The Gambia Bar Association (GBA) has expressed “deep concern” over the forceful removal of Auditor General Momodou Ceesay from office, describing the government’s actions as unconstitutional and troubling.

Events unfolded after a government press release on 10 September 2025 announced Mr. Ceesay’s appointment as Minister of Trade, Industry and Employment — an offer he later declined.

The following day, authorities announced the appointment of Amadou Cherno Sowe as the new Auditor General.

On 15 September, police forcibly removed Mr. Ceesay from the National Audit Office (NAO) premises.

In a statement signed by its president, Neneh MC Cham, the GBA said that since Mr. Ceesay had neither resigned nor been lawfully removed, his position as Auditor General could not have been vacant.

The association argued that the subsequent appointment of another person to the role was therefore “ill-advised” and inconsistent with the 1997 Constitution and the National Audit Office Act, 2015.

“The Office of the Auditor General is established under section 158 of the 1997 Constitution,” the GBA noted, stressing that the post carries enormous responsibility in ensuring transparency and accountability in public finance.

The association warned that the forceful extraction of Mr. Ceesay by security forces represented “the very interference” the law was designed to prevent.

While the President holds the authority to appoint the Auditor General, the GBA reminded that removal from office is strictly governed by constitutional and statutory provisions, including specific grounds and procedures.

Any action outside that framework, it said, amounts to a violation of the Constitution.

“The public must have faith and confidence in this important oversight institution to discharge its functions independently,” the statement read.

“Any action by the Executive that interferes with its independence will diminish its ability to perform its role.”

The GBA has therefore called on the government to immediately allow Mr. Ceesay to resume his duties “without delay, let or hindrance,” warning that the situation risks damaging The Gambia’s reputation in the fight against corruption and in promoting good governance.