By Tabora Bojang
National Assembly Members last night had to put the allocation for the President’s Meet The People tour to a vote after suggestions by Hon Almamy Gibba that it should be reduced from D50million to D35million.
Gibba argued that there are more important sectors such as health among others that should have priority. However Speaker Fabakary Tombng Jatta said the tour is a constitutional mandate and as such it is as important as any other budget line. In the end 22 lawmakers voted against reducing it to D35million against 14 who wanted it reduced with one abstention.
However, the chairman of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee FPAC, Alhagie Darboe whose committee recommended the D50 million, voted to have it reduced to D35 million, a move nominated member Kebba Lang Fofna said is contradicting his role.
But Hon Darboe argued that being a member of a committee does not restrain him from voting against any proposal that he personally thinks is not ideal.
“This is not the first time I voted to reduce the president’s tour budget. I did it in previous years,” Darboe said.
Several other NAMs rebuked Hon Fofana for making such remarks against the FPAC chairman. “There is no law that says you cannot vote against a report if you are a member of that committee,” said Hon Yaya Sanyang.
As the argument intensified, the Speaker took the floor telling Hon Fofana that his observation was not a point of order but mere comments.
