By: Nyima Sillah
Outspoken Serrekunda West Member of Parliament West who doubles as the Chairperson of African Parliamentarians Network against Corruption (APNAC) the Gambia Chapter, has described ex-President Yahya A. J J Jammeh and current Gambian leader President Adama Barrow as 6&9 as far as corruption is concerned.
Hon Madi Ceesay, in an interview with The Voice on Thursday, described Jammeh’s 22 years of administration and six years of Barrow’s administration as 6&9 as the Gambia is the 110 least corrupt nation out of 180 countries, according to the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International
When President Adama Barrow came into power in 2017, there was renewed hope for good governance in the Gambia.
“We have had rankings higher than this and rankings lower than this. But the category that we fall under both the previous regime and this regime is all the same category. We are nowhere below 30 in all the reports I have seen on corruption. We are ranked above 100,” he said.
Commenting on the recent global corruption Index which ranked the Gambia 110, Hon Cessay said: “This indicates that the Gambia is among the most corrupt countries in the world because if you look at the number of countries in the world is 150 0r 160 so if out of 160 we are 110 it shows that we are among the most corrupt countries.”
“Corruption is sicknesses that will Inuit into the economy, already the country is not economically viable, and if corruption is on the highest level, meaning that the country will retreat in development,” he added.
However, Hon. Madi Cessay suggested that to address the issue of corruption, the government must take a lead. They should put in mechanisms and laws that will safeguard against corruption and one of the best laws needed is the Anti-corruption bill.
“I can gladly tell you that the Anti-corruption bill is currently reintroduced to the parliament now the EPAG are the ones responsible. They have done a good job on it in a fifth legislature so reintroducing it is just to brainstorm around it and finalize it,” he disclosed.
According to him, the House is in the 6th Legislature and some members were not in the 5th legislation and are better for members to be on the same page, adding that FPAG will be done with the bill as soon as possible and if it does not appear in the next sitting which is March, hopefully in the June sitting.
He argued that the Anti-corruption bill is the only thing that can correct and get hold of corruption down but without that law, the country is nowhere.
According to him, the bill will be an independent commission just like the NHRC and they will have powers of investigating, giving enough information to the police to make arrests and there will be powers that will protect whistleblowers and will hold corruption to a low level.
