By Kebba Jeffang
Ten cabinet ministers appointed by President Adama Barrow were sworn-in on Wednesday, February 01, 2017at the temporal 
presidential base, Kairaba Beach Hotel ahead of the commencement of their official duties.
The ministers and portfolios are: Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Mr Hamat Bah, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr Omar A. Jallow, Minister of Agriculture, Mr Mai Ahmed Fatty, Minister of Interior, Mr Henry Gomez, Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Lamin B. Dibba, Minister of Forestry, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Dr. Isatou Touray, Minister of Trade, Regional Integration, and Employment, Mr Amadou Sanneh, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr James Peter Gomez, Minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters and Mr Lamin Ndambong Dibba, Minister of Lands and Regional Government.
The ministers swore to work in the best interest of the country without fear or favour and to respect an oath of secrecy.
After the swearing in ceremony, the President of the republic, Mr. Adama Barrow described the event as an important day and thanked the cabinet members for taking the job to serve their fellow citizens without fear or favour.
He said “as we enter a new era in political history, I have the honour to witness this important ceremony of swearing in as the first batch of ministers of my government. As we pledge to engage the institutions and legal reforms I urged you to work hard for us to achieve our role as a government and leave a legacy through the creation of institutions, laws and procedures that will transform our country to a full fledge democracy and facilitate a socio-economic and political development of the people in the new Gambia.”
Earlier, Dr. Isatou Touray, a newly sworn cabinet member responsible for trade, regional integration and employment, said we are ushering in a new Gambia that will respect the freedom of Gambians as they are committed to advancing democracy even further. She thanked Gambians particularly the young people who made the change of government possible. She however urged for people to exercise patience as they work towards putting the country on the right footing.
“We act as one people, one nation and make this country a better place for all of us,” said Dr. Touray.
Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad said Gambians for the past 22 years were being subjected to indignities, liberty denials, and were reduced to nothing. He said on the 1st of December, the Gambians bought their freedom thanks to the establishment of coalition to remove ex-President Yahya Jammeh. He vowed and urged his fellow cabinet members to remain committed to serve the country in order to reach the promise land.
Mr. Darboe emphasized that the new government would not be affected by nepotism, tribalism and all forms of sectionalism that divide common people and deter the development of the country.
