The National Assembly Member for Lower Fulladu Gibbi West Mballow, has suggested that the president put his ministers on performance contract to promote competence, quality and timely service delivery.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the current busy session with ministers at the Assembly, Hon Mballow said such an arrangement will enable the president to get the best out of his ministers in the implementation and execution of the country’s development agenda. “This will also put ministers on their feet knowing that their stay on the job depends on efficiency,” he noted.
According to Hon Mballow, a similar arrangement should be done between ministers and directors heading institutions in their ministries, with the National Assembly playing oversight to assess the performances of the ministers and officials.
“This arrangement is known to have worked in many places,” he observed
Security
Speaking on the fight against crime and general internal security matters, Hon Mballow said though the idea may sound curious but there is need to bring back the widely feared Bulldozer police unit into operation. The unit operated during the Jammeh era. Though it was widely maligned for its high handedness, it was widely seen to be successful in the fight against crime.
“The boldness and delinquency of criminals on our beaches and streets must be tackled in more affirmative ways. So, I suggest the IGP bring back Bulldozer and strengthen the anti-crime unit too,” Hon Mballow said.
Hate speech
On the issue of hate speech, the Fulladu NAM said there is urgent need for Gambians to learn to tolerate dissent and differences and stop hate speech against each other.
Drawing from his own experience in the aftermath of the retention of the anti-FGM law which he strongly defended in the Assembly, Hon Mballow said both himself and his family have been targeted with insults and curses for being anti- religious by mainly people wanting the law to be repealed.
“I have personally experienced the cold shoulder by people I used to socialise with, receiving verbal aspersions and insults which was extended to my family by people angry with me for the leading role I played in supporting the retention of the law. I am being stigmatized by people who want to use religion in the matter. That is why I contemplated making hate speech a matter of the day agenda in the current session in the Assembly,” he said.
On how it feels to have the FGM law maintained, Mballow said he feels fulfilled that the law is maintained “but it is increasingly looking like I am lonely in getting the backlash from the opposite campaigners.”
