By MUHAMMED S. BAH
The National Assembly member for Basse, Hon. Muhammed Maggassey, has called on government to prioritize the provision of mobility for National Assembly members, who, he said, struggle on commercial vehicles before arriving for duty at the nation’s ‘bantaba’.
Hon. Magassey was speaking during the adjournment debate of the National Assembly on Monday, 31 July 2017.
Hon. Magassey said parliament belongs to the whole country and as parliamentarians, they were elected to represent the interest of the people. ‘‘So therefore, each and every NAM should be provided with a vehicle to be able to make their work as parliamentarians easier for them,’’ he remarked.
Hon. Magasey continued: “Where Ministers are given vehicles, drivers and security for them to carry out their work smoothly, we the National assembly members should also be considered, because without us, the executive cannot implement their work’’.
Hon. Magassey asserted the importance of mobility, which he said will help facilitate their movements as representatives in their constituencies, in reaching their people especially in those remote parts of their constituencies, and also help facilitate their movement to work at the Assembly. The Hon. Member for Basse also highlighted the need to use the Local languages in the National Assembly. This issue of speaking the country’s local languages in the National Assembly, was first raised by Hon. Sidia Jatta, the Member for Wuli West.
At this point, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Madam Mariam Jack Denton, interjected to inform deputies that Muhammed Magassey, is a Committee member of the Authority of the National Assembly and was very much aware of the ongoing talks between the executive and members about the provision of mobility for them.
The Session was attended by the Overseer of the Vice Presidency and the Minister in Charge of Women’s Affairs, Madam Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang, the Minister of Information, the Minister of Fisheries, the Minister of Forestry and the Minister of Basic and Secondary education.
