10/12/2025
By Madi Jobarteh
“The National Assembly Should Charge the Finance Minister with Contempt*
The Minister of Finance, Seedy Keita, has knowingly misinformed the National Assembly and such conduct meets the threshold of contempt of parliament. When he appeared before lawmakers on Wednesday, 3 December, he categorically stated as reported by The Standard that The Gambia expected US$45 million in World Bank budget support, and that part of this money would be used to settle what he described as outstanding arrears of US$19.6 million to Karpower. His words were clear:
“We had put in the budget US$20 million expected to be budget support from the World Bank but we had a very good engagement with them and they have increased this to US$45 million. And part of this money will be used to pay off the Karpower arrears upon the termination of the agreement.”
He reinforced this message by telling the newspaper that arrears amounting to US$19.6 million would be taken from the World Bank money to pay the arrears.
Yet five days later, on December 8, the same newspaper published a contradictory clarification from Karpower’s Country Manager, Omar AB Njie. His statement was unequivocal:
“We [Karpower] do not have any arrears with NAWEC nor the Government of The Gambia… Our contract was not terminated; it expired on 2 May 2025. A few weeks after, the Government paid all arrears owed. We sent an invoice of US$19.6 million and on 16 May 2025 we received €17,999,458.87 through the Central Bank.”
This clarification confirmed what Fatu Network had earlier reported that the Government had already settled Karpower months earlier. Rather than admit this, the Ministry of Finance issued a press release on 5 December, attacking Fatu Network for “misinformation”. Yet, within that very same press release, the Ministry inadvertently confirmed Fatu Network’s reporting, stating:
“Karpowership was fully paid earlier this year through an advance payment made by the Government of The Gambia. This advance was made on the understanding that once the World Bank disburses the approved US$45 million package, the Government will be reimbursed for the Karpower arrears already settled.”
Then, on 9 December, the Ministry doubled down by posting on Facebook claiming, “setting the records straight” and sharing documentation. But whose record needed straightening except the Ministry’s own disinformation?
Why Did the Minister not tell the truth on December 3? This is the fundamental question. By December 3, Seedy Keita already knew that the Government had no arrears with Karpower; that the arrears were fully settled since July 2025 and that the reimbursement would come from the expected World Bank budget support, and not a future payment to Karpower.
Yet he stood before elected representatives and created the impression that The Gambia still owed millions to Karpower. This is not an error. It is deliberate misrepresentation of facts to the legislature.
Had the Minister provided the correct information on time, Karpower would never have needed to issue a public clarification, Fatu Network’s reporting would not have been questioned, and the Ministry would not have needed multiple contradictory statements. Thus, the accusation of misinformation against Fatu Network was baseless. The misinformation originated from the Ministry of Finance and nowhere else.
This action by the minister has constitutional implications. Section 110 of the Constitution is explicit: Any act or omission that obstructs or impedes the National Assembly in performing its functions constitutes contempt. The oversight function of the National Assembly depends entirely on receiving timely, full, and accurate information.
Providing delayed, incomplete, or false information directly obstructs their constitutional duty. What the Minister did on December 3 fits squarely within this definition. This is not merely poor communication, rather it is a breach of constitutional responsibility.
Section 75 of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to remove a minister for misconduct, or inability to perform or underperform the functions of his office. Misleading the legislature is misconduct. Repeated failure to deliver on core statutory duties is underperformance. This is not the first time Seedy Keita has undermined the National Assembly.
For example, in the 2024 budget cycle, he failed to submit the budget estimates on time as required by the Constitution. This failure resulted in the ongoing Supreme Court case, brought by civil society actors, including myself. The pattern is clear and troubling: chronic disregard for constitutional timelines, misleading statements, and administrative negligence.
It is time for the National Assembly to act. The National Assembly cannot allow ministers to mislead them without consequence. Governance is not an academic exercise; every decision, every figure, and every utterance from a minister has real-life consequences for Gambian citizens on electricity, on debt, on prices, on public services, and on national stability.
The Gambian people invest millions of dalasi in the salaries, vehicles, allowances, and comforts of ministers and lawmakers. In return, the nation expects competence, honesty, and accountability. There must be no tolerance for falsehood in the sacred chambers of the National Assembly. The Minister of Finance has misled the legislature and misled the public. He has obstructed oversight and violated constitutional norms. He must therefore be subjected to contempt proceedings and considered for removal under Section 75.
For The Gambia, Our Homeland.
