Gambia’s President takes over Religious Affairs
By agencies
BANJUL, Gambia - In a minor cabinet reshuffle Tuesday night, Gambian lead er Yahya Jammeh, with immediate effect, removed the portfolio of religious affairs from the Local Government Ministry and moved it to the office of the president.
The move came as a result of “the unsatisfactory arrangements for this year’s hajj flights to Mecca,” according to an announcement on Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS).
The announcement also stated that the permanent secretary in the ministry had been removed with immediate effect, adding that the action was a precedent to some further steps to be taken subsequently.
The poor pilgrimage arrangements were said to have led to a three-week delay in the return of pilgrims from the holy land.
The problem was only resolved after the president interfered by providing special flights to bring home the stranded pilgrims.
The Gambia International Airlines, which contracted a private career from Nigeria, flew a total of 1,303 Gambians to Mecca under an arrangement with Continental Airlines.
However, in what has been termed an apparent breach of contract, the airline only brought back one group of pilgrims after the end of the pilgrimage, while the last batch of Gambian pilgrims, numbering some 181 was finally flown home on Monday.