By Lamin Njie
The National Assembly on Wednesday abandoned its plan to debate on President Adama Barrow’s State of the Nation Address.
President Barrow is bound by law to address the national assembly at least once every year.
Mr Barrow fulfilled that legal obligation last Thursday during which he spoke on the plans, policies and achievements of his government in the past year.
On Monday, members of the national assembly met to discuss the president’s speech but they became divided after a number of lawmakers invoked a section of the constitution which says the president or his vice president must be in attendance. The session was later abandoned.
The lawmakers reconvened today too to debate on the president’s speech but the meeting was again postponed.
Bakary Camara, the national assembly member for Kiang Central told The Fatu Network he heard a senior government official saying the president was not comfortable appearing before the lawmakers.
“I heard a senior government official saying allowing President to come to the national assembly, we are going to embarrass him. Embarrass him for what? Once you’ve taken the trouble to campaign and you win to be in that position you should be ready for all trouble,” Camara added.
