By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow has appointed Sheikh Omar Faye as the new defense minister of The Gambia.

President Barrow on Thursday engaged in a ‘minor’ cabinet reshuffle which saw him sack his interior minister Ebrima Mballow. The president also sacked the secretary general and head of the civil service Ebrima Camara.

Sheikh Omar Faye had worked as the Gambia’s ambassador to the United States. He was until his tapping the consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During the 2016 political impasse, he was among the first diplomats to turn his back on Jammeh.

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow on Thursday sacked his Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow.

Mballow was sacked alongside secretary general and head of the civil service Ebrima Camara.

A statement from the presidency said the two men have been redeployed to the foreign service.

Mballow reacted to his sacking on Thursday telling The Fatu Network the development ‘is the will of God.’

“I thank the President for giving me the opportunity to serve my country at the highest level,” Mr Mballow who has interior minister since January 2018 added.

President Barrow has replaced Mballow with Yankuba Sonko a former Inspector General of Police.

By Lamin Njie

Members of Operation Three Years Jotna Movement have all the rights to demonstrate peacefully, the national assembly member for Serrekunda West has said.

Madi Ceesay was branded a ‘rogue element’ on Tuesday by political adviser to President Adama Barrow after the lawmaker’s comment that President Barrow will be held responsible if ‘anything unforeseen happens in December.’ Siaka Jatta slammed Ceesay’s comments as treasonous.

On Wednesday, Ceesay responded to Jatta calling him a so-called adviser who was giving wrong advice to the president.

“I would personally hold the likes of Siaka Jatta who calls himself a presidential adviser to President Adama Barrow responsible for all the mess Gambians are going through. Probably due to wrong political advice he offers to the president,” Ceesay said in an audio message made available to The Fatu Network.

On the issue of three years, Ceesay said ‘Three Years Jotna members have all the rights to demonstrate peacefully, a constitutional right given by the constitution and I did not see who can take that constitution right from them.’

He added: “The issue of three years is one of a moral issue it was President Adama Barrow who openly campaigned using the three years. When he was going round using the three years, he had a lot of well-educated people around him, people who are very knowledgeable in the constitution.

“The fact that he and all those who were in the campaign team knew that the presidential mandate is five years and it agreed on the three years was enough to say that stepping down after three years is also constitutional as it is in Section 65 of our constitution sub-section 1(a) which reads: the office of the president shall become vacant during the term of a presidency on the death or resignation of a president.

“He should morally resign come December 2019 as that will mark three years. If not, we will exercise our constitutional rights that is peaceful protest. Political deception is over and will never be tolerated again.”

By Lamin Njie

The national assembly member for Serrekunda West Madi Ceesay has said President Adama Barrow deceived Gambians ‘by promising them he will resign after three years.’

Seven political parties backed President Adama Barrow at the 2016 presidential election but Mr Barrow has run roughshod on every tenet of the political grouping. A key agreement is for him to do three years and step aside but President Barrow has announced his plan to be in office for five years ‘whether one likes it or not.’

In an audio message on Wednesday, Madi Ceesay slammed the president for deceiving Gambians saying: “My position is that knowing very well that he President Adama Barrow is not going to honour the three years but knowing very well too that he President Adama Barrow cannot get the presidential candidature of the coalition without resigning from his party agreed to resign. I called that politics of deception.

“President Adama Barrow deceived the electorates by promising them that he will resign at the end of three years as agreed with his colleagues and all I am standing for is for him to respect that promise as a matter of morality.”

By Lamin Njie

One hundred and fifty soldiers on Wednesday left The Gambia for Senegal to participate in a training program that will last for three months, with nine women taking part.

The Gambia has been building a new presidential guard, an elite unit that will ultimately be in charge of the security the president and the State House.

The new presidential guard of The Gambia currently boasts of 150 soldiers, but once the new 150 soldiers finish their training, it will bring the number to 300.

On Monday, chief defense staff Masanneh Kinteh met with the soldiers at the army’s training school in Fajara to bid them farewell.

