The executive members of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) appeared before the Public Petition Committee of the National Assembly on Thursday to push for investigations into audit reports, land allocation irregularities, and the long-stalled Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) missing millions scandal.
The GALA delegation, comprising National Coordinator Hakeem Touray, Omar Sanyang, Kaddy Jadama, Media and Communication Officer Kexx Sanneh, Al-Amin Lyed Drame, and Abdoulie T. Bah, was summoned via a letter from the Clerk of the National Assembly. They convened in Committee Room 2 with Chairperson Hon. Suwaibou Touray, Vice Chairperson Hon. Fatoumatta Jawara, Member Amadou Camara, and Clerk Modou Bah.
Following introductions, Hon. Touray announced that only the audit reports issue had been approved for immediate committee scrutiny. The land allocation and GPA missing millions petitions were rejected at this stage, as GALA had not first exhausted engagements with relevant authorities. “The Public Petition Committee must be the last resort,” Hon. Touray stressed, urging the group to seek answers from pertinent bodies before escalating to the oversight institution.
On the GPA scandal, Sanneh highlighted GALA’s findings: police investigations concluded months ago, with a report forwarded to the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers for legal opinion, yet no government action followed. Hon. Touray countered with an update: the initial police report was returned for further probes; upon resubmission, it now awaits AG advice.
GALA’s National Coordinator pressed for committee follow-up on the petition. Vice Chairperson Jawara clarified that the Clerk’s office handles initial reviews, with the committee investigating only matters that the Clerk has approved.
Shifting to audits, Hon. Touray sought specifics. Sanneh prioritized the COVID-19 funds audit report but emphasized broader accountability for all reports exposing public resource misuse. The committee requested targeted documents, which GALA pledged to supply.
The meeting ended collaboratively. GALA agreed to formally write to the Ministries of Lands and Justice for responses on land allocation and GPA issues. Unsuccessful engagements would prompt a revised petition to the Clerk for a full committee inquiry.
This development underscores GALA’s anti-corruption drive while highlighting procedural hurdles in parliamentary oversight. As audits progress, the outcome could establish precedents for public accountability in The Gambia.
