Gambian President Adama Barrow has fired the country’s Central Bank governor Amadou Colley and two other top leaders of the institution.
No official reason has been given for the dismissals, but many are speculating that it is strongly linked to their appointment by President Barrow’s predecessor, Yahya Jammeh.
Colley told local newspapers that he was “given no explanation” for his abrupt termination.
“Each of us received a letter of termination of services yesterday and the termination is with immediate effect. No reason is given to us,” Colley said on Wednesday.
Colley was the longest serving Central Bank governor under President Jammeh during his 22-year rule. Jammeh who was a self-proclaimed “proud” dictator, had many controversies surrounding his presidency and ruled with an “iron fist”. His infamous political impasse, when he refused to accept the result of the December 2016 election, caused West African troops to enter Gambia to pressure him into conceding defeat and eventually exile.
Central Bank senior officer, Nuha Barrow, told local sources that the dismissals could be part of President Barrow’s attempts to re-establish democracy in the small Islamic republic, and to rid the government of those who previously held high positions in the Yammeh era.
Since taking office on January 19 of this year, Barrow has ordered the dismissals and arrests of numerous personnel, mainly security, intelligence and government officials.
Following the dismissal, sources close to the decision-makers have informed Anadolu Agency that Bakary Jammeh who, until this week, headed the Research Department, was appointed governor of the Central Bank.
