COALITION OF PROGRESSIVE GAMBIANS IS STILL IN CONSULTATIONS WITH THE MINISTERS FOR OUR SHORT TERM, MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TERM DEMANDS.
The reason for the postponement of the nation wide peaceful protest was to have a dialogue based on our demands put forward to the ministers involved. The venue for the engagements are scheduled at the Supreme Islamic Council building with the presence of the Peace Network and Supreme Islamic Council officials respectively. On November 15th 2022, The COPG had an engagement with the Trade minister, permanent and deputy permanent secretaries on matters pertaining to the skyrocketing price of commodities (short term demands), The reduction of tax on fuel, regulate , monitor of rent, create storage for commodities and food importation. (medium Term demands) empower agriculture for food sufficiency .
Based on our engagements, the COPG was advised to send our suggestions and recommendations to the minister for the way forward which was fulfilled and handed over 3 copies to Peace Network (1), Supreme Islamic Council (1), and the minister of Trade (1) on November, 28th 2022.
On December 9th 2022, we had another engagement with the justice minister, permanent and deputy permanent secretaries on matters pertaining to The TRRC reparations, Anti- corruption bill, The arson of the fisheries department, The drafted constitution, The $20 millions petroleum saga, The D669 millions audit report and The 70 Acute Kidney Injuries of the deceased children. It was a fruitful but tense engagements and two of our demands like the arson of the fisheries was referred to the minister of fisheries and water resources and The D669 audit report was also referred to The finance minister. All these engagements were civil, truthful and divided into short term, medium term and long term demands.
We will not allow ministers and presidential advisers to manipulate the citizens in undermining the national audit reports to discredit transparency and accountability.
The outcome of our engagement with the government based on our demands for the short, medium and long term will determine our next steps to hold our government accountable.
We will share our suggestions and recommendations with the media in our subsequent press release.
Seedy Cham (chairman)
Press Release 13th December 2022
