‘Reform Betrayal’: COPG Critiques MPs Of failure to pass draft constitution bill, others

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Team Outpost


The Coalition of Progressive Gambians (COPG) have critiqued MPs for failure to passed reform bills, chief among which is the draft constitution, the Anti Corruption bill and the security reforms.


“Their failure to tabled the draft constitution bill which is the will of the citizenry, the Anti Corruption Bill and the Security reforms are issues more pertinent than the urgency to sit and pass the former President's bill and salary with clothing allowances for National Assembly Members,” the report said.


COPG further added that MPs did not made consultations with their various constituencies regarding policies and implementations, saying they have failed to serve as actors of checks and balances for a better democratic governance.


“The NAMs have never made decisions in consultation with their constituents which is totally authoritarian. This might be because of their ignorance and incompetence of their defined roles and responsibilities to serve as checks and balances for a reliable democratic dispensation and good governance,” the report added. 


The coalition of progressive Gambians called on MPs  to desist from allowing party politics to cloud their conscience as this will derail the decision they make. “ The Gambia is bigger than an individual and party interests.”


COPG also encourages the adoption and use of our local languages for better interactive debates and for the benefit of the citizens who are not literate in the official language and also ensure they engage their constituents in decision making.


“The lack of reliable information by the National Assembly members to their constituents is unacceptable. Thus, the Coalition of Progressive Gambians is engaged in the discussion and comparison of the 1997 constitution and the 2020 draft constitution in our local languages on weekly basis to create more awareness and understanding about the new Constitution,” the report concluded.

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