National Assembly Ratifies U.S.$29 Million Loan Agreements

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

Lamin Sanyang

17 June 2011

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr. Mambury Njie, on Tuesday 14th June, presented to the National Assembly four project proposals and loan agreements between the Government of The Gambia and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) UA 4,897,607, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) US $ 7000000, the OPEC Fund for International Development US$ 5 000000, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development 36, 730,000 Emirates Dirham and a IDF Grant of US$495000 amounting to a total of US$29 million. Subsequently, all these documents that the Finance Minister presented to the National Assembly were ratified by deputies on behalf of the people of the Gambia.

The Finance Minister first presented the IDF Grant of US$495000 dollars for Civil Service Reform Project before the NAMs. The motion was moved by the Majority Leader and National Assembly Member for Serrekunda East, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, and was seconded by Hon. Momodou Selou Bah, the NAM for Basse. Subsequently, the motion was adopted by the Assembly.

The National Assembly Member for Basse told the Assembly that they are very concerned about the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) for taking the responsibility of the project. He expressed confidence that the Ministry of Finance would do its best to ensure that the loan would be properly taken care of because it deals with the life of the people of this country.

He said the Personnel Management Office (PMO) should be informed on the project about the number of staff and their qualifications as acceptable to the World Bank. He urged the Ministry of Finance to make a head count every year to ensure that the ghost names in the pension list are done away. He advised the NAMs to go through the documents to know how grants are given by the World Bank and what is expected from the grant.

“We should ensure that all the project money is well spent for what they are taken,” said Hon. Bah.

The Minority Leader and NAM for Kiang West, Hon. Momodou Sanneh, said the Civil Service Reform grant was timely. He said they were all yearning for the Civil Service to reform to make sure people go home with something. He said the loan should be properly managed. He said the SSHFC is facing lot of problems and that giving it additional responsibility is a concern. He emphasized the need for a monitoring system to check the projects.

“The National Assembly select committee should be properly financed so that at the end of every month they would monitor all government projects in the country,” said Hon. Sanneh.

The Wuli West NAM, Hon. Sidia Jatta, emphasized the need for planning not only financial but human management as well. He said there is a need for an amendment Act for the Bureau of Statistic to work efficiently. He said the Bureau would have to be seriously engaged in what they are doing.

“How many students are leaving grade twelve annually? How many are going to the University? How many are leaving the Gambia College? How many are leaving MDI? How many are leaving GTTI? We should know the number of students in the University and the domains. We should know all these things. This is what I called management,” said Hon. Jatta.

The next Motion presented to the Assembly was the OPEC Fund for International Development loan of US$ 5 million and The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) loan of US$ 7 million both for the University of The Gambia Project. The motion was moved by the National Assembly Member for Serrekunda West, Hon. Sulayman Joof, and was seconded by Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, NAM for Serrekunda East and Majority leader. The motion was subsequently adopted by the Assembly.

Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, in supporting the motion said the biggest success story in the history of this country is the University of The Gambia. He said some of them did not have university education then because they lacked the means. He said this country cannot be build without developing the human capital. He said he have no squab to look for grants in all forms to make sure an efficient university is build in this country.

The Member for Kiang West and Minority Leader, Hon. Momodou Sanneh, said it is a need for any country to have a university. He said the grant is a step in the right direction. He said it is not a problem for the country to take a loan for a particular project but the management is important. He said the payment of the loan should be 2030 which is a long gap.

“Let us understand that the loan is taken in the name of the Gambian people and should not be use for other purpose. It should be known the loans are not for any individual but for the people of this country. We are ratifying the loans in the name of the people of The Gambia because we are representing them but we should be careful,” said Hon. Sanneh.

The Finance Minister then presented the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) loan of US$ 495, 000 for the partial financing of the reconstruction and upgrading of the Mandinaba-Soma road. The motion was moved by Hon. Netty Baldeh, the NAM for Tumana. He said the road at that part of the country has so many problems. He said he hope it would be completed at the targeted date. He said they should go for quality and added that the quality of the road cannot be determined by the contractor but the one who designed it. He pointed out that the supervisor should be held to account if the contractor did not do a good job.

The NAM for Basse, Hon. Bah, said they did not mind what people say that they are rubber stamps but they are rubber stamps with a difference. He said they are taking decisions in the interest of the nation.

“Never mind what people say that we are rubber stamps but we are rubber stamps with a difference,” he said.

He talked about the need to work on drainage system to prevent disasters in the rainy season. He said the road maintenance should be given top priority. He said the Mandinaba-Soma was a classic road but lack of maintenance has completely spoiled the road.

The Member for King West and Minority Leader, Hon. Momodou Sanneh, said the Mandinaba-Soma road project is a step in the right direction. He said this road is a concern for every citizen of this country. He said the National Road authority (NRA) should be properly funded and capacities. He said there are so many able Gambians who can do the job better like the other consultants and should be encouraged.

“I did not object to the loan and I think the same problems will not happen again,” he said.

The Wuli West NAM, Hon. Sidia Jatta, said the country has people who are good engineers and should be used. He said independence does not only mean having a black president and flying flags on the car bonnet. He said independence means to be doing things for ourselves with our resources and become masters of our own destiny.

“It seems some people are happy of taking so many loans but these loans are to be paid with interest,” he remarked.

He said the loans they are taking are not good for the economy of the country. He said the River Gambia is full of resources that can be use to create development and employment for the country. He said the country can do away with loans when the resources are properly invested.

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