Mr. Sillah during an interview on West Coast Radio on Tuesday responded to claims that the committee members on each of their sittings were paid the sum of 20, 000.
The Information minister, however, denied these claims, saying: “I can assure you that the Covid-19 Committee headed by the Vice President is never paid any dime.”
“We have never received any money for this. This is a national calling. As ministers we all go there to contribute, strategise, come up with ideas, programmes and policies,” he continued. “But we have never been paid any money, we have never demanded to be paid any money so that has to be made very, very clear,” he emphasised.
On the issue of the Vice President and other ministers who tested positive of Covid-19 being quarantined at the 5-star Coco Ocean Resort, Mr. Sillah claimed not to have any knowledge of where they were quarantined.
He further claimed that even if that was the case, it would not have been done out of segregation, saying all the hotels have the same facilities. However, the host Mr. Gomez was quick to correct him on that notion, putting it to him that Coco Ocean is a superior hotel.
In trying to justify what he claimed not to have any knowledge about, the Information minister went on to say that ministers at quarantine facilities need to be doing their work to keep their ministries functioning.
He said the government has negotiated a flat rate with almost all the hotels that are accommodating people for quarantine to meet the budget.
But it is certainly arguable that the rate at Cocoa Ocean will not be the same judging by its superiority to the rest of the hotels.
Read Other Articles In Headlines
Children’s minister tests positive for covid-19
Aug 6, 2020, 9:55 AM
The minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou Kinteh, has tested positive for covid-19, the state broadcaster, GRTS posted on its Facebook account yesterday.
Kombo North chief testifies in Yankuba’s trial
May 4, 2020, 1:08 PM
Muhammad L.K. Bojang, Kombo North chief, testified on the 30th April, 2020, before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court in Banjul in the murder case involving Yankuba Touray.
Disciplinarians share experience after reopening of schools
Jul 7, 2020, 11:31 AM
Last Friday, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) held a bantaba purposed on the impact of the reopening of schools for the grade nines and plans that are put in place for the reopening of schools for grade twelve students.
UTG, 4 other higher learning institutions shut as Covid-19 surges
Aug 4, 2020, 2:54 PM
The University of The Gambia and four other higher learning institutions have been closed down by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology on Monday 3 July 2020 due to the continuous spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
Gov’t maintains State of Public Emergency
Jun 11, 2020, 12:15 PM
Banjul, The Gambia — In exercise of the powers vested in him by section 34(6) of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency President Adama Barrow declares that a state of public emergency continues to exist in the whole of The Gambia.
Coroner inquest into death of Bissau Guinean commences
Jun 5, 2020, 12:06 PM
Principal Magistrate Isatou Janneh-Njie, the newly-appointed coroner, presided over the inquest into the death of Januaro Wande Beducande Findon, a Guinea Bissau national.
Gov’t is still committed to ECOWAS single currency —- Says Finance Minister
Jul 20, 2020, 11:40 AM
The minister for Finance and Economic Affairs has informed lawmakers that the government of The Gambia is still committed to the actualisation of the ECOWAS single currency (Eco).