Dr Ismaila Ceesay, information minister, has criticised lawyer Essa Faal over his criticism of the Barrow government, warning that Gambians would be making a grave mistake by voting Faal in power.

Lawyer Faal last week ripped into the Barrow government, which he accused of corruption, while urging Gambians not to reelect Barrow in 2026.

In response to Faal’s criticism, Dr Ceesay fired back, describing him as someone who doesn’t understand how governance works.

“I listened to Essa Faal yesterday, and I’m very disappointed that someone who aspires to become the president of the country would misinform the public. Most of the statements he made here were misinformation. I will address the 19 million dalasis he claimed the Speaker receives every five years, which is false. The Speaker receives nothing more than 17 million dalasis, including taxes

According to Dr Ceesay, a former opposition leader turned pro-government spokesman, Faal was receiving 1.5 million dalasis every year as the lead counsel of TRRC while his driver and security guard were each 5,000 dalasis.

“So, why didn’t he complain at that time and say, ‘Let me share my salary with those people?’ We need to understand that the office of the president cannot be belittled; he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.”

“When it comes to dishonesty…I mean Essa himself when he was at the TRRC, was receiving taxpayers’ money while campaigning. He had an agenda to become president, and he was using the platform that was given to him by the government to do his political campaign.

“That’s why he didn’t even complete the job. Also, he doesn’t understand governance when I hear him speak. He’s a man Gambians will be in grave danger in giving him the keys to the state house. Someone who doesn’t understand how governance works and he doesn’t understand how elections work,” he added.

By Adama Makasuba