Major General Yankuba Drammeh has once again occupied the position of the deputy Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambian army. Drammeh last manned the position in June 2012 when he was retired from the army and sent on diplomatic service.
The Gambia had been without a deputy Chief of Defence Staff for three years.
Major General, who had earlier served as a deputy Ambassador to Turkey, was The Gambia’s deputy Head of Mission at the United Nations in New York. He was recalled last week and reinstated as the deputy army chief.
The man most military officers described as “very pious and humble to the core” was also a victim of the purported March 21st, 2006 foiled coup. He was arrested, detained and reportedly tortured during his stay at the National Intelligence Agency Headquarters in Banjul.
Drammeh’s arrest and subsequent detention followed his dismissal from the army and demotion from Brigadier General to private. He was later cleared, reinstated into the army and soon promoted to the rank of Major General until he was sent on diplomatic assignment.
Major General Drammeh is a native of Bwiam Kankuntu in Foni Kansala district. Drammeh’s intelligence and ability to transform the army is not in doubt. Like his predecessors, he will not be given the free hands to put in place disciplined and functioning chain of command in an army that is politically-infested.
Drammeh starts his new job on Monday, June 29th.
Ends
We need good,wise and brave men in any army. God bless the good soldiers of our nation…