According to Standard Newspaper, the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) has declined a directive issued by the Public Petitions Committee of the National Assembly to share with the public the findings of its preliminary internal investigations into the missing millions at the GPA's Rating Unit.

Below is the story written by Tabora Bojang - one of the most respected young journalists in the country:

The Gambia Ports Authority has declined a directive issued by the Public Petitions Committee of the National Assembly to share with the public the findings of its preliminary internal investigations into an alleged corruption scandal implicating some senior and junior staff of the institution.

Earlier this year, some GPA staff were alleged to have been involved in widespread theft and corruption with millions of dalasis being fleeced every week.

The Gambia’s top information portal, What’s On Gambia, made it a cause célèbre and whipped public fury over the matter prompting the management to establish an internal task force to investigate the matter.

The three-member panel submitted its report to the management in March 2022 resulting in the suspension of the manager of the Rating Unit Alagie Marong, his assistant Yandeh Mbenga, the assistant manager at Delivery and Documentation Unit Ousainou Cham, supervisor John C Loum, senior clerks Raki Bah, Kumba Sarr and Bintou Janneh, and superintendents Binta Sallah and Sohna Bojang.

A heightened public uproar for tougher actions prompted two concerned Gambians to petition the Public Petitions Committee of the Assembly to compel the GPA to share the internal investigation report with the public for transparency purposes.

The committee held several engagements with both GPA management and the petitioners with lawmakers finally ordering the GPA to share the report as requested by the petitioners.

But GPA spokesperson, Yankuba Manneh, told The Standard that the authority replied to the parliamentary committee last week stating its objection to complying with the directive.

“Publishing that inconclusive report may prejudice the outcome of the ongoing investigations,” Manneh told The Standard.

Comments from Gambians on GPA's refusal to respect the National Assembly’s directive

Uztaz Malick Mbaye: Findings must be made public as demanded by the lawmakers. If they failed to do this, we can dissolve the National Assembly.

Muhammed Sarr: It's only in a useless government like that of The Gambia that such things happen.

Momodou Jallow: I think this is too much. Well, the powers of the Assembly are being tested here. Let's see what happens next.