Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has removed the word ‘Islamic’, which had been added by Jammeh in 2015, from the country’s official name.
Barrow, in contrast, insisted the country — whose population is 90 percent Muslim, with the rest Christian and animist — was a republic, “not the Islamic republic”.
Civil servants would likely return to a five-day work week, breaking with Jammeh’s rule that Friday was a day off in line with his Islamic republic rules.
“My government is going to look at every avenue and there will be a complete overhaul of the system,” Barrow said, speaking at his first press conference since arriving back from Senegal on Thursday.
The president promised his cabinet would be named early next week so that he could “get the ball rolling”, adding he would receive the first comprehensive information about the state of the nation’s finances also on Monday or Tuesday.
Jammeh has been accused by a Barrow aide of taking $11 million from the state coffers before leaving for exile in Equatorial Guinea, and diplomats have said the country was already in a precarious financial state.
Barrow’s first cabinet pick, Vice President Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, has caused controversy as she is allegedly too old to serve, according to current constitutional rules.
Asked about reform of The Gambia’s army, whose poor reputation is partly responsible for the presence of 4,000 west African troops to guarantee Barrow and the population’s safety, the president said he expected foreign nations to provide help.
“In the army, if we need technical aid, we will contact countries that are willing to help us,” he said.
Controversial army chief Ousman Badjie would however keep his job, he said.
There was “no time set” for the west African force to leave, Barrow added.
(AFP)
The post Adama Barrow Removes ‘Islamic’ From Gambia’s Official Name appeared first on LATEST NIGERIAN NEWS BREAKING HEADLINES NEWSPAPERS.
from LATEST NIGERIAN NEWS BREAKING HEADLINES NEWSPAPERS http://ift.tt/2kEw2B0
via IFTTT
