Credible sources have informed this medium that Baboucarr Sanyang, The Managing Director of The Gambia Telecommunications Company, (GAMTEL) has been dismissed with immediate effect.
Baboucarr is replaced by Sulayman Suso, a one time managing director of the company.
It could be recalled that shortly after revelations by The Finance Minister about former President Yahya Jammeh making withdrawals from GAMTEL, Sanyang tried bribing and corrupting The Barrow administration. He authorized the purchase of sixteen phones for members of Barrow’s cabinet through GAMCEL.
A source close to GAMCEL disclosed that the sixteen phones cost the company D441, 000 when their accounts are in red “Why buy such expensive phones, when the company is struggling to pay salaries due to cash flow problems. Enough is enough, state funds should not be used for selfish interest” the source said. “Tell the ministers to not accept this so called gifts for they will be putting their integrity at stake if they do, we are watching” he concluded.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017, Gambia’s Finance minister, Amadou Sanneh revealed that the nation owed a domestic debt of D48.3 Billion ($1.5 Billion). The minister revealed that a number of significant withdrawals were made directly from GAMTEL coffers by the former president.
Meanwhile, after information about the phones was leaked to the press, The Management of GAMTEL/GAMCEL issued a memo informing staff that they have no business speaking to the press.
Sources say disciplinary action was taken against seven staff who protested to the GM, Fatou Fatty about the amount spent on the phones. “Ms. Fatty disrespected us, threw us out of her office and asked HR to give us warning letters” a source disclosed.
