By Tabora Bojang
Fire fighters from the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services, who prefer to be anonymous, yesterday walked into the offices of The Standard to express their opposition to the appointment of the new PRO, whose appointment they alleged is a ploy to cover up the institution’s financial dealings and the truth from the public.
According to the fire fighters, the new PRO is part of the committee who were allegedly involved in the “devious deductions” of fire fighters’ money since 2009, adding that the removal of former spokesperson Drammeh would never solve the problem, rather it will heighten it.
The GFRS last week relieved and redeployed former PRO Muhammad Drammeh to Brikama and replaced him with Pateh Gibba. The authorities did not state any reasons but said the job of PRO is rotational.
The fire fighters called on the National Assembly select committee on security to investigate the financial dealings of the GFRS top brass.
The Standard contacted the new PRO Pateh Gibba who said the financial department does not make appointments.
”I do not think you have to listen to those people. Try to seek audience from the top brass, if you want to know the fact and avoid allegations from people we may not even know,” Gibba said.
When told that the men complaining are serving members of the GFRS, the PRO replied: “How can we know that they are our men if you cannot give me their names and numbers? If they said they are our men, I may not deny but I cannot also believe they are our men, because I do not think our men will go around and make allegations on things that are no relevant.”
