Mrs Sira Wally Ndow Njie, former Minister of Petroleum has said that she was helpless towards directives given to her by former President Yahya Jammeh.
The former Petroleum Minister made these revelations at the commission of inquiry probing into the financial activities of the former President Yahya Jammeh and his close associates at the Djembe Beach Hotel, Kololi.
She was summoned in respect to the withdrawals of payments from the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Accounts at the Guaranty Trust Bank.
“I was very helpless,” Former Minister Sira Wally Ndow Njie said.
She added:”I wish I could have said no to him. I have gone through painful situation. Imagine what would happen if I had said no?”
Mrs Ndow Njie who was a co signatory to the GNPC Account at the Guaranty Trust Bank with the former president said she became Minister of Petroleum in 2015. She claimed the former president has instructed her to become a signatory to the account.
She admitted that ministers were not suppose to be signatories to accounts but asked him to channeled it through the Central Bank.
“I was not comfortable so I took a photo of the form before signing it,” she disclosed.
She alleged the former President directed her to signed because he was the minister of petroleum while she was a deputy minister at that time.
There were several withdrawals part of which was $500, 000 US Dollars, 358, 000 US Dollars and 297, 000 US Dollars among others. Some of the money she said was received by Sana Jarju, former Chief of Protocol.
The transaction accounts were admitted and marked as exhibits.
The former Petroleum Minister said she was only aware of the US dollar Account and not the Dalasi account. She mentioned another account at the FIB Bank. But stressed that she never came across the Dalasi Accounts.
When asked by Amie Bensouda, Counsel for the Commission the reason for opening these accounts she said the former president told her that it was for government projects.
She also claimed that some of the withdrawals were made in her absence.
“I made several attempts to not be a signatory but it all failed,” she added.
Mrs Ndow Njie said while she was away many of the transactions were done by Sana Jarju, former Chief of Protocol at the Office of the President.
Meanwhile, the former Petroleum Minister was asked to leave but was told she would be recalled whenever she is needed.
