Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez, has pushed back against suggestions that his growing involvement in politics marks a departure from his identity as a technocrat, insisting that accepting a ministerial appointment automatically makes one a politician.
In an exclusive interview with former GRTS anchor Ebrima Baldeh, host of the online program “Issues that Matter,” professor of comparative literature Dr. Pierre Gomez says he’s now a politician: “I’m NPP; I’m pro Barrow.”
Once regarded as one of the more technically focused, apolitical members of Cabinet, Prof. Gomez has in recent months been more visible in the political space, a shift that has drawn commentary from sections of the public. Addressing the matter directly in an interview with journalist Ebrima Baldeh, the minister said the criticism misunderstands how government works.
“My position as minister, I’m a politician. All ministers are politicians. That’s number one. There’s nowhere where you will accept a ministerial position and then say that you are not a politician,” he said.
Prof. Gomez was responding to questions on whether his appointment to government represented a shift away from his background as an academic. He rejected the characterization outright, maintaining that his underlying purpose has not changed, even if his platform has.
According to him, ministers cannot divorce their government responsibilities from politics, since the two are inherently linked. He was equally direct about where his political loyalties lie, affirming his support for President Adama Barrow and the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
Beyond the politics, however, the minister was keen to stress continuity in his mission. He described his decision to join government as answering a call to serve as one of the “laborers of the Republic,” a phrase he used to frame his appointment not as a career pivot but as an extension of a lifelong commitment to national development.
“I’m telling people to understand that I’m still the same they used to know because it is about fulfilling the mission. We grew up being told about the future of The Gambia,” he said.
For Prof. Gomez, the political title that now comes with his office is secondary to what he considers the real work: public service delivery and the implementation of government policy.
He pointed in particular to ongoing efforts to expand access to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) across the country, an area he has championed since taking up the higher education portfolio.
The minister’s comments come as debate continues in the Gambia over the boundary between technocratic governance and party politics, with several Cabinet appointees drawn from academic and professional backgrounds facing similar questions about their political identities once in office.
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