During the debate on the Local Government Act (Amendment) bill 2007 at the National Assembly, National Assembly members on Wednesday argued over the technicalities surrounding the bill seeking to empower the president to take charge of the affairs of all area councils and municipalities in the country.

In his constitution to the debate on the proposed amendment of the act, Hon. Sidia Jatta, NAM for Wuli West and a NADD bigwig, described the move as a conspiracy against the powers of the people.

“The fundamental objective of the new Local Government act is to empower the people to make it possible for them to effectively and actively participate in the management of their own affairs but this is being taken away from them,” he said, adding that this particular amendment has come to make local government elections absolutely unnecessary.

According to Hon. Jatta, the sovereignty of the people is being assassinated in the National Assembly. “How on earth can an elected person be removed from office by an individual. What is the essence of elections then?” he enquired.

The Wuli West parliamentarian maintained his aversion to the amendment because, according to him, it does not serve the purpose for which the local government machinery is historically meant to play in the country, giving them the confidence to have the ability to manage their own affairs.

Hon Jatta went on to contend that he did not come into politics to contribute to any effort to rob the people of their powers. “I come into politics to help empower people to manage their affairs but not to disempowered them,” he noted.

Also contributing to the debate, Hon. Abba Sanyang of the ruling APRC party and member for Foni Kansala, described the bill as non-controversial. The bill, he said, is giving power to the people as it has always belonged to them.

According to the Foni Kansala parliamentarian, mandating the president to remove a mayor or mayoress is still giving power to the people because the amendment of the act is being done by members of the National Assembly who are representing their peoples.

For his part, Hon. Momodou L.K. Sanneh of the opposition United Democratic Party and Minority Leader, said that the move for the amendment of such an act should not be brought before the National Assembly as it is only going to overload the executive of the country.

“The removal of mayors and others should not be tabled before this Assembly. People have been purely elected on a popular majority vote and as a result it is unfair for the president to remove anybody,” Hon. Sanneh said. According to Hon. Sanneh, the National Assembly as a law making body should critically look into any law that comes into this country to ensure that it reflects the interest of the people.

“If the highest office in this country faces election, why not chairmen for that matter?” he required, adding that issues should be critically considered in the interest of the country and not any one party.