Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – The newly appointed Auditor General, Cherno Amadou Sowe, has moved swiftly to assert his authority at the National Audit Office following the forceful removal of his predecessor, Modou Ceesay.

His first major actions include the indefinite suspension of a senior associate auditor and a sweeping review of contracts signed under the previous leadership.

Senior associate auditor Mamadou M. York was suspended after publicly questioning the legality of Sowe’s appointment. In a message posted to the Audit Office staff WhatsApp group, York reportedly said he would not take instructions from Sowe, whom he described as “unconstitutionally appointed.” The post, according to staff sources, angered the new Auditor General, leading to York’s immediate suspension.

York, one of the country’s few certified fraud examiners, had been auditing the National Food Security Processing and Marketing Corporation when he was ordered not to return to the office.

Meanwhile, a memo issued on Wednesday by Deputy Auditor General Pa MaJagne Ndow announced a comprehensive review of all current contracts and agreements, including those with vendors and service providers signed during Ceesay’s tenure.

The move has raised eyebrows within the Audit Office, with some staff suggesting it may be aimed at gathering information to help the executive justify Ceesay’s removal earlier this week.

Ceesay was forcibly removed from office on Monday after reportedly refusing a cabinet position offered to him by the government.

His ouster, seen by critics as a blow to the independence of the Audit Office, has triggered concerns about political interference in an institution central to public financial accountability.

Sowe’s early decisions signal a hardline approach to consolidating his leadership amid a divided workforce and mounting public scrutiny. How these measures will affect the credibility and independence of the National Audit Office remains to be seen.