Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, the minister of information, has criticised rights activist Madi Jobarteh, accusing him of using his activism as a platform to advance his own political agenda.

Speaking on Coffee Time, Dr. Ceesay took aim at Jobarteh, claiming that the activist, in his quest for political influence, has become increasingly “bitter and disillusioned”.

He described Jobarteh as suffering from “a dual syndrome of idleness and bitterness” and accused him of focusing exclusively on attacking the presidency rather than pursuing genuine human rights causes.

“Madi should stop hiding behind activism to score political points,” Dr. Ceesay said, adding “If he wants to engage in politics, he should come forward and transform his organisation into a political party. Let him join the political landscape and show us his true intentions.”

Dr. Ceesay’s remarks came in response to Jobarteh’s continued criticism of the current administration.

He specifically pointed out what he saw as a selective approach to activism by Jobarteh, who, according to him, avoids addressing key issues such as local government corruption.

“He has never written about the revelations at the local government commission, nor has he commented on the exposure of local councils under the United Democratic Party (UDP) leadership,” Dr. Ceesay noted. “His focus seems to be solely on attacking the president. That’s not activism — that’s politics.”

The simmering tension between the government and Jobarteh has been evident for some time. Jobarteh, a vocal advocate for human rights and democratic governance, has regularly called for greater accountability and transparency within the government.

He has also been critical of President Adama Barrow’s administration, particularly its handling of corruption and human rights issues.

Critics of Dr. Ceesay’s remarks argue that his comments are an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of civil society activism, framing Jobarteh’s criticism as politically motivated rather than rooted in genuine concern for the people of The Gambia.

Jobarteh has not yet publicly responded to Dr. Ceesay’s accusations, but his supporters are likely to see the remarks as an attempt to silence dissent and deflect attention from the administration’s shortcomings.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba