Gambian Govt spokesman says he is not 'too small' to receive protesters' petition
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) – Ebrima Sankareh, Gambia government’s spokesman, on Tuesday dismissed claims that his office was “too small to receive the petition” from protesters pressing for President Adama Barrow to step down in fulfillment of his election promise.
“I am not too small to receive the petition. As a spokesman for the government, I was sworn into office and my position was almost equal to the position of a permanent secretary or a judge,” Mr. Sankareh argued.
Thousands of protesting Gambians under the banner of a self-styled protest group “Three Years Jotna”, a local phrase meaning “ the three years is up”, is calling for President Barrow’s resignation in fulfillment of his election promise not to serve more than three years in office as a coalition leader.
The protesters waving banners and placards marched from Sting Corner to Denton Bridge along Banjul-Serre Kunda Highway.
Some Gambians abroad flew into the tiny West African country to witness the protest march, which kick-started a process of what the masterminds of the action call a possible final push to remove Barrow from power.
By 2.00 pm local time in Banjul, the government sent Mr. Sankareh to receive the petition sealed in an envelope on behalf of President Barrow and his government but some insisted that the petition should have been handed over to someone above Sankareh’s office.
Some protesters argued that a more senior government officer like a minister or President Barrow himself should have collected the petition and that the government spokesman was “too small” to collect the petition.
According to Sankareh, the presidency having seen in him respect, diplomatic skills and tact decided to send him to receive the petition.
He said he was proud about that despite the hostile reception he received from some of the protesters who, he said, were shouting insults at him, and expression of hate.
However, these according to Sankareh, serve as a “fertilizer” for him when it comes to serving the Gambia and they would never deter him.
-0- PANA MLJ/MA 17Dec2019
