By Lamin Kujabi
His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, on Friday, 17th January 2025, made a day’s official visit to The Gambia, his first working trip outside Ghana since his election and inauguration on January 7th 2025.
The Ghanaian President and his delegation were received at the Banjul International Airport by His Excellency Adama Barrow. The two leaders later had tête-à-tête at State House in Banjul, and discussions were said to have spanned over several bilateral cooperation and support initiatives including the implementation of The Gambia’s TRRC recommendations.
After their closed-door meeting, the two leaders spoke to the press. President Barrow welcomed President Mahama to The Gambia, and thanked him for choosing The Gambia as his first place of visit since assuming office three weeks ago. “We are honored by your coming to The Gambia at this important moment in your presidency. We would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on your resounding victory and for your courage and resilience”.
He expressed hope that the Ghanaian leader will continue where he stopped during the previous eight years of his leadership.
On his part, President John Dramani Mahama expressed delight for making the visit and gratitude for President Barrow’s attendance of his inauguration ceremony on the 7th of January 2025. He assured that his new administration will continue with the very good relationship with The Gambia.
“I have always had good relationship with The Gambia, both in official and personal capacities,” he asserted. He made reference to his involvement in resolving Gambia’s 2016 political crisis, in particular his negotiation tour of duty during the impasse, together with President Saleaf of Liberia, President Buhari of Nigeria. “We are happy that The Gambia’s democracy has become consolidated. And we are also happy that Ghanaian troops are here serving under ECOMIG. I assure President Barrow that we will continue to keep our troops here so that they provide secure environment for consolidation of democracy that is taking place. Also, we have been following the TRRC process and we think that the process would help [mitigate] the pain that the people had gone through in the period,” President Mahama further remarked.
He went on: “We know that there are many processes that need to be gone through including bringing people to justice for the crimes they committed during the period of President Jammeh. I believe that the international community should help The Gambia so that funds can be set up to be able to give reparation to some of these people who have suffered. Some of our countrymen were killed here in The Gambia and we are happy that the process of bringing people who did that to justice and victims or their families compensated has begun”.
The Ghanaian President also revealed that he and President Barrow had also discussed issues of the sub-region of ECOWAS; how they can take advantage of the free movement of people and goods, the African Continental free Trade Area, as well as security issues, including what is happening in the Sahel and how we can work as a sub-region to make sure West Africa is a safer place for all citizens.
