Jatta made the remarks on Tuesday at the 2026 National Assembly Outreach/Social Audit held at Bakadaji Hotel, bringing together representatives from Banjul, Kanifing Municipality and the West Coast Region, alongside lawmakers, civil society organisations, development partners and the media.
He said the Assembly’s constitutional responsibility to represent citizens cannot be effectively carried out without listening to the people.
“A Parliament that does not listen to its citizens will, sooner or later, stop speaking for them,” Jatta said.
He said the national budget is perhaps the clearest statement of a nation’s priorities, noting that the Assembly holds the constitutional power of the purse as lawmakers prepare to consider the 2027 Budget.
Jatta urged lawmakers to ask whether budget allocations reflect the real needs of communities, whether previous allocations were spent as intended and whether citizens can follow where public money goes.
“I therefore call on Honourable Members to scrutinise the estimates rigorously on Ministries and Government agencies to provide full and honest answers, and on citizens to follow the budget process closely and hold us all accountable,” he said.
The Speaker also called for the implementation of recommendations from the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee, saying findings would mean little without corrective action.
He further stressed that the Constituency Development Fund must be used transparently and responsibly, saying the resources are public funds and remain subject to scrutiny by citizens.
Jatta also highlighted recent legislative work, including the Criminal Procedure Bill and Consumer Protection Bill, which have passed Second Reading and are proceeding to Committee stage. He said the Assembly would not rush legislation at the expense of proper scrutiny and public input.
Clerk of the National Assembly, Kalipha M.M. Mbye, said the two-day outreach was intended to bring Parliament closer to citizens and give communities an opportunity to raise concerns about public services, stalled projects and the use of resources.
“A social audit is, at its heart, an exercise in mutual accountability,” Mbye said.
He urged participants to ask questions freely, share their experiences and hold the institution accountable.
The engagement followed a Pre-Budget Analysis Retreat for the media, convened by the Clerk’s Office to examine key aspects of the proposed 2027 National Budget and government’s revenue and expenditure priorities.
