“ANOTHER CALL TO DUTY: AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE
I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency President Adama Barrow, the President of the Republic of The Gambia, for appointing me as the new Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST). As I stated a few months ago (as the acting Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia), I must reecho that this gesture is another privilege we cherish; a duty we are resolved to accomplish; and a challenge we dare not betray.
Having spent twenty-four years serving as a higher education scholar, both within The Gambia and abroad, I cannot help but be optimistic that the “new-old” assignment will be executed with utmost excellence. I wish to seize this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency Badara Joof, my immediate predecessor, for the stallion job done in that ministry, and congratulate him on his new appointment as Vice President of the republic.
My sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire University of The Gambia community for the cordial working relationship it accorded me during my many years of service there, both as a lecturer and an administrator. I wish to thank my family, friends, and well-wishers for the congratulatory calls, texts, and social media posts. I am deeply honored and may all our prayers be answered.
Finally, I call on all stakeholders, especially those within the spheres of higher education, to be further committed to the drive towards a much more responsive and productive higher education sector. With support from the hardworking staff at MoHERST and cooperation from all its satellite institutions, we are committed to delivering new dawn in Higher Education; so help me God. Shalom.”
Prof. Pierre Gomez,
Minister, MoHERST.