New central bank governors speak

Following the removal of

Amadou Colley as the governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia and his two deputy governors early this week, the leadership of the bank has been entrusted to a new breed of experts from within the bank.

Colley’s successor is Bakary Jammeh who was the deputy director and officer-in-charge of the Economic Research Department of the central bank.

The new governor, in an exclusive interview with The Point yesterday, thanked the new government for the trust and confidence bestowed on him by appointing him to head the bank.

He said he would make sure he restore trust and credibility in the bank and bring about price and financial sector stability.

“It is a challenge but collectively we will succeed,” said Governor Jammeh, who is married with three children.

Jammeh has Bachelor’s of Science in econometrics from Istanbul University, Turkey, and Master’s of Science in finance and econometrics at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.

He had attended twenty different professional courses in various areas such as macroeconomics, monetary policy, and financial sector policies at various institutions including the IMF Institute, Bundes Bank of Germany, Study Center of Swiss National Bank, and Bank of Ghana.

“I also worked for IMF from August 2014 to August 2015 as a special appointee at the African Department at Washington DC,” the new CBG governor said.  “While at IMF, I was focused on the economy of Seychelles.”

Dr Seeku Jaabi is now the first deputy governor of the central bank, succeeding Basiru Njai.  He was the deputy director of the CBG Microfinance Department.

He said a big challenge and a big trust has been bestowed on them but with all hands on the deck, the task would be easier.

Dr Jaabi joined the central bank in February 1997 and has since then served in various departments of the bank, starting with the Banking Supervision Department.

He obtained his first degree at Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone, and masters in development finance in Manchester, UK, from 2003 to 2005.

In 2011, Jaabi had his PhD at the University of Malaya, Malaysia and returned home in 2014.

He published two books, and had written 18 international journals. 

Essa A.K. Drammeh is the successor of Oumie Savage-Samba as the second deputy governor. 

He joined the bank in 1987 and has since then served in various capacities.

From 2010 until his recent promotion, he was the director of Banking Supervision Department of the bank.

Mr Drammeh obtained his AAT certificate at MDI.  He later obtained BA honours in accounting at a US university, and MBA in global banking and finance in UK.  He is a fellow of FCCA in UK. 

He had attended several short term courses in banking supervision, financial stability, money laundering and counter financing of terrorism.