By Michaella Faith Wright
The Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has defended the Gambian government’s expenditure on the recent United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Conference, clarifying that 24 officials attended with government funding.
He also addressed a viral video allegedly showing a Gambian migrant being beaten by Mauritanian security forces, stating that the government is taking diplomatic steps to address the matter.
Speaking on Coffee Time on West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay explained that the government officially funded the participation of 14 delegates, including himself, while additional attendees from civil society, NGOs, and the private sector were sponsored by external organizations. In addition, the President and nine members of his team, as well as four other officials, including his protocol and the Permanent Secretary (PS), also attended, bringing the total number of government-funded participants to 24.
“This was funded by the taxpayers of The Gambia,” Dr. Ceesay stated, emphasizing transparency in the government’s participation at the global event.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ceesay also addressed concerns over a viral video showing a Gambian migrant allegedly being assaulted by Mauritanian security forces. He assured the public that the government is taking the matter seriously, stressing that the welfare and safety of every Gambian remain a top priority.
“We are concerned about this incident, and we have taken appropriate measures through the right diplomatic channels to deal with the situation,” he said.
The Gambian government continues to monitor the developments closely and urges citizens to remain calm while diplomatic efforts are underway to ensure the safety of Gambians abroad.
