By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia’s Works Minister EbrimaSillah, on Tuesday 19 September withdrew government motions on the road safety Charter, road safety convention, road signs and signals and dangerous goods road of 1975.
As indicated in the order for Tuesday, 19 September 2023, the said Minister was scheduled to appear before the plenary to move motions for the consideration and ratification of the African Road Safety Charter, the UN Road Safety Convention on Road Traffic of 1968, UN Road Safety Convention on Road Signs and Signals of 1968, and the UN Road Safety Convention on European Agreement for the International Carriages of Dangerous Goods by Road of 1957 respectively.
Withdrawing the said motions, Sillah told the Assembly, “We want to regrettably move this motion that we realized the Bills that we have brought here, actually the ratifications have not been signed by the mission in AU and the ratifications should precede the signature.”
“So, we want to seek the indulgence of the Assembly to withdraw the various motions and they will be signed immediately and then we will bring them back to the National Assembly. Thank you,” he withdrew the motions.
The Motion for Withdrawal was seconded by the Member for Upper Nuimi, Hon. Omar Darboe, and thus the Motion to withdraw the motions was subsequently withdrawn.
Earlier, Deputy Speaker Seedy S.K Njie informed the August body that the absence of some Ministers, who were scheduled to provide Ministerial Responses to the Parliament on Monday,18 September 2023, was due to the fact that the Minister was out of the jurisdiction.
He said that the Offices of Speaker and Clerk were informed that those Ministers, who were scheduled for Monday, were away for an official engagement outside the jurisdiction.
The assembly, he said, earlier adopted a resolution on the need for Honorable Ministers to attend to their scheduled businesses or delegate authorities on their behalf and or notify the Assembly in good faith.
“This information is by way of an update as the Office of the Clerk and Speaker yesterday (Monday) promised to take up the matter,” he said.
