By: Alieu Jallow
The National Assembly Member for Kiang West, Lamin Ceesay, during the State of the Nation debate, has challenged the Fishery Minister to provide answers regarding the ministry’s initiative of constructing twenty (20) fishing boats with fishing equipment. This initiative aims to enhance the livelihoods of the youth and women and reduce illegal migration.
“During his Excellency’s deliberation, he mentioned 20 fishing boats that were bought and initiated by the Ministry of Fishery and given to beneficiary communities. We want this to be clear. We want to know the specifications of these boats, what type of boats these are, and the beneficiary communities of these various boats. We would also like to know the amount of funds spent on the preparation and building of these boats. What is the total expenditure on these 20 boats? Additionally, we would like to know if the ministry has conducted an assessment to evaluate the impact of these fishing boats on the various communities to determine if this was a beneficial endeavor or merely an attempt to score political points,” he demanded.
The NAM, known for his critical questioning, also demanded answers regarding the 80 million dalasis Fishery Development Fund. He similarly held the Ministry of Finance accountable to provide answers about whether the said amount was audited, as well as the status of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
“Regarding the D80 million Fishery Development Fund for 2023, we want to know how it has been spent, and we request an immediate audit of this fund,” he stressed.
The outspoken NAM highlighted the issue of unaccounted foreign revenue trade, citing the black markets in West Field and Serrekunda Bambo that engage in foreign exchange business without paying taxes. This undermines the established structure and prevents the government from realizing taxes from these operators. The Kiang West NAM criticized the Ministry of Finance’s excuses for not having evidence of these foreign black market activities.
“Everybody who moves through West Field and Bambo Serrekunda knows it is a hub for the black market. If you question them about where they get those currencies, the people handling hundreds of thousands in foreign currency, where do they access them? We need to question the central government about this. We need answers from the Ministry of Finance, and we are all turning a deaf ear to this, which is damaging our economy,” he outlined.
During his State of the Nation address, President Adama Barrow outlined his government’s significant drive towards achieving national food security. He highlighted that his government will procure one hundred and eighty (180) tractors and twenty (20) rotavator boats for year-round deployment. This statement prompted Ceesay to raise pertinent questions about the procurement process, the stages of procurement, the condition and supplier of these tractors, and whether they will be delivered to the various farmers as promised.
