The Gambia government, in response to three damning petitions raised by Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), convened a press conference on Friday attended by cabinet ministers to clarify its position on corruption, accountability, and governance reforms.
Taking center stage was Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, who directly addressed GALA’s demands regarding the alleged $30 million petroleum scandal, updates on corruption and fraud cases, and the much-delayed findings of the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) investigations.
However, Dr. Ceesay’s comments sparked more debate than reassurance. “Let us solve our problems in discussion rooms rather than in the streets because it will be of nobody’s interest,” he said, adding that government doors remain “always open” to the public without the need for prior appointments.
The minister insisted that the government shares the same concerns as GALA and the wider citizenry, particularly when it comes to corruption and misuse of public funds. “We are all talking about the same thing and we are all concerned about the same things,” he said. “We have a commitment to fight corruption and to ensure that public finances are judiciously managed. I think that is what GALA wants. So let us engage rather than confront.”
While he framed the press conference as “a new chapter in the country’s democratic journey” based on engagement and dialogue, critics argue that Ceesay’s remarks risk discouraging civic protests, which have historically been a tool for Gambians to demand accountability.
Dr. Ceesay doubled down on his position, stressing that government would rather discuss grievances in private spaces than allow them to spill into the streets. “That will focus on solving our problems in our offices, in meeting rooms, in conference rooms rather than in the streets. I hope that we are closing that chapter now and now we are moving to engagement,” he told the gathering.
He further appealed directly to GALA, young people, and the broader citizenry, assuring them that the administration is aware of their concerns and ready to work together in resolving them. “We and citizens, particularly GALA, are not at different convergence points,” he argued.
