Gambia’s Foreign Minister, Neneh MacDouall-Gaye has resigned from her position just as President Yahya Jammeh has insisted on staying in power two days to the end of his tenure.

MacDouall-Gaye on Monday said she cannot perform her duties effectively any longer under “the prevailing circumstances.”

“This letter serves as a formal notice of my resignation as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia,” Mrs. MacDouall-Gaye wrote.

“After due deliberation, I am of the conviction that under the prevailing circumstances I cannot effectively serve as foreign minister,” she added.

She prayed to Allah that the country’s political “impasse be resolved peacefully to the pride of The Gambia nation.”

The foreign minister’s resignation comes barely a week after Gambia’s information minister, Sheriff Bojang, resigned and fled the country.

MacDouall-Gaye was one of Jammeh’s most trusted allies who had served under various capacities in his government.

There are unconfirmed reports that the country’s minister of finance and economic affairs, Addou kolley, minister of trade, industry and employment, Abdou Jobe, minister of Environment, Ousman Jarju, may have also resigned from the government.

Jammeh had vowed not to relinquish power as the inauguration of President-elect draws closer on Thursday. </s> Gambia’s Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Environment have resigned from President Yahya Jammeh’s government, according to report on Tuesday.

They all resigned as regional forces prepare to oust the veteran leader unless he steps down by Thursday.

The surprise loss was seen as a boost to democracy in the former British colony, which has had only two presidents since it gained independence in 1965.

But Jammeh’s defiance has sent the tiny West African country into crisis, causing government defections and opening up the prospect of military intervention by other countries in the region.

A senior Nigerian military source said Nigeria and other West African nations were prepared to intervene militarily to remove him if he remains in office after Wednesday, when his presidential mandate runs out.

“The chiefs of defence staff of West African countries met on Monday to discuss strategies on the best way to get Yahya Jammeh out if he refuses to hand over power,’’ said the Nigerian source, who declined to be identified.

“Some West African countries will be contributing troops, including Nigeria, for the operation,’’ said the source, adding that the United Nations and African Union had offered support to regional body ECOWAS for the plan.

According to Gambian state television on late Monday, Finance Minister Abdou Kolley was being replaced.

Ministry sources said other government leaders including Foreign Minister Neneh Macdouall-Gaye had left the government and the country.

Their departures follow the resignation of communications minister Sheriff Bojang last week.

The mayor of the capital Banjul has also resigned, according to sources at the city council.

This post was syndicated from Nigerian News from Leadership News. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook </s> Gambia’s tourism and culture minister on Tuesday said he will step down, in what was a sign of dwindling support for Gambia’s outgoing president Yahya Jammeh, who refuses to recognise his loss in a recent election. Benjamin Roberts is the sixth member in the incumbent president’s cabinet to resign in less than 48 hours, following the ministers of trade, foreign affairs, finance, environment and sport. Observers believe the resignations showed that Jammeh, who ruled Gambia for 22 years with an iron fist, is increasingly politically isolated.

This post was syndicated from The NEWS. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook </s> Four more cabinet ministers in Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s government have defected, a source close to the regime told AFP on Tuesday, as citizens stream out of the country in fear of unrest.

With two days left of his mandate, Jammeh has caused a political crisis by refusing to step aside and allow president-elect Adama Barrow to take power following his December 1 election victory.

Foreign minister Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, finance minister Abdou Kolley, trade minister Abdou Jobe and tourism minister Benjamin Roberts had all resigned, the source said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons.

Roberts was appointed to replace Kolley on Monday, meaning he spent less than 24 hours in the new post, local media said.

The latest resignations came after the high-profile defection last week of information minister Sheriff Bojang, who is now sheltering in neighbouring Senegal.

Meanwhile, citizens packed their bags and streamed out of Banjul by road and ferry for Senegal, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, taking as many possessions as they could carry.

One traveller told AFP that those arriving at 10am would have to wait until the following day to board a ferry at Banjul port to cross the river headed for Senegal, unless they bribed officials, due to huge numbers exiting the city.

The UN’s refugee agency has said several thousand Gambians have crossed the border in the last few weeks to shelter with extended family while they await January 19, when Jammeh is due to hand over power.

Barrow is in Senegal, where he plans to remain until the inauguration on Thursday.

The spectre of a military intervention in The Gambia has arisen in recent days following declarations by the United Nations and African Union that boots on the ground could get the green light without a rapid resolution to the crisis.

Fears of conflict were ramped up in Banjul following the weekend arrest of soldiers suspected of being sympathetic to Barrow, underlining significant disagreement within the armed forces over whom they will support come Thursday.

“Captain Babucarr Bah and some junior officers close to him were arrested on Sunday night at the Fajara barracks by members of the Republican Guards,” a security source told AFP, adding they were still being held at the headquarters of the feared National Intelligence Agency.

Republican guard commanders personally protect Jammeh and are picked for their loyalty.

Bah had told the guards that the army should be loyal to the state and Gambian people, the security source added, when the elite troops came to solicit support for the president just days ago.

Elsewhere Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hit out at Jammeh for broadcasting a conversation they held by phone on Sunday on Gambian television without her knowledge.

“Unfortunately, being the person that he is, Jammeh recorded and televised their conversation without advising her of his intent to do so,” a statement from the Liberian presidency said.

Sirleaf was then quoted as saying that as of Monday “there is no change in ECOWAS position. The Constitution of The Gambia must be respected.”

The 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) has repeatedly called on Jammeh to respect the result of the vote and leave after 22 years in power.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Sirleaf and Ghana’s ex-president John Mahama have appealed to Jammeh to step down twice in person, without success, most recently on Friday.

Jammeh has lodged a challenge to the election result with The Gambia’s Supreme Court and last week filed a fresh injunction to prevent the chief justice from swearing Barrow into office.

But on Monday, Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle said he could not hear the new case, dealing a blow to Jammeh’s efforts to halt Thursday’s inauguration.

In Rabat, it was reported that Morocco had offered Jammeh asylum for accepting the election defeat and stepping down “in return for a golden retirement”, but Banjul sources were reluctant to confirm the offer.
Four Cabinet of the Gambia members resign, including Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Abdou Kolley, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, Minister of Trade, Abdou Jobe, and Minister of Environment Pa Ousman Jarju.