By: Sulayman Lecturer Darboe
1. APPOINTMENT OF DR. ISMAILA CEESAY AS MINISTER OF INFORMATION
Dr. Ismaila’s Ceesay’s academic background makes him unfit to serve the capacity for which he’s appointed. Unless I’m proven wrong with empirical evidences, I want to state in strongest terms that Dr’s appointment will do no sustainable development in the information sector taking reference from his background. This doesn’t mean he cannot undertake any short-term developments. He will certainly do but such could only be to appease and please the God-father in State House. Arguably, Ceesay’s appointment is to compensate him for the nerve-wrecking disappointments and embarrassments he endured from the conscious population of the public, in his bid to entrench Barrow’s stay in power.
2. APPOINTMENT OF MOMODOU SABALLY AS PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER
In serious democracies, political advisers play significant role in providing directions with ethical considerations for the growth of the political leadership and the political community. Such advisers are virtuous, morally upright and ethical in the exercise of their functions. They do this by putting the interest of the political community above all with due consideration to the needs and wants of the people on whose behalf every political leadership is established to serve. Could Momodou Sabally function well in his appointed capacity? No! This is because Sabally has proven to lack mercy for ordinary Gambians and our daily economic struggles. He has become childish and assumed ‘parrot role’ praising every fortune and misfortune of our present political leadership. He’s busy imposing happiness on young people when he could simply tell truth to power on issues affecting Gambians especially young people . Ethical political advisers tell truth to power at all cost. Sabally we know does not have what it takes to do this. He will say this today, and tomorrow he will change to say that. He said Barrow was weak yesterday, but today he’s strong and a better leader just because he wines and dines with him. This means, all that were said yesterday were wrong. In light of this, a consistent, God-fearing, ethical and sympathetic political adviser would better fit for the position in order to guide the president to sail through this difficult economic crisis with honesty and integrity.
3. APPOINTMENT OF HAMAT BAH AS MINISTER OF LANDS
I want to believe President Adama Barrow did to make the needed consultations before appointing Hamat NK Bah to this new capacity. It is important to note that not only party-politics and ethnicity have potentials of indulging Gambians into violence, land as a natural resource has even greater potentials of causing regrettable conflicts in this country. In fact, evidences of communities, families and individuals fighting each other over land are widespread. Go to courts, there are many land cases! How can President Adama assign the responsibility of such a very important and delicate ministry to a minister who has corruption allegations over his head. This is the worst appointment Barrow made and is evidently very consequential because if minister Bah messes up, land conflicts will rise with serious implications on our social fabrics. Bah’s appointment should be reversed. Someone with rich and diverse understanding in local governance administration will better fit. With Amat Bah in this position, I predict more political push and pulls with local government administrators such as chairmen of Area Councils. Yankuba Darboe of BCC may predictably be one of them.
To be continued!
