The Coalition of Progressive Gambians (CoPG) has called on government to be transparent on how former president Yahya Jammeh’s assets were acquired and sold after the establishment of the commissions set up by the current government to look into financial irregularities of the second regime.
The CoPG believes recommendations, and their execution, by the commissions should be transparent as an avenue to gain public trust.
In a letter addressed to Senigambia medium, the CoPG questions the recommendations and selling of Jammeh’s assets, saying the actual deal needs to be brought to light without cover-ups for public discourse.
“It is overdue after the Commission of Enquiry or Janneh Commission completed its findings and gave its recommendations. But what Gambians have not been told is how the sales were conducted, who bought the assets, how much was revitalised and where the proceeds have gone.” CoPG asked.
Demanding further explanation on how things unfolded in relation to the selling of the former president’s assets, CoPG says Gambians deserve the right to know the truth, where accountability and transparency should be at the forefront in political discourse.
The pressure group stated that to avoid further speculation, criticism and noise, it is proper and noble to provide Gambians with a comprehensive blueprint of the whole process.
Moreover, the CoPG contends, a commission established to investigate unlawful conduct during the Jammeh dictatorship and the funding of the commission from taxpayers money deserves a balanced and transparent report.
“Why have almost all the reports and recommendations by these commissions remain under the carpet?” they asked, stating: “In every corner throughout the length and breadth of the country, people are disappointed by the very people and leadership which promised a very strong ‘never again’ to the political and economic malpractices this country has gone through.’’
Expressing further frustration, members of the CoPG stated that no one would expect a repetition of such malpractices, after the bitter experience of the recent past.
Meanwhile, he further stressed, citizens expect the powers that be to address such issues and come up with tangible and reliable solutions in their manifestos, if they want to gain and maintain the confidence of the people.
The CoPG finally calls for an end to corruption and for peace and development to reign in the country.
