By: Dawda Baldeh
Former Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) National Assembly Member for Niamina East, Hon. Omar Ceesay, has predicted that the final result of the ongoing commission of inquiry into the conduct of Local Government and Councils will end up in the trash bin if no opposition-led mayor or chairman is implicated.
Hon. Ceesay told The Fatu Network that the commission is meant to target the opposition United Democratic Party.
He referred to the commission as “Barrow’s Local Government Commission,” claiming it is meant to witch-hunt opposition elected officials, especially UDP mayors and chairpersons.
“NPP’s low political performance in the parliamentary and local government elections motivated the establishment of this commission with the sole objective of discrediting and undermining opposition officials,” Ceesay told The Fatu Network.
Interestingly, Ceesay asserted that trusted officials (technocrats) such as CEOs, among other officials, are involved in corruption.
“Barrow’s trusted officials such as CEOs are involved in corruption, a case in point being the CEO of Janjangbureh Area Council, whom we can cite as an example,” he narrated.
Ceesay added, “Sadly, one could conclude that the commission’s report will be buried under the carpet if none of the elected leaders of the opposition are found guilty of corruption by the commission.”
He further accused the government of wasting taxpayers’ money on establishing such politically motivated commissions.
However, Ceesay clarified that he is not a member of UDP but acknowledged what he described as unnecessary pressure from the government towards the opposition party.
“The truth must be told because it has to do with taxpayers’ money, despite me not being a member of UDP,” he concluded.
The Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of local government and councils was established in 2023 prior to the local government and councils election, and since then, it has been widely criticized, with many citing political factors that raise concerns about its credibility.
