President Adama Barrow’s has effected radical change at the heart of government with several redeployments of senior civil servants. 

The government says the big shake-up is 

“consistent with its philosophy of fostering growth and promoting rapid and efficient delivery of resources within all sectors of governance.”

A press release from The Gambia government said: 

“The Gambia Government acting on Executive advisory, has effected major changes within the Civil Service. 

“This involves the appointment of a Deputy Secretary General, the redeployment of nine (9) Permanent Secretaries and the reassignment of four (4) Directors, two of whom are redeployed to the Foreign Service. 

“Accordingly, Mrs. Salimatta E.T. Touray, Permanent Secretary at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been elevated to the position of Deputy Secretary General, Office of The President. A career diplomat, with extensive diplomatic experience spanning two decades. 

“Mrs. Touray began her Foreign Service career as Cadet Administrative Officer in 1993 and rose through the ranks, becoming Acting Deputy Head of Mission & Chancery at the Gambian Embassy in Brussels. 

“She would later return to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Deputy Permanent Secretary, before being appointed Permanent Secretary. Between 2010 and 2012, Mrs. Touray worked for the UNDP Gambia Country Office as National Project Coordinator for The Gambia Priority Employment Project (Gamjobs). 

“A former translator and schoolteacher, Salimatta Touray attended Saint Joseph’s and Saint Augustine’s High Schools and holds, B.A. and Master’s degrees in French with specialties in Languages and Literature from the Université de Franche Comté, Besançon, France.   

“The rest of the redeployments are: 

Mr. Lamin Dampha, Permanent Secretary at The Trade & Employment Ministry moves to the Ministry of Health as PS No. 2

Momodou Mbye Jabang, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, moves to the Office of The President. 

Assan Jallow, Permanent Secretary at Youth & Sports moves to The Trade and Employment Ministry. 

Ebrima Sisawo, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education moves to the Agriculture Ministry. 

Saikou Sanyang, Permanent Secretary at Environment & Forestry moves to the Youth & Sports Ministry. 

Muntaga Sallah, Permanent Secretary Office of The President moves to the Environment Ministry. 

Louis Moses Mendy, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Interior Ministry, has been elevated to Permanent Secretary Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. 

Saffie Sankareh, Permanent Secretary at Health, moves to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as PS. 

“In a related development, Mr. Alhagi Nyangado, Director General of Strategic Policy & Delivery at the President’s Office is designated as Gambia’s new Ambassador to Russia. 

“Muhammed Manjang, Director General of the Social Security & Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) moves to the Senegalo-Gambian Permanent Secretariat as its Executive Secretary. 

“Meanwhile, Mr Saloum Malang, a long-serving Deputy Director General of The Gambia International Aviation has been elevated to the position of Director General of The Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA). 

“He replaces Mr Abdoulie Tambadou who is the new Managing Director of SSHFC. 

“With these redeployments and new assignments, Government envisages a more productive and efficient Civil Service administration which is the bedrock of our development aspirations anchored in the National Development Plan. 

“The Gambia Government therefore, urges all public and civil servants to support this initiative for the achievement of our development aspirations.”