Africa-Press – Gambia. Fatoumatta Touma Njai, the National Assembly Member for Banjul South, has taken aim at Information Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, accusing him of political inconsistency and self-interest for joining the government of President Adama Barrow—whom he had previously criticized as unfit to lead the country.
Speaking during an interview with West Radio, Hon. Njai questioned the sincerity of Dr. Ceesay’s earlier statements about President Barrow and suggested that his recent political alignment contradicts his former convictions.
“Dr. Ceesay stood once and said that the president was not the right person for this country, and when he said it, he meant it, because he said it with conviction, he said from the bottom of his heart,” she asserted.
Hon. Njai revealed that she often sends Dr. Ceesay reminders of his past public statements.
“Every time Dr Ceesay says something in the media, I will send it to his WhatsApp to remind him that we are watching, to remind him of where he came from,” she said.
She went on to criticize Dr. Ceesay for allegedly enjoying the perks of office while ordinary Gambians continue to struggle.
“Now he earns, now he is paid, now he is given all that security, now he is given all those big cars to drive, now he is given everything that he desired—not what the Gambia is seeking, but what he personally is benefiting from,” she said.
While acknowledging that many Gambians would accept ministerial positions if offered, Hon. Njai emphasized the importance of serving with integrity and a clear conscience.
“With all due respect, if I was given a ministerial position because we are all Gambians as a Gambian, if you are offered a ministerial position you will take it, of course. But you work with your conviction, you work with your conscience,” She Said.
Hon. Njai said she had hoped Dr. Ceesay would bring reform to the cabinet, especially in his role as Minister of Information, a position she described as the “voice of the cabinet. “I was expecting Dr. Ismaila Ceesay to take the ministerial position and try to change the mentality of how cabinet is run. The minister of information is the voice of the cabinet,” she said.
Drawing on her own experience, she noted that while a single National Assembly Member cannot singlehandedly change parliamentary outcomes, they can still make their voice count.
“I am one out of 53 elected members of parliament; I cannot change anything in parliament with one vote, but my voice will be heard because my voice represents who I am,” she said.
She added that, “Even if it’s just myself that is going to vote against it, I will still vote against it, knowing that my vote will not change anything, but I will vote with my conscience.”
She concluded by reaffirming her belief in conscience as a guiding principle in public service.“When I lose my conscience, I will have lost everything; I can lose anything in this world, even the dress I am wearing, and walk naked. But if I walk with my conscience, I will be walking,” she said.
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