Since his appointment as Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay has had no shortage of airtime — particularly on platforms like West Coast Radio’s Coffee Time with Peter Gomez. While public engagement from a government minister is welcome, what Gambians are getting from Dr. Ceesay isn’t clarity or accountability. It’s distortion, deflection, and at times outright misinformation.
The Information Ministry holds a unique role in any government. It’s the bridge between state institutions and the citizens. It’s supposed to inform, not manipulate. But what we’re seeing from Dr. Ceesay is a pattern of behavior that prioritises party narratives over public truth.
Time and again, on West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay has made sweeping claims that do not hold up under scrutiny. He has downplayed legitimate criticisms of the government, misrepresented the state of the economy, and made unverifiable statements on key issues like public spending, the sale of Jammeh’s looted assets and political opponents. When challenged, he defaults to vague generalities or pivots to blaming past administrations — a tired tactic that avoids responsibility rather than addressing the present.
The most troubling part? These aren’t slips of the tongue. They’re part of a deliberate strategy to control the public narrative by flooding the airwaves with half-truths. And by doing so on popular programs like Coffee Time, he’s reaching a wide audience with messages that are misleading at best, and harmful at worst.
This isn’t just political spin. It’s an abuse of public trust. The Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services is not a PR firm for the government. It’s a public office funded by taxpayers, and its job is to provide honest, transparent communication — especially in a country still struggling to rebuilding its institutions after decades of authoritarian rule.
Dr. Ceesay is no novice. He knows how public discourse shapes political outcomes. Which makes his approach all the more disappointing. As someone who once called for integrity and reform from the outside, he now owes the public the same standards from within.
Gambians are not passive listeners. They are discerning citizens who can spot when they’re being misled. If Dr. Ceesay wants to be taken seriously as a national leader, he must stop using public platforms to promote fiction and start respecting the intelligence of the people he serves.
Leadership is not just about having the microphone — it’s about using it responsibly. Dr. Ceesay still has a chance to course-correct. But time is running out.
