Reports reaching Gainako this evening has it that Momodou Sabally Secretary General and Minister for Presidential Affairs has been removed as Secretary General and Minister for Presidential Affairs with immediate effect. Mr. Sabally who has little or no experience in the Civil Service. He served at the Central Bank as an economic analyst and was briefly appointed as Director of Budgets at the ministry of finance before his appointment as Secretary General and head of the Civil Service. He has since been deployed to the ministry of Higher Education.
Mr. Sabally has reportedly been replaced by Abdoulie Sallah former Secretary General and head of the Civil Service who was unceremoniously sacked without an explanation and demoted to Secretary of the Cabinet in 2010. Mr. Sallah is a seasoned civil servant who has served in many capacities in the Gambia Government including the State House.
The news of Mr. Sabally’s sacking was initially broke by former Director of Press to the State House Fatou Camara who is now the founder of the online outlet Faturadio.com. Sabally’s abrupt deployment did not come as a surprise to many people. President Jammeh has never retained anyone in that position for a long term without removing him or her. He has indiscriminately appointed anybody he feels like using without regard to experience or area of expertise.
Many are speculating that Sabally’s removal is the beginning of the end of young Sabally who could not believe himself that he would ever be appointed into such a high profile position without experience. Like his predecessor Ngogu Bah, Sabally appeared invincible and carried out Jammeh’s orders with a chip on his shoulders. He too has seen his marching orders without a single explanation. His sacking and redeployment was confirmed on GRTS at its 8pm news.
In a related development, President Jammeh is said to have appointed a commission to investigate the operations of the Gambia arm forces. The three man commission is headed by the new Secretary General Abdoulie Sallah. What led to Jammeh’s suspicion of the army to the level of setting up a commission to investigate the institution is anyone’s guest. Sources close to the corridors of power speculated that the investigation may have something to do with recent reports of arrest within the army. The visit of the Senegalese Army General over a week a go may have also triggered Jammeh’s curiosity and insecurity within the army. President Jammeh, yet again appears to be venturing into his usual witch hunting of security officials. This is what he does anytime he is insecure about what is going on around him. The Gambian people and the World is closely watching and any decision or accusation of security breaches would not be surprising. Only time can judge what Jammeh does next!