By Omar Bah
The National Assembly Member for Bundungka Kunda, Sulayman Jammeh has defended his decision to vote for the controversial former president’s bill.
Opposition members from the UDP, PDOIS, and Independent marched out of the Assembly during the debate
Last week, the National Assembly passed the controversial new bill to establish lifetime pensions, gratuities, and other benefits for ex-presidents of The Gambia and their spouses, despite strong disapproval from the opposition majority, most of whom walked out of the sitting. Opposition members from the UDP, PDOIS, and Independent marched out of the Assembly during the debate on Thursday, leaving members of the ruling NPP coalition and the Independent. No Alliance NAMs are to vote for it.
Three days after voting for the bill, Foni Jarrol lawmaker Kebba Toumanding Sanneh said if he had known that Yahya Jammeh would not be eligible for the benefits of the former president’ bills, he would have walked out. But speaking in a Star FM exclusive to be aired today, the APRC NAM Sulayman Jammeh, who also voted for the bill, said he has no regrets about voting for the bill, arguing that any individual interest did not influence his decision.
“The former president’s bill is not new because former President Jammeh brought something similar for the late President Sir Kairaba Jawara.
So, it was already there; it was just that a few things were added to it because the old bill, which was passed in 2006, only catered for allowances and a few other benefits. Still, the new bill is trying to bring about a few things, including pensions and gratuities, which I think are quite reasonable,” he said.
NAM Jammeh said it is essential that “if our presidents leave office, they continue to live in good condition.” “It is just like what we do for anyone, but understandably, we cannot all agree on one thing. I supported the bill, but there may be people in Bundung who don’t help it. My decision to keep it was not meant for the current president or anybody but for the sake of the office of the former president, of which anybody could be a beneficiary.
“We believe it will help our former presidents not to think of staying in office forever. It will also encourage a term limit. I support it because I think it should be. You cannot serve yourself at that level and then be destitute. I heard people say that money could be spent on agriculture, but I think it is the responsibility of those working to do what is supposed to be done to improve agriculture in the country. If you say there is not enough medicine in our hospitals, what stops those responsible for that from ensuring there is enough medicine in our hospitals? So, I supported it, and I have no regrets about supporting it,” he said. Jammeh said people should criticize anything they feel will not benefit them directly. “Being citizens or civil servants, we should all do what is required to build this country. I am not in the National Assembly to satisfy one individual interest,” he added.
