Jammeh Removes Kotu Cham

Appoints Jatto Sillah

Reports monitored over GRTS Radio last evening have indicated that President Yahya Jammeh had removed Momodou Kotu Cham from his cabinet post as Minister of Forestry and Environment.

In the same vein, the President had also appointed Mr.Jatto Sillah, the Director of Forestry as new Minister of Forestry and Environment, with immediate effect.

Jatto Sillah's profile

Born on 28thOctober 1962 in the village of Kerewan-Nyakoi in the Upper River Region, Jatto started his educational journey at Nyakoi Primary School, Kerewan from 1969 to 197 and then to St. Augustine High School in Banjul from 1975 to 1980.

From Sept. 1980 - Jan. 1981 he was a Forest Guard Trainee attached to the Reforestation Unit and from Jan. 1981 - July 1982 he became a Forest Guard, with responsibility for aerial photo-interpretation and preparation of the land use maps of the Gambia, for the Gambia-German forestry Project.

He later continued to undertook a Preliminary Certificate in Forestry at the CyprusForestryCollege, Prodromos, Republic of Cyprus and a year later in 1984, he did a Diploma in Forestry.

Jatto in the year 1985 did a Higher Diploma in Forestry specialized with thesis in Forest Management, Fire protection, Reforestation, Forest Nurseries, Aerial Photography and Mapping and Forest Research, Cyprus Forestry College, Prodromos, Republic of Cyprus.

From Jan. 1985 - March 1987, Jatto was the Senior Forest Ranger in charge of sawmills and training in utilization and sawmilling for the Gambia-German Forestry Project and in 1988, he did a Certificate of Credit Forestry Botany I, Faculty of Forestry at the Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.

In 1989, Jatto also received a Certificate of Credit, Forestry Botany II at the Faculty of Forestry, GeorgAugustUniversity, Göttingen, Germany.

Later in 1990, the indefatigable Jatto received a BSc. General Forestry, Faculty of Forestry at the same GeorgAugustUniversity, Göttingen, Germany. From Sept. 1993 - Jan. 1995, he was theForest Officer in charge of activities under the Gambian-German Forestry Project (GTZ Project) in The Lower River Division.

Jan. 1995 - July 1998Leading Member and Secretary to the Lower River Division Task Force on Environmental issues, such as the Strategy for the Preparation of the local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP), and The Action Plan for The Implementation of the International Conventions on Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity, all of which were achieved through a participatory consultative process. Also among the resource persons in the Gambia for UNDP/Capacity 21 Projects.

Jatto also in 1994 did aCertificate L’Integration des Sciences Humaines et Socio-Economiques dans les programmes de recherché en matiere d´amenagement agro-sylvo-pastoral: interactions des facteurs ecologiques et socio-economiques at INSAH/UNSCO/BMZ, Bamako, Mali, West Africa.

In 1993, he also did a Certificate (Advance MSc.) "Forestry in the Tropics and sub-tropics" (MSc.) Faculty of Forestry, at George August University, Göttingen, Germany and in that same year, he did a Certificate of Achievement "Development Economics for Forestry in the Tropics and Sub-Tropics" (MSc.) Faculty of Forestry the same University. He also did a MSc. in Forest Economics and Planning, Faculty of Forestry, GeorgeAugustUniversity, Göttingen, Germany in 1993. In that same year also, he did an ARC/INFO Übung Geographische Information system (GIS) ARC/Info, Faculty of Forestry, GeorgeAugustUniversity, Göttingen, Germany.

From 2004 to date, Mr Sillah is a Member of the Regional Coastal and Marine Conservation Programme for West Africa (PRCM) Scientific and Technical Orientation Committee (COST), as an advisory organ to the Steering Committee.

He is also the Director of Forestry, Department of Forestry. He provides overall professional, managerial and administrative leadership and guidance in the implementation of the Forestry Police objectives, Gambia Forest Management Concept and all related forestry issues. Also coordinate and monitor the implementation of Forestry Projects and the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification as National Focal Point, and member of the steering committee for the other Rio Conventions and the Multi-Environmental Agreements.

He is also a member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), member to the Agriculture & Natural Resources (ANR) Working Group on policy and technical matters concerning participatory natural resources management and decentralization.

From 1998 to date, Mr Sillah is the National Consultant on Forestry and Wildlife, including coordinating the process of establishing the National Desertification partnership building for the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification.

From July 1998 - January 2000, he served as Senior Forestry Officer in charge of Gambia -German Forestry Project (GGFP) and Natural Forest Management and Protection; Aforestation, and Community Forestry Management Projects, including Sawmilling and General Administration of all Forestry matters in Western Division.

He was also the Senior Forestry Officer in charge of Natural Forest Management and Protection; Aforestation, and Community Forestry Management Projects, including Sawmilling and General Administration of all Forestry matters in Lower River Division from January 1996 to June 1998.

From Sept. 1996 - April 1997, Sillah was a Consultant on “Trends and Status of The Gambian Mangrove Ecosystem” and Community Mangrove Management for IFAD/WB, represented by Department of State for Agriculture and Natural Resources (MANR), and «Study of the Country Biological Diversity Strategic and Action Plan«, for the Gambian Government/UUNEP/GEF.

Jan. 1995 - Aug. 1997Member of the Working Group for the formulation of The Gambia’s Forest Policy 1995-2005, Forestry Legislation 1996- 2006 and National Forestry Action Plan 2000-2010.