By Fatou Sillah
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, the minister of information, media, and broadcasting services, on Tuesday sharply criticized Essa Mbye Faal, the leader of the APP Sobeya party, accusing him of encouraging irregular migration and misleading young Gambians with what the minister described as false promises of financial rewards in Europe.
In an interview with the veteran journalist Peter Gomez, Dr. Ceesay said he was alarmed by remarks Mr. Faal made during an appearance on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, in which, according to the minister, Mr. Faal appeared to suggest that young people could expect financial assistance upon reaching Europe after crossing irregular routes.
“The worry is that, and what really shocked me is Essa is really promoting irregular migration, telling young people to go. That, just go, and the way he was explaining it, like he said, “You stand across this river; you see that when you cross, you will get 600 euros”. What is that telling people? That, go,” he said.
Dr. Ceesay argued that such statements risk encouraging young Gambians to embark on the Backway journey, a perilous migration route across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea that has claimed thousands of lives over the past decade.
He said the comments directly undermine ongoing national and international efforts to discourage irregular migration at a time when authorities are urging young people to remain in the country and pursue local opportunities.
“When we are trying everything to let young people stay, this journey is risky, people are dying, and he is telling young people to go. “There are 600 euros waiting for you once you cross; they will give you 600 euros.” That is reckless. I have never seen a political leader making such a reckless statement,” he said.
The minister also dismissed the claim that migrants receive such payments upon arrival in Europe, saying it was untrue. He said he had personally raised the issue with Spanish officials. “And that is even false, and I spoke with the Spanish officials, and they told me it is categorically false,” he said.
Dr. Ceesay went on to criticize Mr. Faal’s pledge to invest $50 million in youth development, questioning its feasibility, and took particular issue with Mr. Faal’s comments on patriotism, which he said amounted to an insult to young Gambians.
“He said he is going to put patriotism into their heads,” Dr. Ceesay said. “He is insulting young people; he is telling them they are not patriotic. The more Essa speaks, the more he really exposes his ignorance.”
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