The Minority Leader in The Gambian Parliament Honorable Samba Jallow has faults President Jammeh’s hiring and firing of top Gambian Civil Servants without any explanation to The Gambian tax payers. He was speaking to Gainako’s reporter in an interview where he said the issue of hiring, firing and reshuffling by the President is becoming monotonous without reasons why he sacks a particular individual from his or her position.
The minority leader noted that it is high time President Yahya Jammeh start explaining to the Gambian people the reasons behind the sackings of anyone noting that this would help the people to know what exactly happened resulting to the termination of somebody from a position.
“It doesn’t tell well on the President to continue to hire people and fire them within a short period without explanation. The Gambian people are wondering what happens, who is at fault.. so I challenge him to clear the air over any sackings from now on in order for Gambians to have a clear picture of what is going on’’.
The Gambian people are getting wary of the President’s excuses that if he voice out the reasons he sacks people that Gambians would be outraged about their representatives. It is his duty and the rights of individuals for him to inform them and the tax payers who entrusted him with the mantle of leadership to steer the affairs of the country.
The Dankunku law maker further noted that within a period of just one year, for example the Ministry of Regional Administration Local Government and Lands have had three Ministers who were appointed to the said portfolio and subsequently fired without any explanation. This is just one example out of many that we can reference. It clearly shows something is wrong either the President is not betting people enough or is just making random decisions without regard to skills or experience.
The minority leader suggested that the committee at the National Assembly responsible for appointments should be given the mandate to do the appointment of important senior positions rather than the President so that Gambians would have confident in the process and entrust their law makers to make reasonable personnel decisions. This process should in fact be handled by the public service commission and the National Assembly in regards to political appointees. Clearly the President is losing the battle on this and people are becoming more skeptical of his appointments. A good and most recent example of these disturbing decisions is the recent cabinet reshuffle and sackings a clear manifesting that there is something wrong somewhere in the process. The minority leader concluded that some of these hiring and sackings have constitutional ramifications and should be strictly in line with the constitution of the Gambia. He expressed frustration of the lack of continuity in Governing which eventually lowers morale of the civil service.