By Lamin Njie
Halifa Sallah warned today a state of public emergency is meaningless if it is not backed by regulations, as uncertainty grips the nation following the rejection Saturday by the national assembly of the government’s request for a 45 days extension.
President Barrow is allowed by law to proceed and declare a state of emergency without the approval of the national assembly.
National Assembly member for Serrekunda Halifa Sallah is however warning against the idea.
He told reporters in Banjul today: “It must be clear that it is the executive, under Section 34, that has power to declare state of emergency. The national assembly does not have those powers.
“The powers that the national assembly has is to ensure seven days, when we are sitting, they must come to us for us to extend it – otherwise it lapses. If we are not sitting for 21 days, we must convene to extend it, otherwise it lapses.
“But the most important part is a state of emergency is meaning if there are no regulations to accompany it and that’s where the authority of the national assembly matters. Because the national assembly should monitor those regulations.
“The national assembly has the power to revoke those regulations. Those regulations must be affirmed by the national assembly. So if we’re not sitting, they would not be affirmed.”
