The Ministry of Youth and Sports has come under the Limelight for the wrong reasons; this time, Minister Bakary Badjie is accused of spearheading the appointment of his close allies to key positions at the ministry to the detriment of long-serving staff.
This development comes on the heels of the appointment of Mam Lisa Camara as the new General Manager of the National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI) and Pa Malick Ceesay as the new executive director of the President International Award, and both are believed to be close associates of Minister Badjie. Lisa Camara assumed her new position two weeks ago.
But in conversation with TAT, Minister Badjie dismissed these allegations.
An insider at the Ministry of Youth and Sports who spoke to this medium on condition of anonymity has made sterling revelations on the Minister’s untiring efforts in appointing some of his close associates to man key positions, revealing that since assuming President Adama Barrow’s top job in 2021, Minister Badgie has successfully effect changes bringing in friends to occupy leading roles at the President International Award (PIA), National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS), National Enterprises Development Initiative (NEDI)and National Youth Council (NYC).
According to him, the coming of the Minister’s close associates has equally resulted in the victimization of staff and the elevation of incompetent staff to higher positions, revealing that the former Director of NYSS, Emmanuel Mendy, was relieved. As a result, services were terminated and replaced by Abass Bah, the former General Manager of NEDI. Mam Lisa Camara, a youth activist, also replaces Abbas.
The insider told TAT Minister Badgie has also created the position of Deputy Executive Director at the National Youth Council (NYC), a position that many argued was non-existent on the organogram of the NYC. the position was later rewarded to Pa Malick Ceesay, who played a crucial role in the unsuccessful bid of the Minister for the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) top job in 2018.
In recent appointments, Pa Malick Ceesay was appointed Executive Director of the President International Award. Pa Malick was the one-time coordinator at NEDI before his sacking and appearance before the court for corruption charges during President Jammeh’s rule.
In 2015, Pa Malick Ceesay was accused of official corruption and slammed with twelve (12) counts of economic crimes by the state.
He was said to have embezzled more than two million and four hundred thousand dalasis while serving as the Coordinator of NEDI through ways of issuing unapproved loans mainly given to supporters of the then-ruling APRC.
The source said the former Director of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS), Emmanuel Mendy, was accused of mismanagement of office without any proof to substantiate such allegations, and even though the Minister instituted a panel that has not submitted its report and findings, Mendy was dismissed from his position.
” If you want to get the facts about Pa Malick and Mam Lisa’s appointment, why Emmanuel was fired, and where the recommendation came from, please come to the office and I will show you and explain the details, including all the things Emmanuel did at NYSS over the previous years,” the Minister told our reporter.
He said The panel completed its investigation and submitted a report in October 2022 after three months of sitting.
“I’m unable to respond to a text message on such issues. These are official decisions and should be handled officially,’ Badjie said through a text message.
“Mendy has persistently requested a copy of the panel report, but up to date, information has yet to be released by the panel either to Mendy or the public. The panel members, including Pa Malick Ceesay, Musa Mbye, and Permanent Secretary Saihou Sanyang, serving as Chairman among other members, cast doubts within the ministry as most of them are close associates of Minister Badgie.”
The former Deputy Executive Director of the National Youth Council (NYC), Pa Malick Ceesay, has also been elevated to Executive Director, President of International Award based on the Minister’s influence and intervention at the behest of a hardworking staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
