The Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) wonders why “anyone will fabricate lies about me.”
Colonel Alhajie Sanneh was reacting to a Kairo News article penned by an insider at the NDMA. “I’ve been seriously offended by the so-called insider,” Colonel Sanneh said. “The article’s content depicts the author’s malicious intention. I swear by Allah that I’ll never forgive this person for soiling my hard-earned reputation. I’m a clean professional commissioned military officer with 25 years of clean records under my belt. I earned my promotion through hard work and examination. I’ve never been queried. It’s therefore too painful for a malicious person to wash away my gains. At first I was not bothered believing that ‘truth shall always bail me out.’ But I’ve a family and associates that are worried about the magnitude of lying.”
He debunked allegations that he had planned to abscond. “I was involved in a road accident and have not been coming to work for sometime. Why would I abscond when I didn’t commit any crime. I could’ve come to America quietly but I wrote to be permitted to stay with my wife. May be the insider wants my position. I believe in Allah who decides my fate. I rely on my university qualifications, experience and training as my guidance. Nothing in this world lasts forever that’s why I’ve designed my life in such a way that I’ll not be a liability. I’ll always have options if I lose my job. No matter what I’ll stand by the truth, the only thing that bails a person out.”
Colonel Sanneh also denied claims of nepotism or hiring and firing at will. “That I employ only Jolas is far fetched. Of all the employees that have been confirmed since my tenure began in August 2013, very few are Jola. Then where is nepotism? I’ve never fired anyone. Only two employees – logistics officer and a driver – resigned after they got employed elsewhere. I’ve 39 staff and if you want I can give you all their telephone numbers so you ask them whether I’ve ever threatened anyone of them with words, let alone gun. What’s the logic of threatening my staff with a gun?
“I don’t backbite anyone at work. Who will I backbite when I’m the team leader? I’m proud of my team because I know its members’ capabilities and potentials.”
On the issue of faulty NDMA equipment, Sanneh said only one out of the 13 is faulty. “The said caterpillar got stuck after uplifting a stuck military truck. This was before the political impasse. It’s true that the former president’s office used to request our equipment whenever they needed them. Whatever they do with them I don’t know. Who am I to say no? It’s false to accuse me of conniving with anyone to enrich myself through NDMA.
“Based on such published malicious reports on Freedom Newspaper, there was an audit at the NDMA. Auditors found everything was in tact. Tell my accuser that his cover will be blown if he continues to be a master lying hater. I’m a hamlet-born Jola from Arang Koli Kunda who always strives to tell the truth. That’s why it hurts me when others lie about me. Let the guy write a complaint about me to the relevant authorities if he thinks I’ve abused my office. A true Muslim doesn’t lie.”
Colonel Sanneh brushed aside the insider’s claim that he was an ex-convict. “I was never arraigned in court nor convicted. How can I then become a convict?”
Ends
Col Sanneh , thank you for speaking up to set the record straight. Now that you have spoken I hope the insider or anyone In your department will take up the challenge to report any abuse to relevant authorities. You have defended yourself which is the right thing to do in order to protect your name and reputation.
I see some traits of boastful inclination in his refutal. A team leader who brags about being “hamlet-born Jola from Arang Koli Kunda”, sends some uncomfortable character signals that could be a problem in a professional workplace. And since we know the machinations of jammeh era tribal cronyism, showcasing your Jola-ness can be a commodity to Mr. Sanneh but ample discomfort for his team- especially when jammeh goes about raining his usual insults on one or the other tribe in public. Hence I think the insider’s version of events might have some, if not entirely, iota of truth in it. My advice is that he relegate his heritage back and place professionalism on stage at the work. For I suspect that supposedly innocent proud showcasing of heritage is now a liability or source of shame, after what Jammeh was capable of inflicting on the people, partly in defense of his heritage.
When shall this unnecessary infighting ends in our country. It is good that Col Sanneh expand his side of the story. We should please desist from soiling people’s character.