Parliament to Commence Third Ordinary Session of 2024 Next Week
Members of the Sixth Legislature © Askanwi Media
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
The Gambia’s National Assembly will commence the Third Ordinary Session of the 2024 Legislative Year on 9th September and conclude on 27th September 2024. Amongst the Parliamentary Business to be considered include the ratification of a Manpower Agreement with Saudi Arabia and the UAE and a mutual visa exemption for Diplomatic Passport Holders of Azerbaijan and Indonesia scheduled for Tuesday 17th September.
On the same day two more international agreements will face Parliamentary scrutiny, namely; the deployment of troops to contribute to the ECOWAS stabilization mission in Sierra Leone and the ratification of an agreement with the West African Football Union Zone A on the establishment of WAFU Headquarters in The Gambia.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Defence will also table a list of Members of the Armed Forces Council to confirm their replacement and appointment on the same Tuesday 17th September.
According to the Approved Agenda of Parliament as of 28th August 2024 the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs will deliver an oral statement on the Implementation and Monitoring of the Annual Budget on the first day of the Session. Our observations and enquiries revealed that every quarter, the Minister for Finance usually delivers a statement to update Parliament on Government’s Expenditures, however, this did not take place in the Second Ordinary Session of 2024.
The Criminal Offences Bill is expected to go through the Consideration Stage from the first day of the Session and conclude with it’s Third Reading on the last day of the Session. As usual Cabinet Minister’s will respond to questions for oral answers every Wednesday.
On Thursday 12th September should see the approval of a very important resolution on the Report of the National Assembly Petitions Committee on the Petition from Concerned Staff of The Gambia Tourism Board. That same Thursday, various reports will be laid in Parliament including one on a tour of the Senegalese Parliament on Trade Facilitation and another study tour of the Parliament of Botswana.
Parliamentary Sessions don’t take place on Friday, while Monday 16th September will be a holiday in recognition of Mawlud Nabi, meaning that the next sitting will take place on Tuesday 17th September when the Minister for Finance, Minister for Trade and Minister for Lands will respond to various Parliamentary Reports. That Tuesday will also see the first reading for the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Bill, the National Population Bill and the National Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill. These Bills will be tabled for their Second Reading on Monday 23rd September 2024.
On Thursday 19th September will see the tabling of an important Report for Agriculture focusing on the National Assembly Select Committee on Agriculture’s visit to Seccos across the country. Seccos are groundnut buying centers where farmers take their groundnuts for sale to the Gambia Government.
The following Tuesday 24th will see the Consideration Stage for the Intellectual Property Bill and the Elections Bill. On Thursday 26th September will feature the Consideration Stage of the Gambia Public Buildings and Facilities Authority Bill sponsored by the Minister for Transport, Works and Infrastructure.
