By Haddy Touray
Bakary Sanyang, Ombudsman of The Gambia has confirmed that his office has summoned the Managing Director of Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Nfansu Bojang on matter relative to the failure of the management to act on the recommendation presented to GCAA management to rescind the promotion of staff as well to promote two other staff who were unjustly neglected for promotion.
The Ombudsman made this disclosure to this medium on Tuesday 26th November, 2024, where he said the Managing Director of GCAA was not able to attend the meeting but has delegated his deputy managing director to sit on his behalf.
The Ombudsman also disclosed that the reason for summoning the managing director of GCAA is to probe into reasons why the authority failed to act on recommendations sent to them relative matters concerning staff petition, adding that his office has concluded investigations into the matter which was communication to all parties involved but to date the recommendation have not been implemented.
He said the Office of the Ombudsman will not leave any stone unturn as far as the matter is concen, noting that his office will continue to engage the GCAA to ensuring that the recommendations forwarded to the avaition authority are treated with due diligence.
When contacted to shedlight on his summon by office of the Ombudsman, Nfansu Bojang, Managing Director of GCAA disclosed that he is not aware of any summoning issued by the office of the ombudsman but failed to respond further on why GCAA failed to implement the recommendations to rescind and promote staff who alledged unfair treatment.
It could be recalled that the Office of the Ombudsman has earlier called on the management of the Gambia Civil Avaition Authority (GCAA) to immediately rescind the promotion of one Ansumana Jammeh former Senior AVSEC officer, Grade E to the position of AVSEC Coordinator Grade D and Isatou Jarju former Aviation Security (AVSEC) Guard, Grade G to the position of Senior AVSEC officer, Grade E.
The Ombudsman also recommended GCAA to effect the promotion of one Bakary Sanneh and Kebba Y. Jammeh to the position of Aviation Security Coordinator and Aviation Senior Security Officer respectively in accordance with GCAA service rules and schemes of service as recommended by the Authority’s Human Resources Department.
This development comes on the heels of a petition filed by Bakary Sanneh, Senior AVSEC Administration officer, Grade E and Kebba Y. Jammeh, AVSEC Administration officer Grade F to the office of the Ombudsman lodging complaints of unfair treatments regarding recent promotions effected at the GCAA.
The Ombudsman Office also highlighted that the Ansumana Jammeh who has been newly appointed to the position of AVSEC Coordinator lacks the qualifications for such a post that requires a Bachelor’s degree holder, revealing that the highest qualification for Isatou Jarjue who have also been promoted Senior AVSEC Administration officer is a secondary school certificate holder which is below the diploma holder’s requirement.
According to the report, on 29th September, 2022, the Director Airport Operations Mr. Abdoulie Colley, cancelled the recommendations for the promotion of Bakary Sanneh, Kebba Y. Jammeh and Isatou Jarju without advancing any reason for the cancellation, adding that it was the same day that the Director of Airport Operations recommended the promotion of Ansumana Jammeh to the position of AVSEC Coordinator and Isatou Jarju to the promotion of Senior AVSEC Administration officer without follow the due process.
The Ombudsman Office also uncovered that the personal files of both Ansumana Jammeh and Isatou Jarju revealed that the duo lacks the academic qualifications to be appointed to the position of AVSEC Coordinator and Senior AVSEC Administration officer, noting that their personal files have not shown acquisition of any higher or professional certificate or a statisfactory appraisal that matches the prerequisite qualifications for the position of AVSEC Coordinator and Senior AVSEC officer as outlined in the Authority’s Scheme of Service (SoS).
“Apart from the on-the-job training on Avaition related courses, Ansumana Jammeh’s personal file has not shown the level of education that he attained. Istaou Jarju’s personal file shows that her highest level of education attained is Secondary School as seen in a testimonial from Fatima Senior Secondary School dated 18th June, 1999,” Ombudsman investigations revealed.
It added: “Investigations further discovered that the Complainants had on numerous occasions sought redress on their complaints as in reference to the internal memo dated 24th October, 2022. The failure of the management to respond to the Complainants’ petition contravene section 12, rule 1201 of the GCAA’s service rules.”
The Ombudsman Office therefore called on the management of the GCAA to immediately rescind the promotion of Ansumana Jammeh and Isatou Jarju, while calling for the promotion of Bakary Sanneh and Kebba Y. Jammeh who have been unfairly treated by the authorities of the GCAA.
