Sirra Wally Ndow-Njie

Sirra Wally Ndow-Njie (also Ndow Njai[1]) is a Gambian politician. She has served as Minister of Energy, Minister of Petroleum, and Deputy Minister of Tourism and Culture. In June 2016 she was arrested on economic crime charges and detained in prison until the charges were dropped in April 2017.

Sirra Wally Ndow-Njie
Minister of Energy
In office
25 December 2009 – 10 June 2010
PresidentYahya Jammeh
Minister of Petroleum
In office
16 February 2015 – June 2016
Personal details
CitizenshipGambian
NationalityGambia

Political career

Ndow-Njie served on the National Planning Commission in April 2008 and was deputy-director of Gambia's National Water & Electricity Company.[2][3] From 25 December 2009 to 10 June 2010, she served in the cabinet of Gambian president Yahya Jammeh as Minister of Energy.[4] She was appointed an Officer of the National Order of the Republic of The Gambia in January 2010 in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of independence and 15th anniversary of 1994 Gambian coup d'état.[5]

Ndow-Njie was then reappointed to the cabinet as Minister of Petroleum on 16 February 2015.[4][6] On 2 April 2010 she met Kim Yong-nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea during a goodwill visit to Gambia.[7]

Ndow-Njie was removed as Petroleum Minister by Jammeh and made Deputy Minister for Tourism and Culture in June 2016.[8]

Criminal charges and acquittal

On 20 June 2016 she was removed from her ministerial post and charged with economic crimes.[9][10][11] It was alleged that Ndow-Njie and nine others within her department and the national petroleum company had "intentionally caused detriment to the economy of The Gambia between 2015 and 2016".[11] Specific charges included making $7 million of payments to March Trading, an allegedly fraudulent petroleum company, and spending 3.5 million dalasis on a trip to visit the company in Dubai.[10][12]

Ndow-Njie was remanded in custody and denied all bail, in an unusual move supposedly at the request of Jammeh.[11] During this time she was held in Gambia's Mile Two Prison, where she was said to have suffered from a poor diet and low standards of medical care.[6] The prosecution against her and all others accused was dropped in April 2017, coming after the replacement of Jammeh by President Adama Barrow.[12]

Personal life

Ndow-Njie is married to Basiru Njie, a civil servant at the Central Bank of The Gambia.[13]

References
  1. "Erin Energy Corp" (PDF). Edgar Onlinee. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  2. "Serign Fallou Njie is the New NPC DG – Africa.gm – Africa news and information community". Africa.gm. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. "New energy minister, other sworn in". Office of The Gambian President. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  4. "Sira Wally bounces back as Cabinet Minister". The Point. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  5. "National Award recipients approved". Gambia Observer. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  6. "Edi Mass Jobe now State Witness Against Petroleum Officers – GAINAKO". Gainako. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  7. "Kim Yong Nam Arrives in Banjul". Korea News Service. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. "THE GAMBIA: Sira Wally Ndow removed from Energy ministry, to serve as deputy Tourism minister". Pan Africaine. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  9. "Gambia: Sira Wally Ndow Relieved". The Daily Observer (Banjul). All Africa. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  10. "2016 Human Rights Reports: The Gambia". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  11. "Sirra Wally Ndow, 9 Others Face Economic Crime Charge". Daily Observer. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  12. "Gambia: Breaking News: Gambian State Drops Charges Against GNPC Officials!". Freedom Newspaper. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  13. "Who Is Basiru Njie Of The Central Bank Of The Gambia?". Freedom Radio Gambia. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
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