
Audio By Carbonatix
Yahya Jammeh has been sworn in for a fourth term as Gambia's president and promised to "wipe out 82%" of workers, accusing them of being lazy.The former army officer promised to be "even more dangerous than when I was in uniform".He also vowed to turn his tiny West African nation into an "economic superpower" over the next five years.President Jammeh first seized power in 1994 but was re-elected in December in a widely criticised poll."You cannot be in your offices every day doing nothing... and at the end of the day you expect to be paid," he said on a televised address on Wednesday."This has to stop. You either do your work or leave or go to jail," the president said."I will wipe out almost 82% of those in the workforce in the next five years starting this Friday unless they change their attitudes," he said - without elaborating.Mr Jammeh also promised "zero tolerance" on corruption and drugs.The Gambia - a popular destination for foreign tourists - has recently become a key transit point for cocaine trafficked from Latin America.The president also promised to focus more on the empowerment of women and create more jobs for the youth.Mr Jammeh - who first came to power in a bloodless coup in 1994 - has been criticised by international rights groups for suppressing any dissent.On Tuesday, former Information Minister Amadou Scatred Janneh, a US citizen, was sentenced to life in jail for plotting a coup and distributing T-shirts with the slogan "End to Dictatorship Now".
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
‘I never did this advert’, AI clones hijack Ghanaian identities for profit
9 minutes -
25-year-old woman battles trauma after surviving deadly Nkwanta attack
25 minutes -
Vice President honoured at Tortsogbeza as South Tongu leaders highlight development needs
34 minutes -
Kwahu Business Forum 2026: Corporate citizenship, sustaining African businesses take centre stage with KGL as the case study
2 hours -
Trump seeks $152m to reopen notorious Alcatraz prison
4 hours -
Ex-Chelsea player Oscar retires with heart issue
4 hours -
CA Foundation drives constitutional literacy in Kpone Katamanso municipality
4 hours -
GPRTU to hold talks with Transport Ministry over rising fuel costs
4 hours -
CUTS International urges gov’t to halt sachet water price hike pending cost review
4 hours -
Chief Justice: Efficient Judiciary essential to reducing business costs
4 hours -
Bayern grabs 99th-minute winner to cap superb fightback
4 hours -
Ahmed Ibrahim urges Ghanaians to reflect Easter values in nation-building
5 hours -
ECG inefficiencies undermining power supply -Mahama outlines reforms
5 hours -
Lewandowski scores as Barca fight back to defeat Atletico
5 hours -
Lack of private sector consultation undermining economic growth – Jerry Ahmed Shaib
5 hours