By Tabora Bojang
The National Assembly yesterday confirmed the appointment of retired broadcaster Neneh Macdouall Gaye, John Charles Njie, Baboucarr Cham, Emil Touray and Ya Amie Touray as commissioners of the newly established Access to Information Commission, AIC.
Ms Gaye, also a former Minister of Information, will take up post as chairperson, with John Charles Njie as vice chairperson and the remaining three as commissioners.
Following their nomination by the government, the Minister of Information Dr Ismaila Ceesay tabled a motion for NAMs to confirm their appointments and proposed remuneration packages. The Assembly referred the proposals to the Public Appointments Committee for consideration and confirmation.
Presenting its report yesterday, the vice chairman of the parliamentary committee Alhagie Mbow said the committee, after making assessment on the suitability of the nominees to serve as commissioners, has found them suitable to be ATI commissioners.
On its recommendation for their remuneration packages, Mbow said: “The committee having reviewed and consulted relevant institutions, compared the various pay scale of commissioners across and have proposed a pay scale similar to that of the National Human Rights Commissioners as follows;
The gross salary of the chairperson is D146,500 per month. This includes a basic salary of D29,000, responsibility allowance of D50,000, professional allowance of D13,000, residential allowance of D23,000, utility allowance of D15,000, telephone allowance of D5,500, retention allowance of D11,000, domestic servant allowance D5,500 respectively.
All other commissioners will get a gross salary of D134,500. This include a basic salary of D26,000, responsibility allowance of D41,000, professional allowances of D13,000, residential allowance of D23,000, utility allowance of D15,000, telephone allowance of D5,500, retention allowance of D11,000 and domestic servant allowance of D5,500.”
