A nation in doubts

1. Governance and Public Service

A listening government is a successful government. It is often said that when people are full of doubts, they become blind to reality. It is hoped that this is not the case in our country. The President has endeavored to maintain democratic governance and has shown development aspirations for the country to move forward. However, certain fundamentals are missing in the administrative system, which harms good governance.

The recruitment, promotions, and redeployments have considerably upset effective and efficient service delivery. An IMF delegation that paid a courtesy visit to the President lamented that the administrative capacity in government is limited, affecting efficient and effective service delivery.

Government positions are created overnight from anywhere and everywhere at home and abroad in our missions. Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Managing Directors, Ambassadors, Ministers, Chiefs of Service, etc., are appointed from everywhere and anywhere at home and abroad in our missions. The pillars upon which the Administration has been built, backed by the General Orders, Financial Instructions, Public Service Regulations, Foreign Service Regulations, etc., have all collapsed.

  2.Policy Decision-Making

Despite all the policy and political advisers to the President, the Nation continues to be conflicted on many national issues. When policy decisions are not well-conceived, the outcomes will be public outcry and resentment against the government. We have seen the situations of the Judicial Bill, National Assembly Bill, FGM Bill, Draft CRC Constitution Bill, OIC management, legal suit against regional Governors, Jammeh issue in ECOWAS Parliament, removal and resignation of two Cabinet Ministers, scandals at our Diplomatic Missions, demolition exercise, financial disbursements to certain media houses and loan to Jah Oil, among others.

 3.Recommendations

As a concerned citizen who is neither a politician nor a Civil servant, I would, in my considered opinion, advise that it is both in the political interest of the President and a governance imperative for decisive executive actions to be taken on issues that constitute public outcries, anger, frustrations, and resentment against the government. These include:

- Appointing an Anti-Corruption Commission

- Addressing the high cost of living

- Improving healthcare services

- Fast-tracking the conclusion of a new constitution

- Empowering security agencies

- Reviewing the Cabinet setup

- Addressing electricity blackouts

- Improving relations between central government and local councils

- Reviewing the immigration policy

- Managing the national debt more effectively

- Reforming the Foreign Service

  4.Conclusion

We need to stop looking at state matters on the surface and focus on what pleases the President. Instead, we must be objectively professional and competent in policy guidelines. The doubtful nature of public administration must be ended so that the Nation does not remain conflicted on issues of governance.

Gambians are not happy about these doubting phases of governance. That is the reality and that is the truth.