(JollofNews) – Edward Graham, former managing director of Gambia’s Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) Tuesday broke into tears as he rigorously defended his record at the state-owned corporation.
SSHFC was established by an Act of Parliament in 1981 to provide adequate social protection for workers, facilitate social shelter delivery on a sustainable basis and invest funds of the corporation to achieve optimum returns possible and contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the Gambia.
However, investigations by the Gambia’s new government of President Adama Barrow has found that various managing directors at the corporation have colluded with the country’s former ruler Yahya Jammeh to loot millions of Dalasis from the state pension.
But appearing before a commission of inquiry that is looking into the financial dealings of former President Jammeh and his associates, Mr Graham credited his record and contributions in transforming the fortunes of the corporation.
Responding to a question by one of the commission members’ Abiosseh George, whether he had used his tenure at the corporation to follow executive directives of former President Jammeh or look after the interest of Gambian pensioners, Mr Graham said: “We build SSHFC from zero so there is no way we can fail it.”
Pausing and wiping away tears, he added: “When we started, SSHFC was nothing and the government was giving us subvention to keep us afloat. I cannot be blame for what happened at SSHFC. It is the act that gives power for directives to be followed, so it is the act that fails and it should be amended if not we will continue following directives. When it comes to directives professionalism cannot be followed.”
Mr Graham said during his tenure, SSHFC has provided vital support to various state-owned institutions and departments including the country’s water and electricity company, Nawec.
He wondered why commission has failed to show interest or recognise the role SSHFC played in proving financial support to key state institutions or how it helped to avert acute electricity blackout in all parts of the country during his tenure.
Elaborating more on how corporation came to bailout Nawec in the form of loans, Mr Graham said: “I was called to a meeting at the Office of the President by the Secretary General and Permanent Secretary during which I was if we do not come to Nawec’s aid the whole country will be blackout, which will not be good for the country’s economy.
“I told them that we are struggling financially at the moment but they can put it into writing. The loans were later given to Nawec and some repayment have been made but some are still outstanding.”
He added that after pursuing the loans through the executive without success, they decided to go solo and had an agreement with NAWEC in 2016 which was honoured prior to his removal.
Giving another example of how pensioners’ money was used to fund the building of infrastructure in the country, Mr Graham recalled that sometime in September 2012, he was asked by former Civil Service boss Njogu Bah in the presence of the American Ambassador to the Gambia to help fund improvement work at Banjul International Airport.
Bazzi Withdraws Application To Testify In Camera
Also appearomg before the commission, Muhammed Bazzi, a former associate of Former President Jammeh, informed the commission that he has withdrawn his earlier request to testify in camera through his counsel, Loubna Farage .
He said after consultation with his counsel and going through the documents, they agreed that they have got nothing to hide and that they are free to say whatever they want.
Graham is an unrepentant Yahya loyalist putting up a shameful display for the camera. He cannot erase record of incompetence and collusion at the expense and to the detriment of Gambian workers. Graham keep your crocodile tears. We know who you are and the role you played in destroying the lives of Gambian workers. This man should be in prison.
God Bless The Gambia.
Dr Sarr, the only people who appeared before the commission and admit their inadequacy or show any semblance of remorse were Nuha Touray, Mr Gibba of SSHFC/GPA and Mr Badjie former MD of the petroleum company. All the rest tried to defend the wrong things they have done.The commission should recommend that they pay for the loss revenue incurred by the Nation as a result of their incompetence and they should all be banned from holding public office or directorship in any company between a minimum of 15yrs to life. That will be the only deterrent to stop the next generation of the Saballys, Njoku Bahs, Amadou Colleys, Grahams, from rearing their ugly heads. These people are a disgrace to the Universities they attended. NJoku Bah could have suggested to Jammeh that they should put the money for the ram sale into the central bank and announce that Jammeh is giving money to various departments to give one by six to low income earners. That way Jammeh will take the credit and not loose face and SSHFC will recoup the money loaned and everyone will be a winner. That is the least one would expect from a Phd holder.
Mr Graham is one outstanding hard working man who cherishes his job and is always doing his best. Thank you Mr Graham for educating us on social security, a humble honest man you are one of a kind in gambia keep up the hard work gambia needs You!
Very hardworking man . Respects his work and family which are his top priorities . With a high level of education he chose to work for his country as one of his aim to develop The Gambia and see its progress . We all know what it was like to work for the former government , you are honest , straight foward , honest ,cleanhearted .
Well done Mr Graham .
I have no idea where all the support for Graham is coming from, perhaps to some he is a good person. However his public works record is shameful. Is there mitigation because he worked under duress for Yahya, maybe. I don’t think so. Truth is he is a greedy man with evil intent who harmed Gambian workers during his service to Jammeh. Don’t be gullible Gambians, this man is a criminal . He help to steal the life savings of poor Gambian workers. The records are there for all to see.
He probably was one of the luckiest honest, straight forward and clean hearted men who had worked for or around the Jammeh regime. Most men like him had been either brutally killed, tortured and imprisoned or forced to exile.
* “Very hard working man. Respects his work and family which are his top priorities.” It is characteristic of all the best of home economists. The latter is nothing unusual about straight forward people …. Isn’t it?
Dr. Sarr, I agree with you 100%, he is no different from any of them except that he shed few tears to defend his record when in actual fact that record in soiled by his actions as MD. The man is so out of touch with reality, its unbelievable. If he can sit there and defend that giving Jammeh Sixteen Million Dalasis of people’s pension fund to buy Rams was an investment then he is living on a parallel Universe. He would have earned my respect a little bit if he was a bit contrite because we all know that their work was not easy during Jammeh’s time. I think Gambians should try and take emotions from these issues and just concentrate on facts. Jammeh was a big sociopath and attracts people towards him in whom he recognises sociopathic tendencies. Hence the reason why a majority of them still think their behaviour was normal.
If one amongst you can see the goodness in him, then he shall enter heaven.
{ancient Hebrew scriptures}
St Peter was probably the first democrat who defended minorities.. ?
Mike,
Rather we talk of what ‘goodness in people’ implies from ancient Hebrew scriptures instead of St. Peter’s being the first democrat to protect minorities. Its not a minorities issue at all but moral, legal obligations and self integrities required of public figures. ‘Hard working and family dedicated’ persons like Mr. Graham could have been defended by a Pharaoh but whereas that was the case, the masses want to know why and how, for this is the twenty first century. It seems to me you always have a tendency of twisting the narrative of important issues … Or, did I get Mike’s literature wrong?