The Gambian economy is on a downturn with Gambia government admitting to The IMF that “2014 targets were out of reach” and foreign reserves critically low. Thus it was a huge surprise to observers when a few days ago, The Office of the President sent $100000 (Hundred thousand dollars) cash to Trust Bank and asked them to transfer the funds to Zineb Jammeh’s Moroccan account at the Societie General Bank in Morocco. What baffled many was the fact that the President did not seem to understand that he should pay transfer fees for the amount, as he just ordered for the cash to be sent to Zineb’s account in Morocco without following any procedures.
Many said that the cash is one of the reasons that the President ordered for the lowering of exchange rates in the country to enable him exchange the excess dalasis he has to prepare for his planned lavish 50th birthday celebrations and to fund his wife Zineb’s shopping trip to buy designer dresses and presents as part of her preparations for the lavish party. President Jammeh ordered for the forceful appreciation of the dalasis against the main world currencies so that he can exchange at a favourable rate as he is notorious for his gifting of celebrities he invites to Gambia for lavish parties with huge amounts of cash in foreign currency. “This money sent to Trust Bank in cash is no coincidence, Jammeh is causing us all to suffer by meddling with the foreign exchange rates just so he can force traders to exchange the dalasis he has at the low rate for him to fund his lavish lifestyle and planned party”.
Reports have it that the first lady Zineb is expected in Morocco and USA using the state aircraft wasting millions in taxpayer monies just for her to shop for Dictator Jammeh’s birthday celebration and collect her daughter Mariam Jammeh from her boarding school in US to attend her dad’s lavish 50th birthday party. Observers continue to criticise First lady Zineb’s wasting of National resources especially as her husband’s government are cutting funding to key departments like Higher and basic education as detailed in the IMF report, our hospitals lack basic medication and equipment as highlighted to the National Assembly by the Chief Medical Officer, basics like electricity and water are unavailable whiles prices continue to skyrocket affecting the entire populace. “Zineb is heartless!!! she does not care about anyone but herself and maintaining her lavish lifestyle, you see her go for publicity visits to schools and hospitals to take photos and be filmed and would not donate a single thing to those school children and the sick in hospital, despite hearing their constraints and problems”.
Meanwhile sources have reliably informed Faturadio that Senegalese artist Vivian Chidid is in Gambia to sign a contract with Trust Bank to perform at the President’s lavish birthday party, According to the sources, Banks and parastatal institutions are being tasked with funding the celebrations which the first lady’s office is coordinating. It is reported that the budget for food alone will be millions of dalasis, while the average Gambian can no longer afford three square meals daily. “Jammeh will not spend his own funds to celebrate his birthday, the state, banks and parastatals will be forced to contribute from their meager budgets to fund the celebrations including contracting artist billed to perform. Jammeh will use the his money to provide all the foreign musicians and celebrities invited with huge amounts of cash in foreign currencies as gifts for entertaining his guest”
Reports have it that Zineb using the likes of Fatoumatta Ndure to open twitter and Facebook accounts for her to raise her public profile among Gambians, who Zineb has largely marginalized since her marriage to President Jammeh. Many observed that it is indeed embarrassing and really disgusting for President Jammeh and his wife Zineb to continue wasting public funds, not cutting back on their spending and entourage while Gambian women walk miles daily to collect water and Zineb flies on a private plane for frivolous shopping sprees and private family visits while being wired $100000 by Jammeh as pocket money. Meanwhile it is reported that Zineb being the diva that she is, has rejected invitation cards produced in China by Sirra Wally and she will be commissioning new invitation cards, which will cost more money.
