By: Fatou Krubally
Former Secretary to Cabinet, Mr. Ebrima Ceesay, has told the special select committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission that the Cabinet formally requested a halt on tractor sales.
During his reappearance on Thursday, Mr. Ceesay detailed the sequence of events surrounding the Cabinet’s request, emphasizing that it was issued through official channels rather than as a direct order from the President. He said the Cabinet had instructed the Minister of Justice to engage the Commission to determine the feasibility of halting the sales, which were set to take place shortly after the initial Cabinet discussions.
According to Mr. Ceesay, after the Minister of Justice reportedly interfaced with the Commission, he reported back to the President in the presence of the Secretary General to the Cabinet. Following that meeting, the Secretary-General instructed Mr. Ceesay to contact the Secretary of the Commission directly to relay the Cabinet’s request to halt the tractor auctions.
Mr. Ceesay described the process as unusual, noting that while it is normal for ministers to act as the link between independent commissions and the government, he and the Secretary-General were asked to make repeated calls to the Secretary using official lines. When telephone contact failed, Mr. Ceesay was instructed to go to the Ministry of State for Agriculture (MSA) site to deliver the message in person.
He clarified that the Cabinet’s request was advisory and meant to explore whether halting the sales was feasible, rather than an absolute directive. Despite these efforts, the Commission continued with the auctions as scheduled. Mr. Ceesay noted that this outcome was not a matter of defiance but reflected the Commission’s independent operational mandate.
The witness further explained that his role was limited to relaying instructions, and he was not privy to all discussions between the Minister of Justice and the Commission. He said that the chain of communication from Cabinet to the Minister of Justice, and from the Minister to the President and Secretary-General illustrated the formal procedure followed by the executive branch, even if it did not result in the suspension of the tractor sales.
Mr. Ceesay’s testimony highlighted the complexities of governance and the interaction between Cabinet decisions and independent commissions, shedding light on the challenges faced by the executive in influencing Commission operations without overstepping legal boundaries.
The committee is expected to continue with further inquiries into the asset disposal process, including the legal framework that governs interactions between government ministries and transitional commissions.