National Assembly Confirm Appointment of Information Commissioners

-

 

Team Outpost 

  

Lawmakers of the National Assembly have yesterday confirmed and approved the appointment of five commissioners for the Access To Information (ATI) along with a proposed package remuneration.


The Ministry of Information is pleased to announce that the National Assembly has confirmed the appointment and approved the salary scale of the Information Commissioners. This decision marks a significant step forward in the implementation of the Access to Information (ATI) Act 2021, which aims to promote transparency, accountability, and access to public records and information.


On 8th July 2024, the Hon. Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, moved a motion at the National Assembly for the confirmation of the appointments and remuneration packages for the Information Commissioners. These appointments, made by H.E. President Adama Barrow, in accordance with sections 42 (1) and 42 (2) of the ATI Act 2021, followed a comprehensive and inclusive nomination process.


The nomination process was overseen by a committee comprising the Ministries of Information, Interior, and Justice, and was further enriched by the participation of three prominent Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)-TANGO, GPU, and the CSO Coalition on ATI. This collaboration ensured a transparent and inclusive selection process.


In September 2023, the Ministry of Information established the Key Stakeholder Consultative Forum (KSCF) to foster participatory democracy and inclusivity in decision-making. The KSCF, consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, and the three CSOs, rigorously selected and nominated prominent Gambian personalities for the roles of Information Commissioners.


The appointed Information Commissioners are as follows:


1. Nene Macdouall-Gaye-Chairperson 2. John Charles Nje-Vice Chairperson


3. Baboucarr Cham-Member


4. Bai Emile Touray-Member


5. Ya Amie Touray-Member



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular OP posts

‘Industrial Scale’ Foreign Disinformation Campaigns Fuel Anger, Confusion

-
Image
Dai Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping wave during the welcoming ceremony of an economic summit. Disinformation campaigns seeking to manipulate African information systems have increased nearly fourfold since 2022. That is according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), which linked disinformation campaigns to increased violence, support for coups, expanded anti-Western rhetoric and the spread of confusion about health care. These campaigns also work to erode confidence in traditional media sources. Nearly 60% of disinformation campaigns in Africa are linked to countries outside the continent. The efforts, aided by emerging technology, are mostly driven by Russia, although China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also push false narratives as they seek to spread their influence. Such contrived narratives are flourishing as Africa now has more than 400 million active social media users and 600 million internet users. Of t
Read more

Niger’s top investigative journalist wins 2024 International Press Award

-
Image
  CPJ is honored to present its 2024 International Press Freedom Award to Nigerien journalist Samira Sabou. Samira Sabou is one of Niger’s most prominent investigative journalists, who publishes mainly on her Facebook page and is the president of the Association of Bloggers for Active Citizenship (ABCA), an organization that advocates for freedom of expression and the rights of women and youth. Previously, she worked as a consultant for the Croissance Actualité Afrique (C2A) newspaper, directed the Economic and Social Development Information Magazine (MIDES) news website, and reported with the state-owned National Office of Publishing and Press (ONEP). Throughout her prestigious career, Sabou has been arrested, detained, and subjected to years of legal harassment because of her reporting on governance issues. In response to the various legal proceedings brought against her, she stopped working for the media and only publishes on her social media accounts. In July 2023, the Nigerien mil
Read more

A silent crisis: Halimatou Ceesay exposes caste-based discrimination in The Gambia

-
Image
  In The Gambia, a country often celebrated for its vibrant cultural diversity, an unspoken reality continues to plague thousands of people: caste-based discrimination, particularly against communities discriminated on work and descent (CDWD). Despite significant strides toward abolishing slavery and improving human rights, the shadow of descent-based oppression remains deeply entrenched, affecting every facet of life—from education to religious practice, and even basic human dignity. This isn't just a historical footnote; it's a living reality for many who are marginalised because of their caste, a system that continues to enslave families generation after generation. Halimatou Ceesay, a rights expert for the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) in The Gambia, spoke at the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights, bringing the issue to light. “In The Gambia, communities continue to endure caste-based discrimination that mirrors the i
Read more