Transparency and Accountability are key elements in any democratic state, as it promotes efficiency and effectiveness in governance.
National Assembly Members, just like any other government officials, should be held accountable for their actions and the promises they make to the electorates during campaigns or even after campaigns.
For many years, political deception has been the order of the day in the small West African Nation (Gambia), as politicians will say anything they want just to get votes from the electorates, and in the end, when they win, they hardly fulfill those promises. This had made many, especially young people not take part in the decision-making processes during elections, with the belief that the same routine of promising and not delivering will occur.
It is in this vain that National Youth Parliament The Gambia (NYP) in partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI) initiated the first interactive Parliament Watch Website, www.wahjef.org to promote parliamentary transparency by tracking campaign promises of the National Assembly Members, providing timely updates on the National Assembly and making available Bills and Acts of the National Assembly.
The initiative, which is funded by the International Republican Institute (IRI), is to ensure parliamentary transparency and accountability of the NAMs, thus providing readers the opportunity to know their constituency representatives and the activities they are doing in the National Assembly in fulfilling the needs of the people of their various constituencies.
The National Assembly is one of the most important organs of the Government, and for our democracy to thrive, accountability and transparency in the House are paramount.
The National Youth Parliament is determined to ensure that there is parliamentary transparency and accountability, through our Wahjef website and continue to strive for the promotion of good governance and democracy.
