(Friday, 6th August 2010 issue)
In a bid to give the department a facelift, the management of the forestry department is currently embarking on a massive renovation and maintenance exercise of its entire building in Banjul.
The building, which was constructed some decades ago, is now being refurbished, thanks to Mr. Abdoulie Sanneh, the Director of Forestry.
Speaking in an interview with our reporter, Director Sanneh said it was deemed necessary by his department to engage on a massive refurbishment of the whole department. For Mr. Sanneh, "developing ourselves or nation should not be left in the hands of the government alone, but instead it is a collective responsibility to ensure that we develop our country at all cost." Refurbishing the forestry department and its maintenance, Sanneh added, was his first priority to boost the moral of his department.
"It is my belief that when one holds public position, you should not wait for the government to tell you what is to be done. You should perform your responsibility perfectly as this will contribute to the development of our beloved country," he said, adding that as the Director of Forestry, he is always concern for the welfare of his staff.
"Every patriotic Gambian should know what is good for the country. Since my appointment as forestry director, the first thing I did was to look around my staff and the country," Sanneh said.
Sanneh expressed disappointment over the working condition of the department when he first assumed office, saying that one should always be willing to deliver when a responsibility is given to you.
"We should not even sit and wait to be told of what we should do for the development of this country, because this country belongs to all of us," Sanneh said.
According to Sanneh, he will do everything possible to ensure that his staff have good working condition. He commended the government for the importance attaches to the department and the development of the country, in particular.
He urged his staff to be hard working, noting that all what is needed is to move from commitment to action. As he put it, is one of the ways towards ensuring national development.
He further assured the public that with the support his department continues to receive from the government, they will live up to expectations.
For his part, Hatab Camara, a staff of the forestry department commended the Director of Forestry for taking up the initiative, describing the refurbishment and maintenance of the forestry department as a step in the right direction. He noted that his department which was constructed many years ago is in terrible condition. "Thanks to the intervention of the current Director Abdoulie Sanneh, there are major improvements, which is a sign of motivation and encouragement," he said.
According to Mr. Camara, the current Director has shown a high sense of commitment and dedication towards national development. He said all the forestry staff in the department are very much impressed about the rightful steps the Director has taken, which he noted, is geared towards boosting the moral of the department.
Also speaking to our reporter, Mamadou L Njie, also a staff of the forestry department commended Director Sanneh for what he described as a major boost to the department, noting that with the current Director, the department will grow beyond expectation.
