Three senior government ministers in The Gambia have resigned, as President Yahya Jammeh defies calls to step down when his term expires on Thursday, the opposition Fatu network news site reports. 

The ministers of foreign affairs, finance and trade - Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, Abdou Kolley and Abdou Jobe respectively - had handed in their resignations, it reports. 

Last week, information minister Sheriff Bojang and sports minister Alieu Jammeh quit, the news site reports. 

Thousands of people have been fleeing to neighbouring Senegal and further away to Guinea-Bissau amid fears that violence could erupt over Mr Jammeh's refusal to accept defeat in the 1 December election. 

Property developer Adama Barrow, who is currently in Senegal, has vowed to take office on Friday. 

He caused a major upset by defeating Mr Jammeh, who first seized power in a coup in 1994.