Yankuba Manneh, the Media and Communications Officer of Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) has raised concerns about threats emanating from Barrow Media Empowerment (BME), a political media outlet designed to promoting the agenda of President Adama Barrow and his NPP political party.
The BME in its latest publication on its Facebook Page has alledged that the Former Secretary General of University of The Gambia Students Union and now spokesperson of the GPA has betrayed the trust vested on him as a public servant, thus insinuating that such public servants should be reprimanded or even dismiss for expressing their opinions on important national discourse. This is not the first time BME has framed critical views and opinions of public officials on its platform as in the case of one Ebrima L. Dampha of Gambia International Airlines (GIA), who faced similar allegations of recent and was eventual given his matching order. “The threat on my person and the position I hold at Gambia Ports Authority makes me feel particularly concerned, because there were young people in the country’s public service who faced similar threats in recent times, and were eventually either demoted or dismissed by their institutions for political expediency. I don’t really know what my fate would amidst the frequent arrests and detention of critical voices of the President and his government,” Mr. Manneh said with concern. He continues: “The BME has described me as someone who lacks trust and loyalty. That’s a blatant lie! Well, this is befuddling and rather intimidating calculated to suppress genuine Gambians from voicing out or speaking on important national issues. If it’s trust and loyalty to The Gambia and her people, Gambians know the truth of whether Yankuba Manneh or the Barrow Media Empowerment is to be trusted. BME, stop misleading the President!”. The GPA Spokesperson, emphasized that the false and fabricated publication of the BME against his personality and portfolio at the country’s only seaport is meant to tarnish his image and endanger his position, for merely condemning President Barrow’s political threats at the Niani rally, CRR North, against his political opponents and the critical voices of our land. Manneh also stated that in his Facebook page while reacting to the BME threat, he is a bona fide citizen of The Gambia who has the rights to express his personal opinions and views on important national issues as guaranteed by the constitution. “Well as a citizen, I have the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to speak up against what I deemed wrong and has the potential to soil the fragile peace and stability of the country. And that has nothing whatsoever to do with what I do as a public servant,” GPA Spokesperson stressed.
