continue to closely monitor legislative developments pertaining to the Judicial Officers Bill and the National Assembly Salaries and Pensions Bill and we remain steadfast in our position. Should these bills advance despite our advocacy efforts, we are prepared to escalate our actions through a nationwide protest,” Lamin Manneh, an executive member of the pressure group said.
At a press conference held yesterday, Manneh added: “Our commitment to achieving our demands is resolute, and we remain unwavering in our pursuit of justice.”
On the next step, Manneh said: “We will persist in our efforts to engage and inform constituents about the critical issues at stake. Our established platforms across the country will remain operational, facilitating ongoing dialogue and mobilisation. We urge all citizens to remain vigilant and well-informed.”
“We are prepared to organise a nationwide protest. We emphasise that our demonstrations will remain peaceful and lawful. Our commitment to justice and equality will guide our actions, and we will not resort to violence.”
He urged the Executive, Judiciary and the National Assembly to listen to the voice of the people, adding: “These issues are of paramount importance to the well-being and future of our nation.”
“We call on you to act in the best interests of all Gambians and to address our concerns with the seriousness they deserve. To the public, we ask you to remain vigilant, united, and proactive. Your participation and support are crucial in this fight for justice and equality.”
“We encourage you to continue engaging with your representatives and to be ready to join future protests when they don’t address our demands. Together, we can create the change we seek,” he stated.
“Despite our concerted efforts and constructive engagement, we were unable to reach a consensus. This outcome, while disappointing, was not entirely unforeseen given the nature of our demands and the entrenched resistance we have encountered.”
“In response to this impasse, we have adopted a proactive strategy to amplify our message across the nation. We have established platforms within each constituency to engage and educate the public on the pertinent issues.”
“We encourage all citizens to actively communicate their concerns to their respective Members of Parliament.”
Commenting on the issue of the Judicial Officers Remuneration and National Assembly Members Salaries and Pensions bills, he said: “Through our collective efforts, these two bills were supposed to be addressed in the National Assembly before the recess, but they have been withdrawn due to the concerns raised by protesters on the 8th of July 2024.”
“Notwithstanding, we want the National Assembly to publicly announce the withdrawal of these bills for the benefit of record and accountability in the future.”
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