(JollofNews) – The majority leader of the Gambia’s National Assembly has defended the uncontrolled expending of millions of Gambian Dalasis by President Yahya Jammeh.
Last November barely 30 days before the country’s budget speech and to the disbelief of many Gambians, members of the ruling APRC dominated National Assembly approved a supplementary bill of over a billion Dalasis to make up for the unplanned expenditures of the Jammeh regime.
Out of the lot, over D459 million was allocated to President Yahya Jammeh’s Office while over D86 million was set aside for national celebrations.
But Fabakary Tombong Jatta, majority leader and member for Serrekunda East, said he saw nothing wrong in millions of Dalasis being allocated and spent by the President’s Office.
The former primary school teacher who has been in the house since 1997 accused opposition members of the house who have criticised the appropriation bill of hypocrisy.
“Our problem in this country is that no one especially the opposition says a word when a particular institution spends a huge amount of money but they talk when the expenditure comes from the President’s Office,” he told the independent Standard newspaper.”
“The president is the most important person in this country and every butut spent by his office is justifiable.”
While defending the role of the country’s law making body which he described as ‘independent’, democratic’, and the ‘best in Africa’, the majority leader said the National Assembly is playing a vital role in holding the executive to account.
“He added: “The reason this National Assembly is successful is because of the political will of the leadership in the country. We are so effective that even the World Bank has hailed us for what we are doing here and countries like South Africa came to understudy us. Ordinary Gambians know what we do and how relevant that is in the governance process of their country. “
