The National Assembly on Thursday convened a press briefing to provide an overview of the agenda and procedural roadmap for the Third and Fourth Ordinary Sessions of the 2026 Legislative Year.
The briefing, presided over by the Speaker, was attended by Deputy Clerk Administration and Finance, Majority, and Minority Leaders of the House who outlined the legislative agenda and planned activities for the joint sessions scheduled to run from Monday, 7th September to Thursday, 29th October 2026.
Delivering an overview of the agenda, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, said the sessions would focus on three core areas of parliamentary responsibility: rigorous parliamentary oversight, the continuation of legal reforms, and scrutiny of the 2027 National Budget.
He noted that the sessions would feature work on the final stages of consideration of several Bills, including the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Bill, 2026; the Competition and Consumer Protection Bill, 2025; and the Intellectual Property Bill, 2025, alongside legislative measures aimed at strengthening key sectors of the economy and governance framework.
“A major highlight of these sessions will be the presentation, scrutiny, and approval of the national budget.”
The Speaker disclosed that on Friday, 25th September 2026, the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs is scheduled to lay before the Assembly the 2027 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, marking the commencement of the Assembly’s consideration of the national budget for the next fiscal year.
The Assembly will also consider motions for the ratification of international agreements, including instruments relating to the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) and the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, aimed at strengthening The Gambia’s legal and international cooperation frameworks.
For his part, the Deputy Clerk of Finance and Administration, Buba M. E. Jatta, highlighted that the sessions will commence with an Oral Ministerial Statement by the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs on the Implementation and Monitoring of the Annual Budget, providing Members with an update on fiscal performance and budget implementation.
He reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to transparency, procedural integrity and the rule of law. “As we did during the First Ordinary Session, the Office of the Clerk will ensure that official documents, Order Papers, Committee reports, and procedural clarifications are made available to the press in a timely and structured manner,” he said.
The briefing forms part of the National Assembly’s continued efforts to strengthen engagement with the media and ensure timely public access to information on parliamentary business ahead of the Third and Fourth Ordinary Sessions of the 2026 Legislative Year
