Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh is seemingly a happy man, as his wife Zeinab Suma Jammeh has given birth to a baby boy, official sources revealed today. The Moroccan born First Lady, who arrived in the US recently was admitted at a Washington DC, Hospital, prior to her delivery. This is Mr.Jammeh’s first official son, since he came to power through a coup in July of 1994. Baby Jammeh and his Mum were said to be in good health condition. The baby was said to have weighted about ten pounds, while his Mum was admitted for few days before she was discharged.
The Protocol team accompanying the First Lady said close to $100,000 dollars was spent for the Medical upkeep of the President’s wife. These sources who spoke to the Freedom Newspaper on condition of strict anonymity said the delegation who accompanied the First Lady were lodged at a Washington DC Five Star Hotel and were all paid perdium allowances during their stay in the US. “The Hotel where we are lodged charges nothing less than $80 dollars per night. The Gambian state take care of our food, lodging, transportation and perdium allowances. The First lady’s Medical Bill totals to close to $50,000 dollars. The total amount expenses in this trip, your are talking about $100,000 dollars.” said a Member of the First Lady’s delegation.
According to the delegation member, an official of the Gambian Embassy in DC, helped them to take care of the Hospital paper work. “ Several thousands of dollars were spent on hospital bills. The First Lady’s Son don’t have a Medicaid and as such we were billed to pay all the expenses incurred during the period in question. We have even contemplated at some point applying for an Emergency Medicaid, but a Member of the delegation warned against such malpractices. As the situation appears, there are still unpaid hospital bills. I doubt if these bills would be paid by the First Lady. “ said the delegation member.
The delegation member said he careless about how President Jammeh would react to his revelations. “ He was very mad when your paper broke the story about the First Lady’s presence in Washington. I’m once again furnishing you with information about the amount of money wasted during our visit. I believe that Gambians deserve to know how the President is swindling their funds overseas to take care of his wife. I don’t care to be sacked, but this is the true state of affairs, as far as the First Lady’s trip is concerned.” said our source.
The Gambian First Lady was accompanied by a sizeable delegation, including her personal Protocol Officer. Sources close to the First Lady said Madam Jammeh had requested to be taken for a shopping spree before returning to Banjul.