SAN FRANCISCO, January 17, (THEWILL) – Gambia’s Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Environment have resigned from President Yahya Jammeh’s government.
According to Gambian state television, Finance Minister, Abdou Kolley was being replaced while Foreign Minister, Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, had left the government and the country following the resignation of Communications Minister, Sheriff Bojang, and the mayor of the capital city, Banjul.
They all resigned following a declaration of a 90-day state of emergency by Jammeh in a desperate attempt to hold on to power refusing to accept his Dec. 1 defeat to opposition leader Adama Barrow.
In a television broadcast on Tuesday, Jammeh said the declaration was necessary “due to the unprecedented and extraordinary amount of foreign inference in the December 1 presidential elections and also in the internal affairs of The Gambia,”
“This had created an unwarranted hostile atmosphere, threatening the sovereignty, peace, security and stability of the country,” he added.
The development comes 24 hours to the end of his tenure.
The terms of the curfew and its implications have not been made known, but there are possibilities that it could affect the swearing-in of Barrow who is currently in Dakar, Senegal.
Jammeh’s defiance has sent the tiny West African country into crisis, causing government defections and opening up the prospect of military intervention as regional forces prepare to oust the veteran leader unless he steps down by Thursday.
