The government machinery, without any denying, has various components integral to its smooth functioning.
Governance will, indeed, be impossible without the human resources, required agencies and institutions of state.
Therefore, the steps taken for the creation of the Gambia Competition Commission, NHRC, Food Safety & Quality Assurance Authority (FSQA), Land Commission, among other government agencies, were not bad.
The bad thing is that tax payers’ money is being pumped into the sustenance of these agencies, which could not justify their current budgetary allocations as regards their performances.
Could FSQA justify their budget when the streets, shops and markets are awash with expired foods?
If the FSQA cannot step up to the mark to protect the population from the far-reaching and wide-ranging ramifications of consumption of expired foods, why is the tax payer still bankrolling it?
Not only expired foods but restaurants and food vendors are also threatening public health by serving unwholesome foods!
If unhealthy food cannot be recalled by FSQA, why is the tax payer still sustaining it?
Another pathetic government agency is the Gambia Competition Commission!
In an era of unhealthy competition and unethical business practices, the competition commission is expected to be vivacious!
Full of life, so to speak!
In fact, how many Gambians can boast of knowledge of the activities of the commission despite the preponderance of evidence of violations of competition rules and guidelines?
Therefore,should the tax payer continue bankrolling this under-performing agency?
The Land Commission is another failed government project.
Land-related conflict is another threat landscape that should not be trivialized!
If the land commission cannot stop the killings, arson attacks and maiming of persons over land, why is the tax payer still maintaining it?
Protection of human rights should transcend cries for justice for Jammeh’s victims.
If the NHRC decided to choose which rights to defend and which right not to, the right thing is to withdraw the tax payers’ budgetary support to the agency.
And, the international community should ponder over the issue of funding them in tax payer’s name!
To be continued…
