Balla Saho has been appointed the new director general of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) replacing Momodou Joof, who is now redeployed to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture as deputy permanent secretary.

Speaking to the Daily Observer in his office at this office in Banjul yesterday, Saho described his appointment as a huge honour and challenge. "I hope to work hard with my staff and partners to promote the mandate of the National Centre for Arts and Culture and the cultural agenda of His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh," he remarked.

He thanked the Gambian leader for the trust and confidence bestowed on him and added that he would work hard and live up to expectation.He also spoke of his plans to meet with his senior staff very soon to work on new plans to develop and fulfill the mandates of the NCAC.

Saho, who hails from Baddibu Salikene  in the North Bank Region,joined the NCAC in 1982 as a transcriber and a translator before he was promoted to a museum technician. He had his secondary education at Muslim  High School in Banjul and Armitage High School in Janjangbureh.

He also held the position of a museum curator in the museum and principal cultural officer, research and documentation. Saho is a double masters degrees holder and is currently a PhD candidate in History at Michigan State University in the United States.