Reshuffle Brings Four New Secretaries of State

Two Serving ones Re-deployed

President Yahya Jammeh on Thursday and Friday, 13th and 14th September 2007 respectively, effected yet another cabinet reshuffle in accordance with the powers vested in him by the 1997 constitution. The reshuffle saw the appointment of four new Secretaries of State and the reassignment of two serving ones.

Mr. Crispin Grey Johnson, who previously served as Secretary of State for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, has been reassigned to the Department of State for Foreign Affairs to replace Mr. Bala Garba Jahumpa, himself re-deployed to the diplomatic mission.

Mr. Abdoulie Sallah, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare from 31st December 1999 to 10th April 2001, has been appointed as Secretary of State for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology while Mr. Mass Axi Gye, the second Vice President of Gambia Football Association (GFA), has been appointed as the new Secretary of State for Youths, Sports and Religious Affairs. He replaces Mr. Sheikh Omar Faye who is to be re-deployed to the diplomatic mission as well.

Further, Mr. Ousman Jammeh, Secretary-General and Head of the Civil Service, has been appointed as the Secretary of State for the newly created Department of State for Petroleum, Energy and Mineral Resources. Mr. Jammeh, according to the release, will nonetheless continue as Secretary-General and Head of Civil Service until further notice.

Mrs. Marie Saine-Firdaus, as reported earlier, is the new Attorney- General and Secretary of State for Justice. Until her appointment, she was the Technical Adviser at the Office of the President. She replaces Mr. Kebba Sanyang who now takes charge at the Department of State for Works, Construction and Infrastructure, a portfolio the president himself had overseen for some time.

According to the press release issued by the Office of the President, all Secretaries of State are urged to live up to expectation in their various portfolios so as to ensure maximum delivery of the national development programmes which government has embarked upon. Therefore, the release went on, there would be no room for complacency and no compromise for non-performance.  “However, maximum support will be given to all Secretaries of State to ensure that we collectively achieve our development aspirations. May Allah, the Almighty guide us to make The Gambia a better place for all Gambians and non-Gambians,” the release concluded.