Major General Yakuba Drammeh has taken over command of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) as Chief of Defence Staff. 

He replaced Lt. Gen. Masanneh N. Kinteh who was sacked as army chief last week by President Adama Barrow. 

In a handing over ceremony on Tuesday at the Army Headquarters in Banjul Lt. Gen Kinteh lauded his achievements in the three years he has served as army chief. 

He said he had worked to transform The Gambia Armed Forces to a “highly transformed, motivated, non-political and non-tribally inclined army that is fully equipped and prepared to execute the constitutional roles and contribute to national development”.

His successor, Maj. Gen. Yakuba Drammeh, thanked him for his “outstanding” contributions to The Gambia Army. 

General Drammeh said the government had set out in 2017 ambitious target to modernise and restructure the Gambia Armed Forces to meet the needs and expectations of the Gambian people. 

“These strategy decisions are based on strong promises; to have a vibrant, effective and professional armed forces that is transparent, subordinate and accountable to civilian authority. 

“An armed forces whose actions are firmly rooted within the rule of law and other international standards. 

“In order to redeem our image, members of the Gambia armed forces must remain apolitical and professionally responsive in the discharge of the well defined constitutional mandate.”