WAMA SENIOR MANAGEMENT
The Senior Management team of WAMA , comprising the Director-General and a team of professionals who manage the affairs of the Agency.
Mr. Momodou Bamba Saho assumed the position of Director General of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) on 08 August 2016. Before joining WAMA, he served as Alternative Executive Director, then as Executive Director for the Africa Group 1 Constituency at the IMF during the period November 2010 to October 2014. At the IMF, he represented and defended the interests of 22 Sub-Saharan Africa countries on the Executive Board as well as contributed to oversight of the IMF to ensure it discharged its mandate effectively. Mr. Saho also chaired the Ethics Committee of the Executive Board.
Prior to joining the IMF, Mr. Saho was the Governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia from August 2007 through October 2010. He worked for the Central Bank for twenty seven years. The positions he held during this period include that of First Deputy Governor, General Manager and Director Banking Services. During this period, he contributed to improving the Central Bank’s work in the areas of monetary operations, public debt, payment systems, currency management, financial reporting, information systems development and monetary policy.
Among other things, following a period of economic crisis in 2001-2003, Mr. Saho oversaw policy and operational reforms related to the conduct of monetary policy, financial sector supervision, central bank independence, and accounting, budgeting and management practices that contributed to enhancing the Central Bank’s credibility, contributing to the restoration of macroeconomic stability.
From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Saho was the Chair of the Gambia Divestiture Agency. He was also a member of the National Planning Commission of The Gambia from 2007 to 2010 as well as Chair of the Gambia Telecommunications Company from 2008 to 2010.
Mr. Saho graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the International Islamic University in Malaysia in 1988, a MSc. in Analysis, Design and Management of Information Systems from the London School of Economics in 1992 and qualified as a professional accountant with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants of the UK in 1993.
Mr. KIPRE Gradé Momèle has been the Director of the Financial Integration Department at the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) since June 7th, 2021.
Prior to his secondment to WAMA, Mr. KIPRE served as Head of the Financing of Economies Division at the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). At the BCEAO, which he joined since 2000, he worked mainly on the identification of mechanisms for harmonious financing of the economies of the Union, off-site supervision of credit institutions in the Union, including the review of license applications and other authorization requests from credit institutions. As part of his supervisory work, Mr. KIPRE also participated in on-site inspection missions of microfinance institutions. Mr. KIPRE was also in charge of the implementation BCEAO’s monetary policy instruments and refinancing policy as well as the development of monetary programs for the WAMU Member States.
Prior to joining the BCEAO, Mr. KIPRE worked at Société Générale de Banques in Côte d'Ivoire (SGBCI) from 1995 to 2000 where he held the positions of Credit Analyst and Collection Manager, respectively.
His academic achievement includes a PhD in Economics from University of Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis (Senegal), a Research Master’s Degree in Political Sciences (specialized in International Governance) from Cheikh Anta DIOP University in Dakar, a Master’s Degree in Economic Regulation and Project Management from Cheikh Anta DIOP University in Dakar, a Master’s Degree in Auditing and Management from Institut Supérieur de Management in Dakar, a Master’s Degree in Finance and Banking from the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Abidjan-Cocody.
Dr. Udoma Johnson Afangideh, Director of Research and Statistics
Udoma Johnson Afangideh is the Director of Research and Statistics, West African Monetary Agency (WAMA). He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Before joining the Agency on secondment on 5th April, 2022, he was Assistant Director with the Central Bank of Nigeria. Dr. Afangideh, prior to joining the services of the Central Bank of Nigeria on January 2014, had 13 years cognate experience spanning academia and capacity building where he served respectively as a Lecturer in the Department of Economics, University of Uyo, Nigeria and Senior Programme Manager with the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) in Lagos, Nigeria.
Dr, Afangideh holds a BSc. (First Class Honours) in Economics from the University of Uyo and MSc./Ph.D. from the University of Ibadan. He was a research fellow at the Centre for Econometric and Allied Research (CEAR), Department of Economics, University of Ibadan. He is a scholar of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) based in Kenya and a member of the Collaborative Ph.D Programme (CPP) Class of 2004. He has attended and presented papers at local and international conferences and workshops and has also published extensively in refereed journals with interest including, but not limited to, Macroeconomics, Monetary Economics, Public Finance. He has consultancy experience with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in Nigeria. Professionally, he is a member of Nigeria Economic Society (NES) and Nigeria Statistical Association (NSA).