The top general said the training was part of a ‘journey started over two years ago when there was a peaceful change of government in this country for the first time, and there was a need to be able to reconstituted the presidential guard that will be there to serve the interest of the people of this country.’

“One of the first moves undertaken by the new administration is to ensure that the former presidential guard that was used by the previous regime in instituting regime security and some elements were also used to abuse and violate the human rights of the people of this country, needs to be removed and redeployed and reformed in the armed forces. Therefore there was a need to be able to reconstitute the State Guard Battalion,” General Kinteh said.

By Lamin Njie

Army chief Masanneh Kinteh said Wednesday Jammeh era presidential guard comprised ‘elements’ who were used to abuse the rights of Gambians.

Kinteh stating this while meeting with 150 soldiers who have been tapped for the country’s new presidential guard – and who were departing The Gambia for Senegal where they will undergo a three months training.

The presidential guard is an elite unit that is being formed charged with providing security to the president and the State House. The unit consists mostly of soldiers but also police and intelligence officers.

The new presidential guard of The Gambia currently boasts of 150 soldiers, but once the new 150 soldiers finish their training, it will bring the number to 300.

On Monday, chief defense staff Masanneh Kinteh met with the soldiers at the army’s training school in Fajara and explained why the Jammeh era presidential guard was scrapped.

The top general said: “This journey started over two years ago when there was a peaceful change of government in this country for the first time, and there was a need to be able to reconstitute the presidential guard that will be there to serve the interest of the people of this country.

“One of the first moves undertaken by the new administration is to ensure that the former presidential guard that was used by the previous regime in instituting regime security and some elements were also used to abuse and violate the human rights of the people of this country, needs to be removed and redeployed and reformed in the armed forces. Therefore there was a need to be able to reconstitute the State Guard Battalion.”

The People’s Progressive Party on Tuesday issued a statement on the state of this year’s farming season pinning the lack of rain on the ongoing depletion of the country’s forest cover.

Gambians farmers are dealing with a dry summer which is threatening their farming ventures.

On Tuesday PPP issued a statement on the issue saying: “It is not rocket science that the availability of rainfall is highly attributed to the existence of trees and we are all aware of the fast pace of the depletion of our forest cover.

“It is however very unfortunate to note that the government is not taking appropriate action to stem this wanton destruction of our limited forest cover.

“The Nyambi forest near Brikama is no more. Parts of the Salaji Forest has been de-reserved and allocated for institutional purposes. We find such acts as both acceptable and scandalous and need to be halted.”

Five former top civil servants who worked at the ministry of environment and the department of forestry have written to President Adama Barrow asking for his intervention over a plan to de-reserve a portion of Salagi Forest.

The Minister of Environment reportedly wrote to the Ministry of Justice approving a request for the de-reservation of a portion of Salagi Forest along Sukuta-Jambanjelly Highway.

But in an open letter to President Barrow on August 19 titled, ‘The decision to de-reserve a portion of Salagi Forest along Sukuta-Jambanjelly Highway should not be allowed to stand,’ Bai Mass Taal (former Minister of Environment and former Director of Forestry), Foday Bojang (former Director of Forestry), Abdoulie Danso (former Director of Forestry), Jato Sillah (former Minister of Forestry and former Director of Forestry), Almami Dampha (former Senior Forestry Officer now Sr Policy Officer for Forestry and Sustainable Land Management, African Union Commission) said: “We the undersign write to appeal for your personal intervention to reverse the decision to de-reserve a portion of Salagi Forest Park. We come to you as retired civil servants, former cabinet Ministers, directors and officers at the Ministry and Department of Forestry. All of us have spent a good part of our professional carriers in the department of forestry and some of us went to serve as director of the Department of Forestry and a few of us serve as Ministers of Environment and Natural Resources.

“It is for the above reasons that we find it necessary and urgent to bring to your attention our concerns about the de-reservation of a portion of Salagi Forest Park along the Sukuta-Jambanjelly Highway. It has come to us as great discomfort and surprise that a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR) (leaked to the social media) was sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Justice, approving the request for the de-reservation of a portion of Salagi Forest along Sukuta-Jambanjelly Highway. The letter went on to state that approval is granted “to de-reserve a depth of 80 meter wide and 1000 meters or one (1) kilometre long excluding the 30 meter wide along the highway road reserve metre as per sketch attached. This will avail MoLRG&RA the allocation of a strip land for institutional purposes which will impact positively on the economy of the country.”

