he minister of Environment Rohey Manjang yesterday faced questions in the National Assembly on how and why an army officer has been appointed director general of the Department of Forestry.
Hon Sulayman Saho of Central Badibbu started the questioning.
”Can the minister explain the appointment of former lieutenant Colonel Salifu Corr?,” he asked.
In response Minister Manjang said the appointment is necessitated to instill discipline in the management of the country’s forest resources.
‘The Department of Forestry, for the past three years, has been under serious threat both for its security and sustenance. Despite having experts within the department, I have never received a single advice or proposal on how we can curb the challenges confronting the country’s forest. You should all agree with me that qualification alone is not enough. What we desire is the competence and the willingness to serve,” the minister added.
However, unsatisfied Hon Saho tensely said: “I am very disappointed with what the minister has just told us. She is telling us that that ministry and its departments should be shut down.”
Minister Manjang fired back: “I am also equally disappointed because you have sent a number of messages complaining about forestry officers who are implicated in the felling of trees. I still have our conversations on record, but that is not important.
What the Department of Forestry needs is individuals with not just qualifications but the competence to deliver.”
“If you have qualifications, you should be able to deliver results and if you don’t have qualifications but you are resourceful, I will take you,” the minister stressed.
Corr’s nationality questioned
Another NAM, Foni Kansala’s Almameh Gibba queried Mr Corr’s nationality alleging that Mr Corr recorded a video while in exile in Senegal claiming to be a Senegalese enlisted in the Gambia Army Forces.
Minister Manjang replied that she did not want to say much on that.
“However, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is the duly assigned and authorised government body to appoint, and I do not doubt that they must have done due diligence before they approved his appointment. So, I am not in a position to ascertain whether he is a Gambian or not. It is for the PSC to clarify,” the minister said.
Manjang revealed that in July 2024 the ministry prepared a concept note to justify the appointment of Mr Corr as director of the Department of Forestry and this was shared with the Head of the Civil Service and the Attorney General’s Chambers, to ensure that no law or regulation was violated.
”So on 21 February 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Salifu Corr of the Gambia Armed Forces was appointed and reassigned by the Public Service Commission to the position of Director, Department of Forestry,” she added.
Source: The Standard Newspaper