Dr. Afangideh is a dynamic individual with versatile career path and experience, traversing academia, capacity building and central banking. He is a team player with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures, result oriented and astute manager of resources with excellent communication and analytical skills. He is presently focusing his research interest towards regional development and integration, regional macroeconomic issues, monetary policy and exchange rate dynamics at the regional level.
Dr. Mawuli Gaddah is a Development/ Macroeconomist with over 18 years of experience in economic/ public policy management, public financial management, development economics, and empirical research and quantitative methods. He is currently the Director of the Multilateral Surveillance Department of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) since 7th April, 2022. Prior to joining WAMA, Dr. Gaddah was a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Finance in Ghana, where he served for over 16 years in various capacities. Key positions held at the Ministry of Finance include heading the Fiscal Risk Unit (2018–2022), the Macroeconomic Research Unit (2013-2018), and the Agriculture & Agribusiness Unit (2011-2013). He also served as acting head of the Macro-Fiscal Policy Unit and the Growth, Employment and Income Distribution Unit. During this period, Dr. Gaddah coordinated the development of a financial programing model for Ghana and the preparation and publication of a number of flagship reports including macroeconomic performance reports, fiscal strategy documents, and fiscal risk statements. Prior to joining the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Gaddah also worked with the Ghana Statistical Service and the University of Cape Coast as Statistician and Senior Research Assistant, respectively.
Dr. Gaddah is self-motivated, result-oriented, an effective team player with good interpersonal communication and leadership skills. He served on several committees and boards. He also has passion for teaching and provided lecturing and facilitation services in reputable local and international institutions. He also published widely in recognized international journals. His current research interest includes fiscal risk, fiscal sustainability and regional integration.
Dr. Gaddah holds a PhD/ M.A in Development Economics & M.A in Public Policy from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo Japan; an MPhil in Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon; and a B.A in Economics from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
Dr Mbbah-Offor is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from the OUS Royal Academy of Economics and Technology in Switzerland. He completed his professional accountancy qualifications in 1992. Before then he had graduated with a B.Sc. (Accountancy) in 1989. He equally completed the course work and project writing for the award of Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1995 and was awarded the certificate in 1997. He has undergone various training courses in Finance and Accounting, Management and Administration, Leadership, Human Resources Development, Computer Applications, Banking Supervision in various aspects severally in France, U.K, UAE and West Africa. All through his working life up to present, he has been working in international organizations and with people from diverse cultures and can easily relate with them in the given work environment.
Prior to joining the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), Freetown, Sierra Leone in December, 2003 as Head of Finance and Administration (later Director of Finance & Administration (2013 to 2017) and presently as Head of Finance due to institutional restructuring), he had worked with another international organisation – the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS) (now African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AFRIGIST)) - in various capacities for almost 14 years and rose to the position of Principal Accountant and Head of the Finance Department for 10 years. His work at RECTAS included among others production of financial reports for all donor funded projects (EU, Swiss Government, Dutch Government, French Government, GDTA Toulouse France, ITC Netherlands, etc). His diligent competences, consistent high performance and ability to discharge higher levels of responsibility earned him accelerated promotions in his previous employment under different platforms.
In other respect, due to his outstanding selfless service to the society, humanity and the Church, he was nominated and knighted to the worthy and noble order of the Knight of St Mulumba in 2001.
Mr. Abdoulie Ceesay was born in the Gambia on 24th February 1972. He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Business Administration and Business Enterpreneurship from the University of Pune in India in December1997 with first class. In 2004 he obtained MBA (Banking and Finance) from Centre Africain D'Etude Superieur en Gestion (CESAG) in Dakar –Senegal. He has undergone wide ranging training programs in the field of auditing and has been a career Internal Auditor for more than fifteen years.
Mr. Ceesay started his career at the National Audit Office in the Gambia as an Assistant Auditor in 1998 to 2001. He joined the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation from 2001 to 2003 as head of Internal Audit at the Systems’ Unit before proceeding to Trust Bank Gambia Limited as a senior Banking Officer at the Internal Audit Unit from 2003 to 2005. He then Joined Guaranty Trust Bank (Gambia Limited) as Deputy Manager and head of the Systems and Controls Unit. In 2007, Mr. Ceesay joined the West African Monetary Agency to start the Internal Audit Unit and rose to the position of Chief Internal Auditor, a position he holds to date.
He is a self-motivated and ambitious person able to work under pressure and meet deadlines. He is a team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills and work independently with minimum or no supervision. He communicates in both English and French with good computer skills.
He is married and blessed with three children.