“The area in question is part of the natural forest (commonly referred to as amenity belt), that was deliberately left untouched when the rest of the park was converted to fast-growing Gmelina plantation. The idea at the time was to allow some portions of the forest park to remain under natural vegetation in order to continue to provide ecosystem goods and services for the benefit of neighboring populations and wildlife species that depend on the park. Although degraded as a result of increased population pressures, this area continues to provide numerous critical ecosystem goods and services including the maintenance of the underground waters in the aquifers including that of NAWEC water boreholes (being one of the major source of our water supply); grazing for thousands of livestock from neighboring settlements; firewood and fruits for thousands of poor families within the vicinity of the park; bird watchers; Eco-tourists and nature lovers in an increasingly affluent neighborhood.

“To put things in perspective a little over 150,000 people live within 2.5 kilometers from Salagi Forest Park. With the current population trajectory, this will reach 200,000 by the next census in 2023 thus the need for the maintaining the ecological integrity of the park.
“This de-reservation request followed another one just few years ago, that allowed NAWEC to expand it’s Water Facility at Sukuta. Re-allocating 8 ha of a 100 ha natural forest area, in our view will significantly undermine on the ecological integrity of the park, particularly on it’s ability to sustain the biological diversity and water production functions. In addition, allocating this land for unspecified “institutional purposes” including a heavy equipment depot and a petrol station presents serious threats to the boreholes and our domestic water resources in the event of an industrial accident and likelihood of fuel seepage into the underground water table.

“Goes counter to the NDP goal to ensure our environment is sustainably managed and conserved

“It must be recalled that one of the critical enabling goals of the National Development Plan is to ensure that Gambia’s environment and natural resources are sustainably managed and conserved to increase resilience for the benefit of all. This decision to convert 10 percent of the last remaining natural forest in a gazetted park to industrial land use, no matter the economic promise in our view goes counter to the above stated goal and will no doubt send the wrong message to our development partners.

“It is a significant set back in meeting our commitments to Multilateral Environmental Agreements and National Policies

“The Gambia is signatory to a number of international environmental treaties, conventions, protocols, agreements and programmes including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Reductions in Emissions through Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), the National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPA) and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) and Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), all of which require commitments to protecting natural ecosystems and the sustainable utilization of the associated ecosystem goods and services they provide.

“De-reserving a portion of this park will present a significant setback to achieving these long-term conservation commitments, national or international and will represent serious disregard for all the effort and money spent by the Gambian people during the 67 years of protection and management.

“Our national Forest Policy advocates for sustainable management of our remaining forest through state, community and private participation. It categorically indicates the need to maintain 200, 000 hectare under community forest managed by communities themselves. This has led to the creation of the Gambia Forest Management Concept (GFMC) in which the forest parks will serve as the nucleus in the teaching and promotion of best management practices to surrounding communities. Therefore this action does not reflect what government advocates for and is sending the very wrong signals to communities we encouraging to complement government’s efforts in the drive for sustainable forest resource management.

“It can not be the economy vs the environment

“While we recognize your government’s commitment to improving and expanding the Gambia’s economy, such development cannot be sustainable without the protection of our natural ecosystems. Sustainable development as defined in the Brundtland Report is

“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations”. De-reserving a portion of a national forest park for the soul purpose of converting it into land use other than its natural vegetation, is not in our view sustainable development. If history is to teach us anything, Bijilo Forest Park is one to point to. In 1982 when Bijilo Forest Park was to be de-reserved and allocated for hotel construction, some of us and colleagues at the Gambia-German Forestry Project helped reverse that decision. Within a few short years the park was transformed into the eco-tourism Mecca of the Gambia, attracting thousands of birdwatchers, employing thousands of youth and paying millions of Dalasis into the government’s Consolidated Revenue fund each year.

