By Kebba Jeffang
The former officials of the defunct Gambia National Lottery (GNL) which was shut down by the outgoing government of President Yahya Jammeh on Wednesday, December 28, expressed optimism in the reopening of the company under Barrow’s administration.
Ebrima Sanneh, third-in-Command in the accounts department of the Gambia National Lottery who headed the delegation said their mission was to congratulate the president-elect because it is the first time a government has changed through the ballot box in the Gambia.
He explained that “they just came one day unexpectedly to announce the closing of all betting games henceforth in the country. The GNL has been operating for 19 years; although it opened during his government but the manner it was closed was very surprising and difficult to bear. We didn’t have any benefit and this is how we have been sitting over 1 year 8 months.”
Sanneh who was accompanied by his colleagues from the defunct GNL said most of them have families they are taking care of. He remarked, “We don’t have work to be able to feed them, pay rent, settle our debts and we are managing like that”.
On his expectation, Sanneh said “If this new government comes we hope and expect that change will be done and the national lottery house as well as other places that were providing employment for young people will be reopened.”
