The refusal of Gambia government officials visa by the United States embassy in Banjul to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) could save Gambian taxpayers more than US$200,000 just on air tickets alone.
In what came as a surprise in lots of quarters, the US Banjul embassy unprecedentedly refused to grant visa to up to 24 Gambia government officials and other echelons of the civil service, barring them from attending the 80th Session of the UNGA in New York.
The financial benefit of this development to the Gambian taxpayer could be huge as the total amount of money required for air tickets could exceed US$200,000. The cheapest round trip ticket could be sold at $1900 while business tickets cost D500,000.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Illo Jallow, presidential adviser Momodou Sabally, head of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) Njogu Lamin Bah and director of Asia affairs at the foreign ministry Sheikh Omar Bittaye, Office of the President staff, Ms. Bintou Pa Njie, the Vice President’s medic, Mr. Sonko as well as a protocol officer at the Foreign Ministry, Ms. Tunko Jallow, the newly-wed wife to Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, Alieu Njie were reportedly among the senior Gambia government officials, who were refused entry to the US.