“Based on the above mentioned reasons, we implore your personal intervention to reverse this decision to de-reserve any portion of Salagi and in the future commit your government not to de-reserve any other gazetted Forest Park for any use other than Environmental. We are in no doubt that the Ministry of Lands can find 8 hectares in some other part of the country that can be used for “institutional purposes” without impinging on our ability to meet our national and international environmental obligations. We believe that is what’s best for the Gambian people, environment and it is good for the economy and good for your legacy.

“Let us conclude with a quote from the Banjul Declaration of 1977. “It would be tragic if this priceless natural heritage, the product of millions of years of evolution, should be further endangered or lost for want of proper concern”. We thank you for your time and kind consideration.”

By Lamin Njie

The chairman of Operation Three Years Jotna on Tuesday vowed that his movement will end President Adama Barrow’s rule in December.

“We tasked Barrow to boil the rice but he got himself into mopping the floor and the rice has been spoilt. Gambians are feeling regretful. Barrow wants to make Gambians feel regretful and Gambians will not let him,” Abdou Njie told The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.

Seven political parties backed President Adama Barrow at the 2016 presidential election but Mr Barrow has run roughshod on every tenet of the political grouping. A key tenet is for him to do three years and step aside but President Barrow has announced his plan to be in office for five years ‘whether one likes it or not.’

Operation Three Years Jotna chairman Abdou Njie granted an exclusive interview to The Fatu Network on Tuesday on the issue, saying while Gambians are kicking themselves for voting President Barrow into office, his movement will sack him from office in December.

Mr Njie said: “Today, a lot of things can be said but once we remove him from office which we will, that’s when we will begin the fight for the rights of Gambians all over again.

“This movement is here to stay. To fight for the rights of Gambians and to fight anything coming from government that runs counter to the rights of Gambians.”

By Lamin Njie

A top adviser to President Adama Barrow on Tuesday branded Madi Ceesay as a rogue element following the Serrekunda West parliamentarian’s comment that President Barrow will be held responsible if ‘anything unforeseen happens in December.’

A movement called Operation Three Years Jotna is vowing to force President Barrow to step down in December in line with the coalition’s three years understanding. The movement says it is ready to take on Barrow head-on and make him keep to his word.

National assembly member for Serrekunda West Madi Ceesay spoke on the issue in an interview with Star FM, saying the greed he saw in Barrow to stay in office for five years may spoil all the good work he has started.

On Tuesday, President Barrow’s political adviser reacted to Ceesay’s comments and described them as ‘treasonous.’

Siaka Jatta said: “Kindly accept this statement as an expression of my utter dismay and indignation at the recent comments made by one Madi Ceesay, a national assembly member for the United Democratic Party. The comments ascribed to Mr. Ceesay, whom I deliberately refuse to address with the right honorific befitting of a respectable member of parliament HonourableNational Assembly Member, where he was openly calling for the illegal overthrew of a democratically elected government are indeed shameful and regrettable. I call on Madi Ceesay to resign in honour of preserving the integrity of our Honourable National Assembly. His comments are treasonous and highly demeaning of the National Assembly, which is why I am also calling on the National Assembly Standing Committee on Ethics to take disciplinary actions against him.

“No respectable National Assembly Member, who is well au fait with his constitutional mandate and responsibilities will ever associate, not even remotely, with an illegal attempt to dislodge a government that was overwhelming elected by the people of The Gambia. The Gambian people have spoken when they decided in 2016 to give President Adama Barrow a five-year mandate to rule the country. Moreover, the 1997 Constitution of the Gambia, which is the supreme law of the land, is quite clear when it states ambiguously in Section 63 that ‘‘the term of an elected president shall, subject sections (3) and (6), be for a term of five (5) years’’. The government of The Gambia will defend the supremacy of the constitution. Equally, all genuine Gambians, who are true to promoting the ideals of constitutionalism, the rule of the law, and sincerely care about consolidating the good governance and democratic gains so far registered should have no qualms adhering to the tenets of the law in spirit and letter.

