Thank you OJ for keeping alive the swindle of the century.  We should not
rest until we reach to a logical conclusion of this theft.  We are also not
going to cuddle any thug and unlike other farces in Africa, Gambians are not
going to cut any deal with anyone, Jammeh included.  We will follow the
money and no place is far for us to reclaim our moneys.  Our country is
poorer because of these grand thefts, per diem schemes, and other collusions
with the corrupt and greedy class of our society.  Please read on.


"Oil Saga, a National Disgrace"



The Independent (Banjul)

July 4, 2003
Posted to the web July 7, 2003

S.b. Camara & Lamin Njie
Banjul

The National Co-coordinator of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) is
obdurately refusing to let the latest Gambia-Nigeria crude oil saga die a
natural death in oblivion by describing it as a profound national disgrace
of Jammeh's own making.

Jammeh's perpetual silence over the issue was a loud and echoing gesture
which points to the indictment of his government, which the PPP diehard
accused of embezzling over half a billion dalasis belonging to the nation.


OJ told The Independent shortly before departing for the United States for
the "Meet the Diaspora summit" this week, that government silence would not
lull Gambians into forgetting that the latest crude oil saga is one of the
most capriciously corrupt and disgraceful practices that The Gambia has ever
witnessed in the annals of her history as an independent nation.

He said "this national disgrace" could not have come at a more untimely
period "when seriously deteriorating economic trauma, amidst fluctuating
prices of commodities, the continuous depreciation of the dalasi against
major currencies are having a suffocating stranglehold on poor, ordinary and
helpless Gambians".

He inquired what would have been more patriotic than allowing the proceeds
from such a transaction to trickle down to the country's poor who he claimed
have been betrayed by Yahya Jammeh's government, whose officials feather
their own nests more than the nation's.

"I think The Gambian nation was bound to benefit a lot from the Nigerian
government's gesture but for the nefarious intentions of a few, this was
prevented from coming to pass", OJ charged.

"The explanation by the presidential spokesperson trying to vindicate the
regime is pockmarked with flaws. It failed to give any clear indication as
to where and who benefited from the sum intended for the Gambian nation.
Although the statement conceded to the fact that such deal had taken place
between the governments of Nigeria and The Gambia and that it has been
handled by senior government officials on behalf of our government, the
disgrace born by the fact that such an important agreement was deliberately
hidden from the public is of national proportion.

It is one such disgrace for which Jammeh and his regime will be held
accountable when he is no longer there" O.J pointed out. He said it was not
only inadequate but also represented an insult to the intellects of
Gambians, adding that "in civilised democracies, where there exist such
doubts or misinformation, when a government is accused of stealing or
embezzlements, it is the responsibility of that government to have one of
its executive members to come up and strongly prove otherwise".

"Why was it possible for such an agreement to take place without Gambians
being informed. Why was it that a gesture of such high magnitude from the
Nigerians wasn't even mentioned in the budget speech of the Finance and
Economic Affairs minister. Why is it that such an agreement between two
sovereign states have make room for the involvement of businessmen to
represent our government. Where was the president or the Finance SoS when
this deal was being reached. These are some of the pertinent questions
Gambians are asking themselves," he said.

OJ is convinced that The Gambia as a nation could have befitted from the
Nigerian offer if its proceeds were injected into the economy and bail it
from what he described as perpetual doldrums.

"The Nigerians gave us the offer expecting to deal with a responsible
government - a government that is sensitive to the plights of its people, a
government that is aware of its responsibilities and obligations as they
were being misled to believe " OJ remarked.

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