By Tabora Bojang
The National Assembly public petitions committee has completed its investigations into allegations of graft at the Gambia Tourism Board, following a petition sent to the parliament by aggrieved staff in 2021.
The staff made wide ranging allegations against former senior officials of the GT Board and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture including the minister himself, in the award of contracts for the construction of ecolodges, allocations of land in the tourism development area and abuse of office among others. They, however, denied any wrongdoing.
The chairman of the committee and member for Wuli East, Suwaibou Touray, told The Standard yesterday that these allegations have been comprehensively investigated and the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the committee are expected to be presented before the plenary in the next ordinary session of the National Assembly.
As part of the parliamentary investigations, testimonies were received from the Tourism Minister Hamat Bah, former permanent secretary Codou Jabang-Senghore, former GT Board director general Abdoulie Hydara, former GT Board finance director Ousainou Senghore, current GT Board director general Abubacarr Camara, former director general of GPPA Abdoulie Tambedou, and the managing directors of Lerr Group and Construct Limited among others.
Asked what happens after the presentation of the report, Chairman Touray stated: “After we present the report, it will come with recommendations and or resolutions and then the minister responsible must come and respond to our recommendations and resolutions.”
Ironically, the minister responsible [tourism] was among officials implicated in the allegations, but according to the chairman, the “vice president may step in to respond in the absence of the minister” to avoid conflict of interest.