“At this juncture, I refer Madi Ceesay to draw wisdom from the recent comments made by his party leader, veteran lawyer Ousainou Darboe, who unreluctanly distanced himself from the illegal cause of the so-called ‘’3-years movement’’. He told a local news site recently that ‘‘I just stated what the laws’’ referring to earlier comments he made insisting that Barrow must serve five years.

“Madi’s renegade diversion from the position of his party leader party points to two things: 1) that there’s no disciplined in the party structures and rogue elements like Madi have become uncontrollable; or 2) that the influence of the party leader in the party is fast dwindling.”

By Fatu Network reporter

Gambians are split over the arrest by police of Killa Ace on suspicion of being part of last month’s mass protests.

Rapper-activist Killa Ace was arrested on Saturday alongside at least a dozen others over the July 24 mass protests which saw hundreds of youths burn car tyres as they stormed the headquarters police anti-crime unit in Bijilo. Tens of angry youths during the protests went to the house of Gorgi Mboob, the commander of ACU and set it on fire.

On Saturday, the police responded by rounding up those they suspect to have been behind the protests but the move has split Gambians online.

Madi Jobarteh, a foremost activist and commentator, wrote on Facebook: “Ali Baba Ace Cham or Killa Ace is a champion against dictatorship and police brutality and has confronted the Anti-Crime Unit for its brutality! Ali Baba Ace Cham was not present at the burning of notorious officer Mboob’s house. Killa Ace did not organize or plan or lead the protest in Serre Kunda. Killa Ace did not take part in any of the acts of vandalism. Therefore why arrest him if not to revenge!”

Coach Pasamba Jow said: “I stand with Ali Cham AKA Killa Ace. His arrest by the notorious “ Anti Crime Unit” is nothing but retaliatory. Free the young man. This travesty must not and will not be tolerated in The Gambia again. #NeverAgain.”

Sidi Sanneh said: Four confessed killers, who literally squeezed the life out of real and imagined opponents of Gambia’s former dictator by using plastic bags to suffocate victims, are free men while Mr. Ali Cham – KILLA ACE – a rapper and his fellow activists are in jail. #NothingMakesSenseAnymore.”

Zakaria Kemo Konteh said: “I have argued that the alleged police brutality and poor human rights records are a geberal reflection of their education background, recruitment, training, condition of service and failed accountability process. The current SSR (Security Sector Reform) being implemented is focusing on the symptoms while ignoring the very malignant cause(s), making the whole process costly and ineffective. In the midst of all these institutional breakdown, our National Assembly has been a ‘No Show’, earning our NAMs a dishonorable title of poor service to people and the country.

“That said, Killa Ace past activism against murder and tyranny in our country does not give him blanket immunity against alleged unlawful activity. When Killa Ace was fighting hard against Jammeh’s government, he was also fighting against lawlessness in all its forms. If anything, he should have been leading charges against something yesterday and indulging in similar things today.”

Modou ML Jabbi said: “I am not in solidarity with Killa Ace. Respect the police and laws of Gambia. Undermining our police force in the name of activism is wrong. Burning a police chief house is wrong. Police officers risk their lives to protect us. What is wrong is wrong. Charge Killa Ace and anyone who breaks the law. This solidarity hastag will consume us one day.”

Baba Yanks said: “I know that he must be part of those bunch of criminals, because since after his arrest with the drug squad he is having some issues with them. Charge them all and bring them to face justice with full force.”

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia Ports Authority has rejected claims its decision to fund the construction of a police station in Mankamang Kunda stemmed from directives issued by the Office of the President.

There has been huge backlash across the country in the past couple of days after it emerged GPA has asked Trust Bank to transfer over half a million dalasis to Bafaad Enterprise for the construction of a police station in Mankamang Kunda, President Adama Barrow’s hometown. Some Gambians have slammed the move as ‘a very deliberate and mean-spirited way of reminding Gambians of Jammeh’s wicked ways’. Former president Jammeh is said to have used public institutions like Gambia Ports Authority as ‘his personal bank to finance his ill-advised programs’.

But GPA on Saturday responded to the backlash saying the decision to sponsor the construction of a police station in Mankamang Kunda didn’t stemmed from directives issued by the Office of the President.

