By Hadram Hydara
Hon. Madi Ceesay, United Democratic Party (UDP) National Assembly Member (NAM) for Serrekunda West Constituency has said he has no “qualms” about the reported D1,000,000 vehicle loan that is set to be given to NAMs saying “loans are loans.”
The parliamentarian was reacting to the discontentment of some citizens regarding the one million Dalasis (D1,000,000) vehicle loan of which, fifty per cent is said to be paid by the Assembly and the other half from the salaries of the NAMs over their tenure in office.
He urged people to look beyond the National Assembly and compare it with other public institutions.
“Let’s take ministers for example who are almost serving in a similar capacity as the National Assembly. They are given an official vehicle at the cost of the State and their fuel, drivers, and maintenance are all taken care of by the government. As long as they remain ministers, they keep using those vehicles and at a certain point, they are giving other utility vehicles which the State also takes care of. But if people think it is okay for ministers to have official vehicles and everything is taken care of by the government, but a member of parliament cannot take a vehicle as a loan that he would be responsible for the fuel, maintenance and everything at his personal cost, then that is their opinion but I would beg to differ.”
He went further to shift his attention to the fleet of cars at the disposal of the President and how that costs the State.
“Let’s come to the President’s level. How many fleets of government vehicles are at the disposal of the President? The State takes care of the President’s drivers, maintenance and fuel. But you are saying a NAM should not take a vehicle on loan. Again, its people’s opinion and I have no problem with that but for me, I am fine with taking a vehicle on a loan that I am going to pay half and bear all the expenditure. I am helping the government,” he explained.
