GTAFIWU fault Omar Ceesay led Transport Union

GTAFIWU fault Omar Ceesay led Transport Union

Following the hosting of meeting by Omar Ceesay’s led Transport Union 1 May 2019 at the B.O Samega Hall in Bundung, members of the Gambia Transport, Agricultural Food and Industrial Workers Union (GTAFIWU) has accused Omar Ceesay of being responsible for the prevailing problems in the transport sector.

Famara Saidy, GTAFIWU West Coast Regional Coordinator said in an interview shortly after the meeting hosted by the Omar Ceesay’s led Gambia Transport Union at the B.O Samega Janneh Hall as part of events marking International Workers Day, on 1 May 2019 that: “We agreed to go together to Gura Huma in Senegal to seek to address the transport problems in our respective countries, then he sneaked and went alone,” Mr Saidy said.

Secondly, he said Omar Ceesay is a Truck Driver, backed by truck drivers and some transport owners to form a rival union, adding that Mr Ceesay can best represent union of truck drivers, but not entirely the entire Gambia transport sector.

He said Mr Ceesay was with the main union- as Public Relationship Officer for GTAFIWU, but left without resigning to form his union.

Mr Saidy further said Ceesay didn’t go to Congress, and called claiming to be a legitimate union, and therefore called on him to come back to his union, take his position and contest elections during congress, if he believes his have the majority, than to be bringing unnecessary problems.

Omar Ceesay was a member for the banned Gambia Transport Control Association (GNTCA) Banjul Branch, which was led  by  Muminy Sey. Mr Sey was accused of betraying the GTAFIWU by using politics to claim to be the main union. He operated for over a decade before the Guinea Bissau Authorities wrote to The Gambia Government accusing Muminy Sey of economic crimes and causing financial loses to the country.

Controversies erupted after the demise of the former GTAFIWU President- Ousman Drammeh, who took over mantle of leadership from the late Alh. Daddy Sowe. As a tradition, the Union members recommended that Mustapha Jobe- who was the first Vice President should serve as Interim President to complete Mr Drammeh’s Term. But along the way, Omar Ceesay the then PRO set up his Union, comprising mostly former members of the GNTCA, following Mr Sey’s  trend. Mr Sey himself was present on the high table and delivered statement during their meeting with Gura Huma.

Mr Gura Huma- a Senegalese Transport Unionist leader was invited to a meeting aimed to address cross-border transport between The Gambia and Senegal, but was hosted by Omar Ceesay whom the GTAFIWU described as an incompetent body to handle such matters.

Omar Touray- GTAFIWU executive member and Gunjur Branch President described the meeting as set up on,  meant to mislead the public, describing the host union as incompetent, and the cause of problems in the transport sector.

Omar Ceesay-  the President of the Gambia National Transport Union said in an interview after the meeting that the transport sector in The Gambia need to have a policy, as rules and regulations, to serve as guide for drivers to address traffic law violations. 

Mr. Ceesay recollected that in 2017 the ministry of Transport called the transport Unions and their stakeholders to a workshop to draft a new transport policy, but failed to dwell further. 

According to him, there is no garage for the drivers, adding that all the regions in the country need to have regional garage. "The Gambian drivers are independent, and have no garage, making drivers parking any where they can park or can organization a car park." 

He called the Government to solve the problems because it is very difficult to control the drivers. He further called the Ministry of Transport, Unions and the stakeholders to engage on talks for better solution to the problems in the transport sector.

He further said The Gambia is a small country to have many unions, and therefore called on all the other unions and the stakeholders to come together, forget their difference and unite. 

According to him, if they are united they can together have strength to support the drivers and vehicle owners.

Meanwhile some executive members of the Gambia Transport, Agricultural Food and Industrial Workers Union (GTAFIWU) in their reactions, noted that Mr Ceesay' is leading a splinter group, claiming to be a Union, and is responsible for all the problems they are facing. They said Mr Ceesay didn't go through the right processes to establish his led union. 

Tabora Touray- GTAFIWU said Union should be gazetted, which was not the case with Mr Ceesay.

He said the Mr Ceesay's Union didn't go to Congress, and that it was wrong to register more one Union with the same name at the AG Chambers, as the case is with Mr Ceesay.

Famara Saidy- said there are people pushing Ceesay on what he is doing, but caution him to avoid being found wanting for his conduct.

Sheikh Mbacke Joof, GTAFIWU representative from Abuko Car Park (founded by former GTAFIWU- Daddy Sowe),said there are number of problems in the transport sector. 

He called on unionist to respect their constitution. 

He added: "We held a Congress conducted by the IEC, but after the demise of the former President, the likes of Omar Ceesay formed his splinter group- by forming his own union.