By Landing Colley
The National Assembly Members Tuesday approved the appointment of Mr. Yusupha Baboucarr Dibba as members of The Gambia Armed Forces Council and deferred Colonel Momodou Ndow-NJie appointment.
The motion was table by the Minister for Defense Sheikh Omar Faye on Tuesday 19th May, 2020 but was referred to the Public Appointment Standing Committee through Standing Order 114 for scrutiny and advice.
The mandate of the said Council is to advice the President on all matters of policy relating to Defense and strategy, including the role of the Armed Forces, Defense Budgeting and Finance, Administration, and any other matter which the President may refer to the Council.
The motion was changed by Minister Faye after NAMs Rejected the report of the Public Appointments Standing Committee.
At presentation of change motion Sheik Omar Faye the Defense Minister said “I bet to move this august assembly do consider and confirm the appointment of Yusupha Baboucarr Dibba as members of The Gambia Armed Forces Council while the deferred Colonel Momodou Ndow-Njie until substantial documents are provide.”
However during the debate on the report of the committee Sulayman Saho NAM for Central Baddibu said “After going through the CV of Mr Njie academically I won’t say much but professionally he has quite experience in the military.”
He noted that “according to the Constitution the people who should fill this position are expected to deliver and give advice to the president,” but looking at Momodou Njie since 1990 military detach, he was not in the system.
He added that in that case “we need somebody who is in the system that will able to add value to the administrative work not just only to appoint the person.”
The people that should be nominated should have financial background and by looking at Mr Njie CV “I don’t see any background in him about financial idea, and on that note I don’t nominate him,” he said.
According to him he is in support of Mr Dibba’s appointment and is not based on his personnel relationship with him but based on his calibre and the value he will add to this position.
However many NAMs were not in support of the appointment of Colonel Momodou Ndow-NJie as members of The Gambia Armed Forces Council due to the fact that the allegation made against him at the TRRC and lack of qualification after going through his C.V.
