Gambia-L:
The e-mail below, as usual, came from one of my sources in the Gambia. He
was the one who revealed the Isatou "Coms" Wadda issue. So he is now
reacting to the comments made by "Cheyassin Secka" yesterday on the subject.
Ebrima Ceesay
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Hello Ebrima,
I was busy the whole of yesterday at the Kairaba Beach Hotel. So that's why
I couldn't reply Cheyassin Secka earlier on. Anyway, I really appreciate the
time that Cheyassin Secka took in responding to the Isatou "Coms" Wadda
affair.
As I said earlier, I was going to respond immediately, but due to prior
engagement, I was unable to. Now, although the smart Mr. Kebba Dampha has
touched on some of the salient points, I intend to approach SoS Cheyassin
Secka's answers from a slightly different angle.
The substance of my message to you has been conveniently side-stepped by
Cheyassin Secka. I would like you to take a close look at the chronology of
events. According to Mr. Secka, the Master of the Court, Ousman Jammeh
invited Messrs. Francis Jones, Sagnia and Matarr Jobe to value the Old Court
House premises. This was done in April 1998.
Exactly a year after, in March 1999, Mrs. Aminata Ngum, wife of Alieu Ngum,
the former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Finance, had written to
the Permanent Secretary at Finance at the time, forwarding the 3 reports
recommending the amount valued by Francis Jones. By the way, the PS at
Finance during this period was either Alieu Ngum himself or his immediate
successor, Yusupha Kah.
Now, in June 1998, almost a year prior to Finance approving the
recommendation, and barely two months after the invitation to the valuers to
value the Old Court House premises, former SoS Hawa Sisay-Sabally had
informed Cabinet of the Reports (what report? the valuator's? only after two
months?) and Cabinet endorsed the sale.
Could someone please tell me how could this be possible? I am sorry
Cheyassin Secka: this certainly could not be the sequence of events. The
proper procedure is the following: i) the evaluation report submitted to the
Major Tender Board, chaired by the PS, Finance
ii) recommend to Cabinet through a Cabinet Paper sponsored by Finance and
supported, in this instance, by the AG's Chambers and the Dept. of Works.
iii) Cabinet consideration of the proposal and decide whether to accept the
offer or reject it.
Under normal circumstances, the Cabinet should have approved the sale prior
to the process enumerated above. Well, this Government could argue that
these are abnormal times; and indeed they are.
A second point to note is that according to the learned gentleman, "Coms"
was appointed in March 1999, the same month that Mrs. Aminata Ngum submitted
her recommendation to her husband at Finance. I put it to you (excuse me for
being around your colleagues for long) that that's enough time for the young
female lawyer, who is full of zeal, to catch up on all that transpired
during the previous six-nine months.
In short, Isatou "Coms" Wadda's appointment, coming after the selection of
the three valuators, is immaterial as far as this matter is concerned. The
issue is access to and the utilisation of the proceeds after the sale. This
is very much the concern of the young lady lawyer. I said it before, and I
repeat now, that both the Offices of the President and the Department of
Finance are opposed to the use of those funds for the construction of
District Court buildings.
There aren't enough court cases in that particular part of the provinces to
warrant the magnitude of expenditure that you, Mr Secka, wish to spend.
Is that why the proceeds were lodged in a below-the-line-account as opposed
to the general revenue Account where the funds belong? Please, Cheyassin
Secka and Raymond Sock, do think again.
Unless I have to, what the clever Kebba Dampha has said about the GGC should
suffice for now. You cannot fight Alimenta. You have neither the brain power
at the Attorney General's Chambers nor the financial resources to fight it
in court.
While you dither, the farmers continue to suffer. Perhaps, the proceeds from
the sale of the Old Court House could go to settling the large sums of money
owed to our farmers.
I appreciate your attempt to respond, although it was less than candid. I
hope your colleagues will emulate you and come forward with answers to
questions posed by Gambian tax payers even if they attempt at fudging the
issues. But be warned that there are indeed smart folks around the L to spot
the sugar in the "Domada". Thanks Ebrima.
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