By Kebba AF Touray and Mariama Touray
The National Assembly, on Monday, 23 September, 2024, completed the consideration stage of the Bill titled Nutrition Bill, 2023.
The Bill, tabled before the plenary by the Vice President, was referred to the committee for further scrutiny and to report its findings to the plenary.
The Objective of the Bill is for the Government of the Gambia in adopting the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP 2015-2025) to commit itself to the realization of a well-structured social protection mechanism,” said the joint committee in its report.
During the debate on the Bill, the Lawmakers advanced that among other things, the bill will strengthen nutrition security in the Gambia if enacted.
After the debate, it was referred to the National Assembly Select Committee, for further scrutiny and to report its findings to the plenary.
The committee in its report, inter alia, recommended that the Bill is to further strengthen nutrition security in The Gambia, it’s imperative to swiftly enact the proposed Bill, aligning with constitutional rights and international agreements.
The report of the committee was then adopted and was set for consideration which continued and was completed on Monday, 23rd September, 2024.
The purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the Government’s commitment to protect the rights of Gambians as outlined in the 1997 Constitution and the United Nations Conventions and Declarations related to food and nutrition security which The Gambia is a signatory to.
As part of the process of defining the practical application of the Constitution and the UN Conventions, this Bill has made provisions to ensure adequate nutritional services that protect the rights of its people.
The Bill further seeks to give effect to the government’s commitment to strengthening the coordination of all nutrition related interventions in the country by mandating the Agency to legally carry out this function.
The Bill also provides for the establishment of a Board of Directors to manage the affairs of the Agency and equally gives it the powers to inspect hospitals, healthcare institutions, schools, care homes, prisons, and other relevant institutional establishments to ensure that the nutritional needs of persons in these institutions are met.
This will help the government to ensure that the nutritional requirements of some of the most vulnerable groups are provided for. In the same vein, it will help in strengthening the governance structures such as the National Nutrition Council, and the Nutrition Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC).
To further achieve these commitments, the Government has necessitated a holistic approach to reviewing the Food Act which gives the Agency the role of acting as the lead Agency in handling nutritional issues coupled with the wording in the National Nutrition Policy and coming up with a comprehensive legislation to address the issues of nutrition as envisaged by the government pronouncement to make available the resources as well as empower institutions to better handle nutrition issues, for a better livelihood of its people.
Furthermore, the Government ensures not only that the policy goals regarding nutrition are achieved, but that the policy goals are achieved without further delay.
As the legislative body completed the consideration of the Bill, yesterday, the Assembly Business Committee scheduled Friday 27th September, 2024, for the third reading.
“Before that, the Vice President and the Office of the Clerk, will in accordance with Standing Order 72 (sub 20), print the amended version for circulation to members before the third reading,” said Deputy Speaker, Hon. Seedy SK Njie.
