President Barrow appoints president of apex court, judge, electoral commissioner

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Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has on Wednesday presided over the swearing-in ceremony of three Gambians to the apex court as president, judge of the Court of Appeal and commissioner Independent Electoral Commission IEC respectively.

Justice Na Ceesay Sallah-Wadda a long serving female judge of the Supreme Court of The Gambia is now assigned to preside over the Court of Appeal, Justice Omar Njie joined judges at the Supreme Court, while Haddy Jobe got designated as an IEC Commissioner.

The Gambian leader said the appointments of Justice Omar Njie to the Supreme Court of The Gambia and Haddy Jobe as Commissioner of the Independent Electoral marked a gratifying moment for him.

“The elevation of Justice Omar Njie now raises the number to six Gambian Supreme Court Justices appointed by my government since 2017. Proudly also, we now have a female Gambian as President of the Court of Appeal in the person of Na Ceesay Sallah-Wadda. There is no doubt that we have delivered on our promise to Gambianise the Judiciary, which is the only way to minimise our dependence on external judges for the operations of our Judiciary,’ said President Adama Barrow.

He made similar comments on the appointment of Madam Haddy Jobe who he said is expected to add value to the work of the electoral commission. He said his government is aware of the key role the judiciary plays in the quest for a stable and progressive nation wherein they uphold the rule of law, and all are equal before the law.

“This is critical for the achievement of our goal to promote access to justice, economic prosperity, increased foreign direct investments, and enjoyment of peace and harmony. It is undisputed that the law places a heavy burden on judges whose role it is to dispense justice. This is a difficult role to play, and it requires judges to be neutral and fair in their approach to cases brought before them,” he stressed.

Further commenting on the crucial role of judges, President Barrow urged the judges to boost public trust in the judicial institutions as the right forum to settle differences. He added that their work can strengthen the growing democracy considerably and guarantee peace and stability. He reiterated his government’s commitment to supporting and developing the Judiciary for the realisation of the objectives outlined in its new strategic plan.

The President assured the government’s determination to remedy the current infrastructure deficit, with a view to modernising the judiciary and improving the terms of service of judicial officers.

“Public confidence in the Judiciary, as the last resort for justice, grows when we have the right calibre of judges presiding over the Courts. I am optimistic that, with the quality of judges in our superior courts, the Judiciary will continue to uphold the doctrines of their noble profession, by acting with honesty, independence, impartiality, and integrity in the discharge of their duties,” said the head of state.

He advised that special attention should be given to the development of a Judicial Training Institute to build the capacity of the judicial officers and staff.

He also added that the in-coming Justice of The Supreme Court and the new President of the Court of Appeal will contribute extensively to the effective and speedy dispensation of justice in The Gambia.

“Together with Commissioner Jobe, I believe strongly that their appointments will boost the moral and professional standing of their respective institutions,” he said.

Meanwhile, the President congratulated Honourable Justice Omar Njie on his elevation as Judge of the Supreme Court of The Gambia, Justice Na Ceesay Sallah-Wadda as President of the Court of Appeal and Madam Haddy Jobe as Commissioner of the IEC.