Speaking on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on West Coast Radio, Information Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay said the ministry acted within its mandate after allegations surfaced claiming the NPP had offered Talib Ahmed Bensouda the positions of Vice President and Minister for Trade.
“We did what we are supposed to do as a ministry.”
He explained that the ministry has a duty to defend and protect the integrity of the presidency, which he described as the highest institution of the land.
The controversy followed an NPP statement rejecting claims that its Secretary General and Party Leader had offered Kanifing Municipal Council Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda the positions of Vice President and Minister for Trade. The allegations were made in an interview by Kemo Bojang. The NPP categorically denied any negotiations or job offers and stated that no one had been authorised since 2021 to negotiate on matters relating to the vice presidency.
Dr. Ceesay argued that because the claims touched directly on the presidency, the ministry was right to amplify the rebuttal.
“Any statement that brings the presidency into disrepute, making allegations that are false, it is our job to either release a statement to rebut it or amplify whoever does that,” he said.
He acknowledged that some critics see the move as blurring the line between party and government. But he described the relationship as fluid, noting that while there is total separation between the state and political parties, the link between a governing party and its government cannot be entirely severed.
“It’s an NPP government. If the government underperforms, the NPP is punished, adding that previous partisan statements by the party had never been shared by the ministry because they were purely political.”
On opposition reactions, Dr. Ceesay dismissed the allegations as false and said such claims risk undermining the integrity of the presidency, not the electoral process. He maintained that the Independent Electoral Commission is an independent institution whose integrity should not be questioned.
Turning to development, the minister said the government remains focused on delivery. He pointed to 90 percent nationwide electricity access following the recent connection of 719 communities to the national grid, with 200 more to be commissioned. He said the target is universal access before the end of 2026.
Dr. Ceesay also highlighted road construction, expanded water supply, school and university projects, women’s empowerment initiatives and investments in youth opportunities. On passports, he said biometric passports are being issued without difficulty, while machine-readable passports are mainly for Gambians abroad. He acknowledged past challenges with national ID cards but said a build-operate-transfer agreement with a Ghanaian company would soon resolve the issue, with valid existing cards to be replaced at no cost.
Dr. Ceesay said Gambians want stability and continuity. “What the President is doing is delivering,” he said, arguing that anything else would amount to disruption.
Read Other Articles In Headlines
