I refused to buy into the notion that a rogue Belgian entity widely discredited in international circles has entered into agreements with the government of the Gambia in printing her new passports and all such national identity documentations. Athough the rumour mill doing the rounds on social media has in fact come to be true, ordinary folks are at a loss as to why and on what terms such a deal hinges on. For the record, this ill-advised deal was crafted in the dying days of the Jammeh regime; not the current administration. And due to the sensitive nature of national security matters attached in holding large volumes of citizens data, I am extremely concerned that the country’s soul has been sold to a foreign agent. The Gambian people have every right to feel betrayed and to be outraged at the mechanics of this secret collusion which has clearly mortgaged our future to the unknown.
On June 16, 2016 SEMLEX rushed with the announcement that it has entered into agreement with the government of the Gambia to print her national ID card, driving licences, resident permit, car registration certificate, visa and border management systems. The company then pursued using the “Good-Gambia-image” for marketing purposes luring-in other unsuspecting African nations to sign up. Based on empirical records in how the company descend upon unstable African leaders bearing gifts, one can state with near-certainty that naked corruption was at play here. Although in a state of flux, the constitution reign supreme with clearly defined powers and role for everyone in nation building. It further gives Parliament a say and to ratify such agreements before being operational (section 79). This was not the case here given APRC stranglehold of the ‘LawHouse’ at the time. For decades, clueless African leaders continue to be caught up in controversy against the grain. In Gambia’s case, it will be an insult to the memory and legacy of those hard-fought men and women of the ”Struggle” who died for a cause; a noble cause indeed, that ‘never again’ shall tyranny & abuse of political office be tolerated in our dispensation. I therefore call on Parliament to exercise its oversight reach and to conduct investigations in earnest.
SEMLEX is causing havoc in every country it operates, and is facing charges of bribery and corruption at the European Court. This begs the question why did the Interior ministry not conduct research on the firm before entering into any such agreement plundering the nations wealth abroad. National security risk is at stake here which makes it the more dangerous. How can such a discredited and untrustworthy foreign entity be given monopoly over all facets of the country’s national identification. Can you imagine Britain or the US or perhaps even Senegal outsourcing its passport manufacture to a Gambian company? The practice further reeks of incompetence, and I fear foul-play in the long run preempting injury to the state.
Research has uncovered a troubling trail of Africa’s dictatorial regimes cozied up to this tainted firm. From D.R CONGO, MOZAMBIQUE, SOUTH SUDAN, Guinea Bissau to Jammeh’s Gambia – you shall not find any respectable democratic State hiring SEMLEX. How ironic, yet very strange indeed. The Gambian people have every right to be outraged and to question this linkage, and what the Barrow government is going to do about it. The government has the power to review the terms and conditions of the said contract and to nullify on grounds of illegality for not following the proper parliamentary checks and protocol. The procurement procedure was flawed too in terms of bidding which had marginalised domestic competitors. Folks on every account this deal is found wanting, begging for scrutiny. And precisely why the interior ministry and the presidency must come out explain itself – reassuring the wider citizenry in the process.
Gibril Saine, LONDON.
