By Fatou Sillah
The General Manager of Gambia Ferry Services, Fabakary Manka, has confirmed that he sent the agency’s head of security, Lamin Bojang, home after accusing him of disregarding instructions ahead of an incident involving First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow and UNITE Party National President Ebrima Dibba at the ferry terminal on Sunday.
Speaking in an interview with Eye Africa TV, Manka said ferry officials had been informed in advance that the First Lady would be crossing as part of her ongoing tour. He said he contacted officials at the terminal and instructed them to follow what he described as established security protocol for the President, Vice President, and First Lady.
According to Manka, the procedure requires vehicles to be cleared from the terminal before the First Lady’s convoy arrives, with other vehicles allowed to enter only after her convoy has boarded the ferry.
Manka said Bojang disregarded those instructions by allowing Dibba’s vehicle into the terminal while the First Lady’s convoy was still present.
He said a junior security officer questioned the decision and reminded Bojang that the First Lady was already at the terminal, but Bojang allowed Dibba’s vehicle to enter anyway.
Manka said he later contacted Bojang after being informed of the confrontation involving Dibba and the First Lady and told him that his decision had contributed to the situation.
“I asked him to go home because he did not carry out the instructions I gave him; that is what created this problem,” Manka said.
He clarified that the First Lady’s convoy can travel on the ferry alongside other vehicles once it has boarded. However, he said other vehicles should not be allowed into the terminal ahead of the convoy during the boarding process.
Manka also said the First Lady later contacted him and requested that Dibba’s vehicle be allowed to cross. According to him, she also asked that Bojang not be dismissed over the incident.
“He doesn’t work on Sundays; I don’t understand why he was in the terminal,” Manka said.
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