By Aminata Kuyateh
Gambia Ferry Service general manager Fabakary Manka has been speaking on Eye-Africa TV about the circumstances surrounding the confrontation involving First Lady Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow and Ebrima Dibba of the opposition Unite, at the Banjul Ferry Terminal last Saturday.
According to Manaka, a breach of established ferry protocols by the chief security manager Lamin Bojang contributed to the incident.
He said by protocol, convoys of the president, vice president and First Lady are accorded priority when they are scheduled to cross.
He said on this particular day, he contacted Chief Security Manager Lamin Bojang instructing him that normal ferry operations should continue until when the First Lady and her entourage arrived, adding that from that point, vehicles were expected to be cleared from the terminal to facilitate their boarding.
According to Manka, he subsequently followed up with this instruction to the officials as the First Lady’s convoy arrived at the terminal.
However, he alleged that the chief security manager insisted on allowing Dibba’s vehicle into the terminal.
Manka said he later received a call from the First Lady informing him that his officers were engaged in a physical confrontation with Ebrima Dibba and when he contacted the chief security manager for an explanation, he was told that Dibba had an issue with the First Lady.
But according to Manka, the First Lady later called again and asked that Dibba be allowed to board the ferry.
However his explanation on Kerr Fatou, chief security Bojang had said Dibba’s car in no way obstructed the First Lady’s convoy as it was parked away from them. He said there is no policy that says opposition party convoys should be treated differently.
Chief security manager sent home
Asked to explain the decision to send home the chief security manager until his return from a tour, Manka said Bojang had violated his instructions to clear the terminal
“Had he followed the instructions, the confrontation would not have occurred. He has not been sacked but was only told to stay home until my return from an official tour,” he said.
Manka added that even the First Lady had advised him not to dismiss Bojang.
“But in any case he would have to face the Ferry Service board over the incident,” Manka said.