Former Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty has clarified details surrounding a US$48 million forensic DNA laboratory project he signed in 2017 with Dr Cheikh Tidiane Sy Trading Centre for Diagnostics and Research in Molecular Medicine. Fatty stated that the US$48 million represented "the projected value of the development, being the aspiration committed to paper, and not money that existed in any government account or that was placed at the disposal of any party."
Fatty further explained that the project "did not commence but its failure too did not cause any loss to the public purse, because there was no public purse engaged. It simply did not progress beyond where I left it after my departure from the Ministry." He added, "Whether or not records of the Agreement remain on file at the Ministry, I am confident that I left them there in proper order. I say no more on that point except that the absence of institutional memory, if true, is a matter of administrative concern that others must address." Fatty affirmed his readiness for scrutiny, stating, "I am prepared to appear before any public institution... I have nothing to conceal. I have no record to be ashamed of."
Contract Discrepancies Emerge
Interior Minister Abdoulie Sanyang stated that "there is no evidence that such a contract has been signed by the Ministry of Interior." Sanyang's comments followed an inquiry from Banjul North lawmaker Momodou Lamin Bah, who requested information on the project's status, services, and any associated payments from the current Interior Minister. Minister Sanyang further reported that his team conducted "a very extensive search from the closed files but could not find any documentation regarding this particular project." Mai Ahmad Fatty clarified that the agreement he signed was intended as a framework in principle, representing the initial stage of what was envisioned to be a multi-agency process.
Fatty's Defense of the Project
Former Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty explained that the proposed project was conceived to address the challenge of identifying victims of the Jammeh regime, as The Gambia lacked forensic DNA capabilities. He stated that the country had previously relied on the laboratory of Dr Cheikh Tidiane Sy in Dakar, a facility certified by the FBI, for such forensic identification work.
Fatty clarified that the government's intended contribution to the project was limited to providing land and leveraging the principal partner's existing global network. However, he noted that no land was ever delivered for the initiative, and no funds were ever made available. Mai Fatty asserted, "The project did not commence but its failure too did not cause any loss to the public purse, because there was no public purse engaged. It simply did not progress beyond where I left it after my departure from the Ministry. Whether or not records of the Agreement remain on file at the Ministry, I am confident that I left them there in proper order. I say no more on that point except that the absence of institutional memory, if true, is a matter of administrative concern that others must address."
He further affirmed his transparency regarding his tenure, stating, "I am prepared to appear before any public institution, any regulatory authority, any civil society body, or any responsible media organisation that wishes to examine my tenure at the Ministry of Interior. I have nothing to conceal. I have no record to be ashamed of. I have no fear of scrutiny, because everything I did, I did in the open, in the name of the Gambian people, and in their service."
Administrative Concerns and Accountability
Former Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty expressed confidence that records of the $48 million DNA lab agreement remained on file at the Ministry of Interior, despite claims of their absence. Fatty stated, "The project did not commence but its failure too did not cause any loss to the public purse, because there was no public purse engaged. It simply did not progress beyond where I left it after my departure from the Ministry. Whether or not records of the Agreement remain on file at the Ministry, I am confident that I left them there in proper order. I say no more on that point except that the absence of institutional memory, if true, is a matter of administrative concern that others must address."
Fatty affirmed his readiness to discuss his tenure, stating his willingness to engage with various bodies. "I am prepared to appear before any public institution, any regulatory authority, any civil society body, or any responsible media organisation that wishes to examine my tenure at the Ministry of Interior," Fatty said, adding, "I have nothing to conceal. I have no record to be ashamed of. I have no fear of scrutiny, because everything I did, I did in the open, in the name of the Gambian people, and in their service."
Public Discussion and Next Steps
The project has become a subject of considerable public discussion, prompting former Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty to issue clarifications regarding the $48 million DNA lab initiative. His statements address concerns raised after the current Interior Minister, Abdoulie Sanyang, reported an absence of official records for the agreement.