A statement signed by the authority’s managing director Ousman Jobarteh said: “The IGP had sent a request to the GPA for the financing of the construction of 3 police stations in URR, namely, Bakadaji, Mankamangkunda and Fatoto, which the Authority had considered under its CSR along the lines of similar interventions in the health, education, agriculture, sports and other sectors.

“The design, tender and supervision was contracted to GAMWORKS under a Delegated Management Contract (DMC) and the construction works were awarded to the 3 most responsive local firms that submitted bids.

“Notwithstanding, the appropriate governance procedures were followed at the level of the Ministry of Finance and the GPA Board of Directors and decision was obtained for the relevant payments to be offset against the liability that the GPA owes to Government, which is normally settled in bi-annual installments.

“The request for the financing of these projects did not ensue from directives issued by the Office of the President.”

A charity that operates a rescue ship carrying more than a hundred migrants off the coast of Italy said on Saturday that it could not guarantee their security after the boat had spent more than two weeks waiting for a port to disembark in.

The migrants picked up off the coast of Libya, most of whom are African, are waiting to disembark on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa.

Italy’s far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has ordered his officials not to let them do so, although on Saturday he made a partial concession, saying he would allow any children to leave the boat. He added that he had only agreed to this at the insistence of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

The Barcelona-based NGO Open Arms said that 27 minors who had been authorized to leave the ship disembarked onto Italian coast guard boats. That left 107 migrants on the ship.

Open Arms said the 16 days waiting for a port to disembark in had taken their toll on the migrants, with frequent fights breaking about among them and conditions on board deteriorating.

“After … six medical evacuations and having told authorities about our situation without receiving an answer, we are in a situation of need and we cannot guarantee the security of the 134 people onboard,” Open Arms said.

“It is terrible, the things that are happening are not only physical but psychological. The conditions in which they were staying in Libya and now in the ship, it is just terrible, with 130 people and two toilets,” Open Arms’ director and founder Oscar Camps told Reuters on Friday.

By Lamin Njie

Police in The Gambia have arrested at least a dozen people on suspicion of being part of last month’s mass protests.

Mass protests erupted in Serrekunda last month following the death of Ousman Darboe. The 33-year-old businessman died as a result of alleged police brutality. Hundreds of youths burnt car tyres on July 24 as they marched on Bijilo, the town that hosts the headquarters of the police anti-crime unit. Tens of youths later stormed the house of the police anti-crime unit chief in Ebo Town and set it on fire.

On Saturday, the police responded by arresting at least 10 people they suspect of having a hand in the protests.

“It happened between 3pm and 4pm at the Serrekunda market,” Demba Njie the secretary general of the SK Boko Loho Association, an association that advocates for the welfare of mobile phone vendors at Serrekunda market said.

He added: “They were taken to Tallinding Police station but the officers there assured us that they are in safe hands, that they are just going to ask them questions, take their statements and release them.”

A source close to Killa Ace confirmed to The Fatu Network that the rapper-activist was arrested alongside at least a dozen others. The Fatu Network could not immediately establish whether Ace was arrested in connection with the protests.

The police spokesman Lamin Njie could not immediately comment on the issue.

By Lamin Njie

A communication officer at the office of the president Sanna Camara has fired back at people who go about ‘throwing lies against persons just to score personal points.’

Mr Camara and other members of President Adama Barrow’s PR team have been accused of incompetence by Gambians.

Former secretary general and head of civil service Momodou Sabally led the catastrophic review saying on Tuesday President Barrow’s public relations and communication woes is down to an incompetent communication practices of a team led by Amie Bojang.

Writing on his official Facebook page, Mr Sabally said: “We have to admit that the President’s popularity is waning especially on social media. Barrow’s PR team should up their game pronto to help shore up some positive energy towards their principal. But wait, does he even have a Team @ his PR and communications department? A house divided shall not stand.”

