By D. Baldeh Associate Editor
Mr. Lamin Nyabally Secretary General and Minister for Presidential Affairs and head of the civil service has been removed from his post with immediate effect after serving less than one year. As usual no reason has been given for the removal of Mr. Nyabally who is apparently the 10th Secretary General to be axed from the hottest political office since June 2010. Mr. Nyabally’s sacking came amid reports of the President’s ailing health while on his annual meet the farmers’ tour.
Details emerging from Nyabally’s marching orders are alleged to be related to a simple question or complain the President received during the opening of a local medical health center in the Basse area which is sponsored by diaspora citizens from the area. Mr. Jammeh was told that there were no enough medical doctors at the health center and the matter was discussed with the Secretary General reported representatives of the health center. Just – like-that, the President reacted angrily and sent Mr. Nyabally home who was accompanying him on the tour.
It is ironical that Mr. Jammeh knows there are acute shortages of Doctors and medical personnel across the country including his own Junkung Jammeh medical center in Bundung and yet he acts as if it was his secretary General’s fault. On the surface, doesn’t the President know how many issues are brought to the attention of the Secretary General who happens to be the President’s policy adviser as well?. So just because the issue among millions of others was brought to the attention of the Secretary General warrants his abrupt removal from office? Mr. Jammeh’s reactionary attitude is why he is not able to keep any competent civil servants or employees for long.
But Mr. Nyabally’s sacking did not come as a surprise to all Gambians. In fact, he becomes the 10th Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service serving as Minister for Presidential affairs who has been fired unceremoniously without an explanation. Since June 2010, ten people have been fired from this position. These are Mariama Khan who served for less than three months in the position; Abdoulie Sallah (twice), Ousman Jammeh, Njogu Bah (twice), Momodou Aki Bayo, Ebrima O. Camara, Momodou Sabally and now Lamin Nyabally. On average these people served 6-8 months in this office arguably one of the most critical and important appointments serving the President. The position of Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service was appointed by the Civil Service Commission in the first Republic until 1994 when Jammeh turned it into in a political pimp pump office.
Talk about incompetence? If readers want to understand the gross incompetence, cluelessness and dysfunctions of the Jammeh administration, one does not need to look any further. Imagine how many other people have been recycled in other critical offices such as the Minister of Finance, governor of Central Bank etc? Ironically, if this was a business, Mr. Jammeh would have been either fired by the board or simply put his business would have gone bankrupt and forgotten. But this is a country and a system that does not collapse overnight, it systematically rotten up overtime and eventually the system collapses in uniform. The simple conclusion for any common sense person is that the President is grossly incompetent in his personnel decision making and his unprovoked reactions are bringing out his frustration, isolation, insecurity and inability to rationalize with common sense. In effect he is consumed by anger and eroding morale within those serving him. The fate of Mr. Nyabally or his replacement is yet unknown but there are certainly no shortage of scumbags ready to pick up the crumps left behind on Nyabally’s trail. Watch out for the likes of Njogu Bah, Aki Bayo recycling back or a new confidant in Neneh Macdoll Gaye serving as SG. Time will tell…