Position: MINISTER OF HEALTH

Name: Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh

DOB: 30TH March 1972

Place of birth: Jali Village, Kiang West, Lower River Region

Education: Dr Samateh has the following qualifications:

o          Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

o          Masters in Health Planning and Management (MHPM)

o          Fellowship of the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS)

Work Experience: Dr Samateh has maintained his position as Minister Health, a position he served from 2019 to 2022.

He has worked at the Edward Francis Small Teaching hospital from 2002 till date. He served as senior Consultant General Surgeon and Head of Department of Surgery. He was also Senior lecturer in Surgery at The University of The Gambia Medical School.

Dr Samateh served as Chief Medical Director of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.

In addition, he serves as a member of many professional bodies including The Gambia Medical and Dental Council, The Gambia Government and Medical Research Council Joint Ethical Committee.

He is married and has children.

Position: MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

Name: Dr Demba Sabally

DOB:

Place of Birth:

Education: Dr Sabally is a graduate of Doctor of Medicine from the American International University.  He started his education in The Gambia College School of Nursing and Midwifery in 1995 and the RVH Anaesthesia Training Programme in 1999 with a CRNA qualification.   He has been certified in various health institutions by the Authorities in Philadelphia and State of Wisconsin as a Registered Nurse.

Work Experience: He work at the Royal Victoria Hospital in The Gambia from 1996 to 2000.   IN 2003 to 2009, he worked at the St Mary’s Hospital (USA).   From 2009 to 2021, Dr Sabally was the proprietor and CEO of Welfare Drug Store.   In 2016, Dr Sabally ventured into politics and became a member a National Chairman  and Senior Adviser of the Gambia Democratic Congress until December 20220 when he joined the National People’s Party as Political Council Member and Second Deputy National President of the party.  

Position: ATTORNEY GENERAL AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE

Name: Hon. Dawda A. Jallow

DOB: 27 November 1975.

Place of Birth: Sifoe village in the West Coast region

Mr. Dawda A. Jallow is the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. He obtained an LLB from the University of The Gambia in 2010, and an LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the School of Law, University of Essex, United Kingdom in 2014. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Gambia having been called to The Gambia Bar in January 2013.

Until his appointment as Attorney General and Minister of Justice in July 2020, he was a private Legal Practitioner at Kansala Law Chambers.  Before taking up private legal practice in June 2016, Mr. Jallow was the Principal Legal Officer at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia.  Mr. Dawda A Jallow also served as a First-Class Magistrate and Principal Magistrate respectively at the Judiciary of The Gambia from 2011 to 2015 (4 years).

Prior to joining the Legal field, Mr Dawda A. Jallow served as Civic Education Officer and Program Officer at the National Council for Civic Education from 2002 to 2011.  He also served as a Teacher at Charles Jow Memorial Academy between 2000 and early 2002 after completing a two years professional training at the Gambia College School of Education.

Position: MINISTER OF INFORMATION

Name: Hon. Lamin S.I. Jammeh

DOB: 21st May 1963

Place of Birth: Sitanunku Village, North Bank Region, The Gambia

Education: He is graduate of Development Studies with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of The Gambia in 2006.   Over the years, he had several training certificates relating to teaching.

Work Experience: He was appointed and served as Chief of Upper Nuimi for sixteen years from 1996 to 2012, when he became Governor of the North Bank Region for five years, until 2017.  Also, Honourable Jammeh served as boards and Advisory councils.   

Awards: In 2009, Honourable Jammeh received the National Day Honour Investiture and appointed to the rank of Medal of the National Order of the Republic of The Gambia – ORG.  Also, He has received several certificates of recognition for his services on his development related work.

Position: MINISTER OF BASIC AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Name: Claudiana Ayo Cole

DOB: 15th of October 1958,

Place of Birth: Banjul, The Gambia

Education: Ms Cole holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Management from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Philosophy degree with distinction in Educational Management from the same university.

Work Experience: Honourable Cole served in the Barrow Cabinet as Minister of Basic and Secondary Education from 2017-2022, when she was re-appointed to the same post in May 2022.   Ms Cole was a carrier educationalist with extensive experience in both rural and urban Gambia. For 36 years, she has held various positions in the country’s education sector, including Headmistress of various schools, and rose to the rank of Regional Education Director.   Also, Madam Cole was Assistant Examiner for the West African Examinations Council and a Member of the English Panel of the Curriculum Research and Development Centre.

The Minister has participated in numerous national and international workshops, seminars and conferences on education. She has contributed immensely to educational policy reviews and developments in education in The Gambia, among other things, producing a book and some poems that have been used in Gambian schools.

One of Ms Cole’s many passions is helping children, and especially girls, excel in their education.