Also writing on President Barrow’s public relations crises and erosion of good will among Gambians, Femi Mahoney said: “I agree with Sir Momodou Sabally, that president Barrow popularity is on the wane. However, I also believe that, it’s too late and he’s been let down by his ‘PR Team’. Especially Ebrima Sillah, Amie Bojang Sissoho, Ebrima Sankareh, Nfali Fadera, Sanna Camara, Lamin Cham (Statehouse), Dou Sano (sycophant #1) for failing to advising the president on how he should have been seen to empatise with the daily struggles of the average Gambian. These folks, especially the Press Department, of the Statehouse have been advising Barrow to avoid Gambians and media outlets, all due to the inferiority and insecurity. Thanks to their foolery Barrow is now so unpopular, even Yaya Jammeh can trounce him any snap election.”

Mahoney added: “With all due respect to the woman (Amie Bojang Sissoho), this is someone who was only known for reading Sarahule news in Radio Gambia. Then later joined her partner in crime Dr Isatou Touray to set up that GAMCOTRAP which the rest is history. She was given the job by Barrow because they were both brought up by Sarahule friends and knew each other from then. She’s my sister, but unfortunately she’s not capable”

Political commentator Zakaria Kemo Conteh, on his part, said: “Even President Barrow’s most ardent supporters would acknowledge that his popularity has plateaued somewhere around early 2018 and has been on free fall ever since. Now, with President Barrow’s negative approval rating on the rise, does it make sense for him to seek another term in office? Is it a consequent of PR and policy blunder or a result of overall abysmal performance and ineptitude that dominate his government?”

On Friday, Sanna Camara appeared to be responding to the reviews and The Fatu Network who carried the story saying in a Facebook post: “Nob[i]lity of Journalism implies that the tradecraft is treated with credibility and not lies, aspersions and damaging reputations of people who worked VERY hard to build them.

“It is okay to not like, or be filled with grudge against a person. What is not okay is to throw allegations, lies and spite against well meaning persons just to score personal points; demean or make him look something he’s and can never be.”

A Commonwealth mission to The Gambia in 2018 faulted the efforts of the Gambia government in effectively communicating the challenges it faces to the public. The report seen by The Fatu Network cited: “By January 2017 overwhelming power had been centralised in the Office of the President. The Barrow Administration has taken action to decentralising decision making. The Office of the President has not been successful, in effectively communicating with the Gambian population the challenges faced by the government, and its successes. Additionally, the security arrangements around the President have caused some resentment among the security services and reinforced the impression of foreign influence and a detached President.”

By Lamin Njie

There was ample fury on Friday after Gambia Ports Authority appeared to be directing Trust Bank to pay over half a million dalasis to a company for the construction of a police station in Mankamang Kunda, President Adama Barrow’s hometown.

A letter purportedly by Gambia Ports Authority and signed by its managing director Ousman Jobarteh emerged online on Friday in which the authority is seen asking Trust Bank to pay D744, 941 to Bafaad Enterprise. The authority said in the letter the payment is for the construction of a police station in Mankamang Kunda.

The development was quickly trailed by largescale anger with Coach Pasamba Jow saying in a Facebook post: “President Adama Barrow has a very deliberate and mean-spirited way of reminding Gambians of Jammeh’s wicked ways. How pathetic is it for President Adama Barrow and his government to keep imitating the disdained actions of Jammeh?

“Jammeh used SSHFC and Ports as his personal bank to finance his ill-advised programs, which President Barrow has also found worthy of emulation. Did President pay attention to anything said at the Janneh commission; better yet, has he even bothered to read the report that was submitted to him?”

Jaw Manneh said: “The Lawmakers should do their darn job – hold Barrow and heads parastatals accountable for such out-of-order public spending. Barrow is blatantly flouting the rules of the book and hijacking the functions of lawmakers.

“How many of such unauthorized spendings have taken place without public knowledge? Barrow is out of control. Our lawmakers should rein in illegal spendings to stamp out corruption. We can’t run public business like a Mickey Mouse government.”

Ndey Fatou Sohna, on her part, said: “#MankanangKundaCentralPoliceStation! When High crime areas don’t have enough Police security. What is ECOMIG battalion for?”

A GPA official could not immediately comment on the letter.

The Fatu Network also contacted the director of press and public relations at the office of the president Amie Bojang Sissoho for comment but she did not pick a call.