Agriculture Ministry professionals being scapegoated

Fatajo, Adda Gaye and Amie Jallow

The Gambian dictator wants Gambians to forget that he's been presiding over the decline of agriculture since he seized power 20 years ago by arresting and prosecuting good and decent Gambian professionals of false charges.

The charges against the Permanent Secretary, Ms. Adda Gaye, Permanent Secretary,  Fafanding Fatajo, the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Project (FASDEP), Omar Jammeh, Financial Controller FASDEP, Dr. Abdou Ceesay, Director of Livestock Services and Foday Jadama, Deputy Director of Soil and Water Management Services range from "economic crimes"  (which is now a standard charge) to conspiracy to commit a felony.

Realizing that his Vision 2020 which was inaugurated almost twenty years ago has failed, the Gambian dictator modified his long term vision for the development of the country into a shorter version that he dubbed Vision 2016.  The new Vision promises Gambia food rice self-sufficiency in 18 months, a target considered unrealistic and unachievable even before it was formally introduced.

Yaya Jammeh has been the Minister of Agriculture for most of the 20 years he's been leading the country following his illegal seizure of power from a democratically elected government in 1994.  Yet, the near collapse of the most important sector of the Gambian economy is the fault of everyone but himself.  

To prepare the country and the international community for the failure of his targets, several senior officials of the Ministry have been facing an assorted set of accusations and frivolous charges at the specific instructions of the dictator.