 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Mar 2012 : 12:49:46
|
Daily News Editorial: Will President Jammeh Lead By Example on the Fight Against Corruption?
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
 Revealing and disheartening indeed are the report findings of the six-member Commission of Inquiry into Fertilizer Procurement and Distribution in The Gambia.
Without necessarily passing any judgement here, it is quite shocking how our poor farmers have been robbed in broad daylight allegedly by the very people who are receiving monthly salaries through the taxes of the poor subsistence farmers pay, to enhance their living conditions.
The Commission, it could be recalled was set up in September 2011 by The Gambia government with a mandate to investigate generally the procedure for procurement and distribution of fertilizers in The Gambia.
It has been mandated further to investigate all contracts for the procurement and distribution of fertilizers in The Gambia for the period 2009 to date, and in particular, identify companies and individuals awarded contracts for the procurement and distribution of fertilizers for the period under reference; investigate whether due process was adhered to in the procurement and distribution of fertilizers in The Gambia in the period under reference; and investigate and ascertain the level and scope of performance or breach of any contract for procurement and distribution of fertilizers awarded in the period under reference, amongst a host of others.
Investigations have been conducted, hearings done and the commission, after five months of its establishment, presented its findings amid shocking revelations about corrupt and other malpractices which surrounded the procurement and distribution of fertilizer for the 2009-2010 farming season, at the agriculture ministry.
The Commission, for instance, established that the procurement of the 2009 Fertilizer from Indonesia was financed with funds from the KR account with the Central Bank of The Gambia. It was found that neither the quality nor the quantity of the 2009 fertilizer corresponded with the contract specifications. Over 70 percent of the fertilizers supplied did not correspond to the required label and turned out to be agronomically ineffective.
Worst still, the Commission confirmed that the supply of this agronomically ineffective fertilizer was a serious sabotage on government’s drive towards food self-sufficiency.
This is a serious blow to a government that had to use force to climb to power with a view to rid the country of ‘rampant corruption’ and related malpractices which it claimed characterised the ousted government.
Moreover, according to Daily Observer newspaper, former permanent secretary of agriculture and four others indicted by the Commission have already been arrested. But there is a point of observation here.
The question is how about the rest? For the commission’s report states that: “From the top to the bottom, the staff at the Ministry were complacent and negligent in the discharge of their duties.”
Apparently, none other than President Jammeh himself was at that material time doubling as minister of agriculture. And of course the highest position in a ministry is that of the minister. Is Jammeh, too, found to be complacent and negligent?
Furthermore, President Jammeh claimed that he is a leader that leads by example. In his call for back to the land, he tills the soil so that the rest of the country would be inspired to go back to the land. However, he has never appeared before any of the many corruption and related commissions of inquiry.
Now that the anti-commission is in the offing, will he, this time round, take the bull by the horn and lead by example on the fight against corruption? Since Jammeh claims to be a revolutionary, revolutionaries like Thomas Sankara of Burkina has set up an anti corruption commissions and was the first to appear. Among the current crop of African leaders, Earnest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone has set up an anti-corruption commission and was the first to appear before it. These are leadership by example.
We know that corruption exists in Gambia government and we also recognised government’s continues efforts to combating it as manifested in the enactment and strengthening of legal and policy measures. We know that The Gambia has signed and ratified the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and Related Offences, but has ratified neither the UN Convention Against Corruption nor the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.
Source: The Daily News
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
|
Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2012 : 12:55:30
|
Fertiliser Commission reports corruption in govt.
By Lamin B. Darboe
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
President Yahya Jammeh has instructed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to work on the terms of reference for setting up the Permanent Anti-Corruption Commission in earnest, after the report of the Fertiliser Commission highlighted serious administrative malpractices and corruption at the Ministry of Agriculture in Banjul. Read more... |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
 |
|
|
kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2012 : 22:38:45
|
DAILY OBSERVER NATIONAL NEWS AND EDITORIAL;
RELATED BANTABA TOPICS;
|
Edited by - kobo on 22 Mar 2012 22:42:54 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
© 2005-2024 Nijii |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
