By D. A. Jawo

Banjul, The Gambia--The recent confusion regarding the transfer and subsequent rescinding of some ministerial portfolios, together with the spate of sackings and re-instatements of civil servants, is no doubt another manifestation of the amateurism in the way and manner The Gambia is being governed.

Yaya Toney Daba Ibilis Jammeh

The episode is another clear indication that the country is being governed not by a team that makes collective and thoroughly discussed decisions before appropriate action is taken, but instead it is a one-man show in which President Yahya Jammeh alone takes all the decisions. Indeed some of the decisions are so amateurish that one would tend to assume that he sometimes dreams of something while asleep at night and in the morning he orders for its implementation without any discussions at cabinet level.

Obviously, if indeed the government was being run as a team with collective decisions and responsibilities, some of the embarrassments that we frequently witness would never have taken place. For instance, the very fact that the government would announce the re-assignment of some ministerial portfolios one day and rescind that two days later, clearly shows the amateurism involved in the system.

Also, the frequent rash sackings of public service employees and their subsequent re-instatement or recycling into the system a few days later, also shows the unacceptable level of amateurism that pervades the entire governance system.

It seems that President Jammeh alone takes all decisions affecting almost every level of governance; from the executive level, to the judiciary and legislative levels. We have seen for instance how he has assumed the absolute power to appoint and sack virtually the heads of all tiers of governance, including the Chief Justice and all judges, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission and even Members of Parliament. For instance, he has the sole power to choose who becomes Speaker of the National Assembly through whom he tightly controls what goes on in the Legislature.

Meanwhile, the decision to postpone the celebrations of the International Women’s Day on March 8 to May, is no doubt another indication of the lack of regard and respect for the rights of Gambian women. If the international community sets March 8 as the day to honour women, it is hard to see why the government should assume the right to postpone the occasion, no doubt without even consulting the women, to whom the day belongs.

It is therefore, quite likely that the postponement of the celebrations to May is to make it coincide with President Jammeh’s birthday celebrations, thus giving him rather than the women the centre-stage. Therefore, this situation is quite incompatible with the international theme of the day; "Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities and Progress for All." Under the circumstances, the Gambian women cannot be said to be enjoying any of these virtues.

What is therefore likely to happen in May is that the women will be organized to march in honour of President Jammeh’s birthday, and renew their allegiance to him, thus making the celebrations lose any significance as far as the women are concerned.

This is indeed quite unfair because the day belongs to the women and not to President Jammeh or anyone else. It is however a shame that Gambian women are ready to accept the high-jacking of the day allocated to them by the international community.

With what goes on in The Gambia, it is hard to see the noise that the government and its sycophants are making about women’s empowerment. There is certainly no such a thing in the country. Having a woman vice president and a few women ministers, all of whom are just like mere puppets, is certainly not synonymous with empowerment.

Therefore, Gambian women can only claim to be empowered when they can decide on their own when and how to celebrate events like the International Women’s Day, without being required to use the occasion to demonstrate their loyalty and allegiance to the Head of state.