President Adama Barrow has spoken for the first since parting ways with his political godfather and former vice president, Ousainou Darboe and defended his reason for sacking him.

Barrow, who on Thursday chaired the swearing in ceremony of the new vice president of The Gambia, Dr Isatou Touray, four ministers and four permanent secretaries, said he sacked Darboe and two other senior cabinet ministers to establish order in the country’s governance system.

“As leaders, we ought to be considerate and compassionate, but we must be realistic and firm in ensuring that justice is done in the interest of the nation. It is this principle that has given rise to the Cabinet reshuffle resulting in the new appointments that have just been confirmed. The lesson is that, sometimes, difficult decisions have to be taken to set things right. This is necessary occasionally to establish order in our governance system.

“It is a betrayal of trust to belong to a group, yet openly or secretly oppose its ideals, objectives, values, agenda and what it stands for. In other words, one cannot operate in Cabinet, or within a government system, and seek to undermine it in order to pursue any other interest.

“The best citizens in a nation are the genuine patriots who serve selflessly and put the nation and the greater good before any selfish interest. Such good citizens are not moved by greed or any undesirable pursuit.”

President Barrow on March 15 sacked Ousainou Darboe as vice president and appointed Health Minister, Dr Isatou Touray, to the post. The four new ministers are Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh (Minister of Health), Amie Fabureh (Minister of Agriculture), Lamin Jobe (Minister of Trade) and Fatou Kinteh (Minister of Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare).

In his role as vice president, Ousainou Darboe was accused to have been more interested in pushing his party’s agenda than supporting President Barrow’s government. It was also no secret than Darboe harbours presidential ambitions.