A Gambian legal practitioner has asked the Supreme Court to rule on the legality and transparency of government decisions affecting two of the country’s key offshore petroleum blocks.

Ousmane F. M’bai, Principal at Fana Fana Chambers and Director of the London-based firm F. Manus McBye LLP, filed a petition on Wednesday seeking constitutional and administrative clarification on how Blocks A2 and A5 have been governed by the state.

Mr M’bai said the petition focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the Petroleum Commission, the two bodies charged with managing the country’s oil exploration framework.

“It is often said that what is done in the dark, sunshine is the best disinfectant,” he told journalists after submitting the case.

He is asking the Supreme Court to determine whether regulatory waivers and decisions issued by the two institutions to third-party companies are consistent with their legal mandates.

Although he declined to outline the details of the challenge, citing the ongoing nature of the proceedings, Mr M’bai said the matter raises important questions about public accountability in the management of national resources.

“Because the matter is before the Supreme Court, I will not go into the substance of the case,” he said.

“But I have full confidence in the Court and I look forward to its guidance.”

The petition comes at a time when offshore exploration continues to attract both international interest and domestic scrutiny, with civil society actors calling for greater transparency in the sector.

The Supreme Court is expected to set a date for hearing in the coming weeks.

By Adama Makasuba