Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL) – In a bold move, Mama Kandeh, the Secretary General and Party Leader of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), has vehemently opposed the proposed Judicial Officers Bill, which aims to increase salaries and benefits for judiciary personnel. The bill, titled “Judicial Officers Remuneration and Other Entitlements Bill, 2024,” was introduced last week by the government, sparking controversy and debate.

Hon. Kandeh, a former member of Parliament, accused the government of prioritizing their own financial gain over the needs of low-income citizens. He called on National Assembly members to reject the bill, stating, “You are pushing Gambians to the wall. Enough is enough.” His passionate plea highlights the growing discontent among Gambians regarding government policies.

Despite the judiciary’s insistence that the bill is not intended to raise salaries, the Ministry of Justice’s press release suggests otherwise, validating concerns from those skeptical of the bill’s rationale. The bill explicitly seeks to enhance the remuneration, allowances, pensions, and other entitlements of judicial officers, contradicting official denials.

Expressing his shock, Kandeh accused the government of showing no remorse towards the struggles of ordinary Gambians. “How can just a handful of good-for-nothing people come up with such a bill to drag the country backward by enriching themselves? You are pushing Gambians to the wall. Enough is enough! You are just busy increasing salaries for yourselves and living better than any other Gambians,” he asserted.

Kandeh has recently intensified his opposition to President Adama Barrow’s regime. A week ago, he criticized the government’s handling of fertilizer prices, arguing that a bag of fertilizer should not exceed nine hundred dalasis. This came in response to the government’s announcement of a fifty-dalasi reduction in fertilizer prices for the 2024 rainy season.

“I have read that D50 has been reduced from the fertilizer price, but I don’t know if it’s true. If they claim the price has been reduced, it’s a lie. The price is reduced where the fertilizer is produced. A bag of fertilizer should not exceed D900. So, if they say they have reduced the price by D50, it is not true. If GDC comes to power, no one will have to beg, and no one in the country will suffer from hunger. Any government that cannot feed its own people is not a complete government,” Kandeh declared during a recent meeting in Sare Talata.

As the debate over the Judicial Officers Bill continues, Mama Kandeh’s strong stance highlights the tension between government actions and the needs of the Gambian people.