At least 21 National Assembly Members voted against holding a debate on the 2025 Appropriation Bill before dramatically passing it yesterday.
The passage of the bill endorsed the government’s proposal to use D37,848,776,334; from the consolidated fund for the expenditure of the central government for next year.
When the bill was called for debate, Sabach Sanjal’s Alhagie Babou Ceesay moved a motion arguing that there was no need for lawmakers to hold a debate on it.
Ceesay’s motion which was seconded by Nianija lawmaker Amadou Camara spawned tense debate after several NAMs led by Minority Leader Alhagie S Darboe contested it. They argued that there was an initial motion for a debate which was seconded and accepted and it was therefore not appropriate for the Speaker to accept a counter-motion on the same subject.
Darboe argued: “Speaker, there was another motion that was passed for us to have a debate and we agreed on it, so if somebody wants to bring a motion that there should be no debate countering the other motion, it should not be accepted. It is nowhere in the Standing Orders.”
But Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta insisted that a motion can be moved and rescinded, adding that the two motions are not the same.
Several other lawmakers who questioned the Speaker’s decision to allow a counter-motion against the debate including Member for Serekunda Musa Cham and Nominated Member Kebba Lang Fofana argued that the debate should not be averted on the Appropriation Bill since it will avail lawmakers opportunity to scrutinise the policies and programmes of the government for the fiscal year.
“This is not in accordance with our Standing Orders,” Nominated Member Fofana charged.
For his part, Cham argued that this is not the usual way parliamentary business is conducted.
But the Speaker insisted and ruled that their points of orders were not in line. “We have done consultations on this matter. There are two motions and they are different, so we are in order,” Speaker Jatta ruled.
As argument over the issue escalated, the Speaker called a vote for NAMs to decide whether to hold a debate on the Appropriation Bill or not. Twenty-one lawmakers voted against holding a debate and 11 voted to support a debate. There was no debate and the bill was approved. The session brings an end to the Assembly budget proceedings approving a total of D52 billion. The Government Local Fund is expected to reach D37,848,776,334; grants at D12,643,119,000; and loans at D2,488,998,839.
