Gambia’s Health Ministry, has felt being sidelined by Africell in the disbursement of the twelve million dalasis (12 Million dalasis) that the leading mobile phone company, had donated to the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline health workers, a letter from Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Muhamadou Lamin Jaiteh, has revealed, Freedom Newspaper can report. The letter entitled “ Extremely urgent” further stated: “Listing of Health Sector Staff without authorization.”
This followed Africell’s decision to handle and supervise the payment of Health Workers, who are entitled to be paid during the COVID-19 prevention and protection program. The company is paying health workers. Africell has decided to process the payments.
Perm Sec Jaiteh has called on Africell to stop the payment program and liaise with the Ministry.
“This development is worrying to the Ministry’s administration as until this time the office of the Permanent Secretary has neither received any formal letter of engagement nor has the administration been approached for its authorization for the conduct of disbursement of funds to health workers,” Jaiteh wrote.
“It is this Ministry’s stern position that the uncoordinated approach taken by Africell has the potential of causing serious negative accountability and sector management implications which the Ministry is not prepared to condone. On the basis of concern, the Ministry hereby orders your good office to immediately stop whatever activity it is doing in this regard until Africell engages the Ministry’s administration in writing in accordance with the due process,” Jaiteh insisted.
The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: HEALTH MINISTRY FIGHTS WITH AFRICELL OVER THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE D12 MILLION COVID-19 DONATION; PS JAITEH ORDERS AFRICELL TO STOP PAYMENTS; AS HE FELT THAT HIS MINISTRY HAS BEEN SIDELINED! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.