By Fatou Sillah
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, has issued a strong warning to cabinet ministers who appear before Parliament only to defer questions by claiming they fall under the jurisdiction of other ministries.
Addressing the issue during a parliamentary session, Speaker Jatta expressed frustration over what he described as a growing trend among ministers of passing responsibility when answering questions directed at them.
“Now, I have said earlier that we are not going to tolerate these responses, like making references to other ministries. When you have questions sent to you, and they are not for you, please get back to the office of the clerk and tell them that this question is not yours. You either advise them where it should be directed, or they will direct it to other places. But don’t wait until the time of the answer; then you come and give us; we will not tolerate that,” he warned.
Speaker Jatta’s remarks followed an exchange between the Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services and Hon. Omar Jammeh, Member for Janjanbureh. Hon. Jawara had asked the minister to disclose the source of funding for a GMD 35 million media contract awarded to several media houses, including the specific budget line used and supporting financial documentation.
In response, the Information Minister said the question should be referred to the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. However, Hon. Jawara contested this, arguing that since the Ministry of Information administered the funds, it was within their responsibility to provide the necessary information to the Assembly.
This prompted further debate among members. Speaker Jatta emphasized that a new protocol will be enforced: if a ministry receives a question it believes is not under its mandate, it must immediately notify the Clerk or the Table Office for redirection.
“So that by the time we are here, we have got answers to the question, no longer the issue of it being wrongly sent somewhere. If it is wrongly sent, it is agreed, but make sure you notify us that it is not your question. Don’t keep it there until when you answer, you say that it is not your question,” Speaker Jatta stated.
Hon. Yaya Sanyang, Member for Latrikunda Sabaji, weighed in, stressing the importance of collective responsibility among ministers.
“There is no question drawn here that is wrongly sent to any ministry; we are dealing with a government architecture and ministry. If the Ministry of Finance feels that this question is not for them. We are dealing with the government. Why can’t they redirect that question to a particular minister to answer? Because every ministry is a part of the whole, which is the government,” he said.
Hon. Sulayman Saho, Member for Central Badibou, supported this view, asserting that the Information Minister should be held accountable.
“This question is meant for the Ministry of Information because this very minister came on the media telling us how these media houses are supported with this fund. So, he must know something about this fund; he should be able to tell this assembly. He cannot dodge away from this question,” he said.
In closing, Speaker Jatta reaffirmed the Assembly’s new position, declaring that excuses regarding misdirected questions will no longer be entertained.
“We have taken a decision that we are no longer going to encourage ministries to come with responses like, “this one falls under the purview of another minister”. If you receive a question that does not belong to you, please contact the Table Office so that they will direct the question, and we get the responses in time,” he said.
Addressing the current case, Speaker Jatta concluded: “For this particular one Honorable Minister, we will take it as it is; that is, you said it is not for your ministry, and I said we are going to make a determination through consultation, and whatever final product we have, that is, if it is for your ministry, we will then ask you to respond, and where you need information from certain ministries, you can go and ask them those information for you to incorporate,” he said.