By Lamin Njie
Finance Minister Mambury Njie on Friday said nobody has the authority and right to tell him to resign from the position.
The finance minister has been sweating over a controversial supplementary appropriation bill. An initial additional estimate of 1.2 billion dalasis was last week rejected by the House only for the finance minister to go back to the House Thursday with the same bill albeit revised.
And speaking at the plenary, the National Assembly Member for Kombo South Kebba K Barrow slammed the revised bill as unconstitutional even as he called on the minister to resign.
“I think it is about time we stood and know our position as citizens of this country. This is The Gambia that we fought for and we will continue to do it. And I have said since day one… My position is very clear. At this age I’m not going to look into anybody’s eyes. And I don’t have anything to succumb to any pressure and nobody is going to convince me to support this bill. Madam speaker this is very wrong and it’s very untimely and it’s not professional and I want to urge the minister to resign because he is bringing things that is going to put people at loggerheads in this country,” the Kombo South lawmaker who is also the majority leader said.
The finance minister kicking back expressed disappointment that the lawmaker was asking him to resign.
The finance minister said: “You cannot just all of a sudden say, ‘we are all Gambians. We are patriotic and believe in this country.’ We have all done our quota and we have taken the risk. Nobody has the authority and right to come and tell you, ‘you resign’. We are Gambians. Nobody has that authority to do that. Because of what, sentiments? [I]’s wrong. I am a Gambian like any other Gambian and I have been called to serve my people and I intend to stay and serve my people. I will not resign.”
Meanwhile additional estimates of over 500 million dalasis have been approved by Gambian lawmakers after a marathon back-and-forth that began on Thursday and ended early Friday.
