By Sainey Darboe, Editor-in-Chief:
The State House of The Gambia has been the setting of block-buster dramatic episodes worthy of Hollywood, as government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh and Ebrima Sillah duke it out for stewardship of the Information Ministry.
It’s not a secret the two have endured an awkward working relationship since the appointment of American-educated Ebrima Sankareh in a role that constitutes the core responsibility of the minister of information.
It seems the toxic work situation has metastasized to a point spokesman Ebrima Sankareh has been talking to journalists about the unfolding drama that has left the information minister nurturing concerns about job security.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Kerr Fatou, host of Menbekering show Pa Modou Bojang recalled:
“I was told by Ebrima Sankareh that the information minister Ebrima Sillah is insecure and jealous of him because he thinks he is gunning for his job as minister of information.They even had an argument in my studio over a question I posed about Gamtel.They fought over who should answer the question”.
A source close to the president who spoke on condition of anonymity told Gunjuronline the appointment of Ebrima Sankareh to complement the information minister was necessary because the latter lacked the intellectual chops to speak and write coherently on the president’s policy agenda.
“Ebrima Sillah was appointed as information minister because he was a renowned journalist for BBC but he is an intellectual wasteland. He can barely speak in a language worthy of a minister and struggles to put together press releases. Ebrima Sankareh is doing the grunt work and the minister is getting sidelined.The president doesn’t trust him due to his past UDP ties despite his efforts to distance himself from the opposition party”, added the source.