The debate has started. Foroyaa is being asked to explain whether the President has power to ban people from holding public office just because of the report of a commission of inquiry. It is therefore important for the National Council for Civic Education to carry out its constitutional mandate in assisting the citizenry to know the provisions of the Constitution so that the Gambian people will continue to speak its language with clarity.
What is the status of the white paper? When should it be issued? How should it be issued? Is it conclusive?
The answers to these questions are important. Section 203 of the Constitution indicates very clearly what should be done with the report of the Commission.
First and foremost the report must be published within six months. This should be followed by a statement by the President explaining his decision regarding the recommendations in the report. This is the first point. If for the sake of security and the national interest he deems it inappropriate to publish the report he must issue a statement to that effect within six months of receipt of the report.
On Friday, 13th September 2019 the Minister of Information and the spokesperson of the government held a press conference and issued a statement entitled “The Gambia Government White Paper on the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Financial Activities of Public Bodies, Enterprises and Offices as regards their Dealings with former President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh and connected matters”.
We have been inquiring for the nine volumes of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry which is currently not available at the Gambia Printing and Publishing Corporation.
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