It is evidently clear that Securiport is nothing but a criminal enterprise hatched by a bunch of unconscionable public officials in the Office of the President led by Pres. Barrow himself to satisfy their greed. It is a daylight looting of both the state and citizens and visitors of The Gambia! This project is the imagination and invention of thieves and criminals sitting at State House. They must face the full force of the law.
How do we explain this decision and action by the President himself? Here are excerpts from Malagen.
“”This project comes from State House, to be honest with you. All the discussions were held there,” said Abdoulie Jammeh, then head of the civil aviation authority.”…
In June 2018, President Adama Barrow issued an executive directive, instructing the department of immigration to sign the contract. Enter the deal!”…
“When the presidency sought legal advice from the justice ministry, the advice was clear: this was not just a bad deal, but it was also not necessary.”…” Malagen
If these statements are false, I hereby challenge Adama Barrow to refute them, or allow his comical Spin Master Ebrima Sankareh to issue one of his nonsensical press releases or host another major press conference of lies!
It is clear from this report that the President had good advice and guidance but then deliberately decided to ditch advice, law, ethics and national interest for his own diabolical selfish interest!
Therefore, if these public officials have conscience and patriotism and are professional, we should see:
1. The IGP open an investigation in Securiport right now.
2. The Attorney General open an investigation on Securiport right now.
Furthermore, the chairs of the various National Assembly select or standing committees on public finance, defense and security, public enterprises, and tourism, should individually and jointly summon the President to answer to the Securiport deal!
Above all, all citizens must occupy the entire country to protest until there is justice and accountability for this criminal act of unimaginable proportion!
Even more, we should be seeing our political parties and CSOs individually and collectively mobilizing citizens to protest.
Furthermore we should see political parties, CSOs, hotel associations and citizens challenge this outright criminality in court! The time has come to sue the President and his Government in court for abuse of power and gross misconduct of enormous proportions.
In a normal country these are what would have happened!
President Adama Barrow has taken a decision here that has effectively compromised national security, caused immense economic loss to the State and severely damaged the economy which are highly serious impeachable offenses under Section 67 of the Constitution. National Assembly Members should act! Now.
In the story Tourism minister Hamat Bah and former Justice minister Baa Tambadou were said to object to the deal but none of them resigned at the time! Until today Hamat Bah continues to shamelessly hold onto his position knowing that the President has imposed a criminal enterprise on his fellow citizens.
Here is the excerpt:
“The Securiprofit deal is controversial, leaving the government deeply divided. At least two ministers – Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou and Tourism Minister Hamat Bah – had advised against the contract, according to multiple sources in the government.” Malagen
Hamat Bah, when will you resign knowing how damaging this armed robbery is causing your sector?
Is the Vice President Alieu Badara Joof not aware of this scam? If truly Badara meant what he said in his opening speech at the recent Cabinet retreat about corruption in the system, then Badara should lead the pack in either stopping this looting right now or resign as a matter of principle. Every Cabinet minister hereby faces a non-controversial decision – to resign or be silent in the face of corruption and abuse of office. Which minister will resign? History is recoding.
This contract must stop now and Securiport should be kicked out. The Gambia cannot and does not need to outsource its security to a foreign private company. At the airport we have offices and personnel of the Immigration, GRA, military, police, and NIA. For what purpose?
The Malagen report indicated that there was already a project funded by Japan that was to equip the Immigration Department to provide modern and effective security at border points.
“Not just the Semlex contract was a hindrance. Those opposed to it also point out that about the time the Gambian authorities were working on the Securiport contract, the Immigration Department, with support from Japan through the International Organisation for Migration, had already started a similar program at the country’s land borders.
“With government investment, we could handle security upgrade at the airport,” a source at the immigration told Malagen.” Malagen
Why was this initiative abandoned? Which government on earth will refuse to invest in and build the capacity of national institutions only to pay millions to another foreign institution to do what national institutions are created to do? Apparently it is The Gambia Government led by Adama Barrow that has shown that it is willing and ready to undermine national capacity in favour of foreigners! That’s treasonous!
The blatant disregard for the law for selfish reasons, and total destruction of national interest as perpetrated by a group of public officials and aided and abetted by President for selfish interests in this illegal deal tantamount to armed robbery in broad daylight! They must face justice.
