By: Dawda Baldeh

Vendors at Brikama Fish Market cry for help as sewage water floods the market ground, creating horrible and offensive smell.

Vendors told The Fatu Network that the situation is currently affecting their business.

They accused the Brikama Area Council and market authorities of neglecting the poor condition of the market.

Sewage water is everywhere in the market. Vendors and passers-by inhale the bad odor emitting from the stinking water.

Ebrima Jallow, a vendor at the market explained to the Fatu Network that the odor is affecting their health.

“Life is becoming unpleasant for us every day. Right now, our health is at risk. The odor we continue inhaling is affecting us. We are paying market dues every day but the market is in terrible condition as you can see. We are calling on the government to come to our aid,” he said.

Majula Conteh, another fish vendor reiterated that the situation in the market is not good, accusing local authorities of neglecting them.

“Selling fish and food items in the market is not hygienic,” Majula Conteh said.

However, the new Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure visited the market as part of his ongoing familiarization tour. He described the situation as unfortunate and called on the market authorities and governor to act quickly and resolve the situation.

The Minister assured the vendors of his ministry’s commitment in developing the market.

The smelling waste is believed to be emanating from the market toilets and other places.

The Gambia is said to have recorded a 4.3% economic growth in 2021. This is according to the Gambia Bureau of Statistics on its revised 2020 and provisional 2021 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) analysis of the Gambian economy.

Read the analysis below.

GDP BY PRODUCTION

The Gross Domestic Product for the year 2021 is estimated at a growth of 4.3 per cent compared to the 2020 revised growth of 0.6 per cent showing an increase of 3.7 per cent. In 2021, GDP at constant market prices is estimated at GMD 64.8 billion compared to the revised estimate of GMD 62.1 billion in 2020. This increase is mainly attributed to the recovery from the negative effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in an increase in the economic activities in industries within the Agriculture, Industry, and Services sectors.

GDP at current market prices is estimated at GMD 104.9 billion in 2021 compared to the revised estimate of GMD 93.3 billion in 2020. GDP per capita is GMD 44,696 which is equivalent to US$ 867 in 2021 as opposed to GMD 40,936 which is equivalent to US$ 802 in 2020. The Services sector continues to be the major contributor to GDP with a share of 57.5 per cent followed by the Agriculture sector with a share of 24.1 per cent and the Industry sector with a share of 18.4 per cent.

For the year under review 2021, the Agriculture sector is estimated at a growth of 4.7 per cent compared to the revised growth of 10.6 per cent in 2020 showing a decline of 5.9 per cent. This decline is mainly attributed to the decrease in the production activities of Crop registering a growth of -9.1 per cent and Livestock registering a growth of -9.6 per cent.

The Industry sector registered a growth of 10.4 per cent in 2021, which is 2.2 per cent more than the revised growth rate in 2020. The increase in growth in this sector is as a result of an increase in the economic activities of Construction registering a growth of 20.5 per cent and Electricity supply registering a growth of 7.0 per cent.

The Services sector is estimated at a growth of 1.9 per cent in 2021 as against the revised growth of –5.0 per cent in 2020 showing an increase of 6.9 per cent. This increase is mainly attributed to the recovery from the negative effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic which increased the economic activities in Arts, entertainment and recreation with a growth of 33.7 per cent; Accommodation and food service activities with a growth of 20.2 per cent; Finance and insurance activities with a growth of 6.5 per cent; and Other service activities with a growth of 6.4 per cent.

GDP BY EXPENDITURE

GDP by expenditure at current market prices shows that Final consumption expenditure which is an aggregate of consumption expenditures of households, general government, and non-profit institutions serving households is estimated at GMD 102.7 billion in 2021 with a growth of 2.3 per cent, accounting for 96.5 per cent of GDP; compared to the revised estimate of GMD 90.3 billion in 2020 registering a growth of 1.5 per cent,  accounting for 95.9 per cent of GDP.

Gross fixed capital formation which constitutes expenditures on construction, machinery and equipment, and cultivated assets is estimated at GMD 34.1 billion in 2021 with a growth of      –2.3 per cent compared to the revised estimate of GMD 30.2 billion in 2020 with a growth of 44.1 per cent. Gross fixed capital formation accounted for 32.1 per cent of GDP both in 2020 and 2021.

Finally, the Trade Balance which is the difference between exports and imports of goods and services contributed -27.9 per cent and -28.6 per cent to GDP in 2020 and 2021 respectively. However, the Trade Balance registered a growth of -11.6 percent in 2021 compared to the revised growth of 81.8 per cent in 2020.

For more information, please visit the National Accounts page

https://www.gbosdata.org/downloads/gdp-2021

Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GboS)

According to the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, nearly half of all pregnancies globally, totaling 121 million each year are unintended.

This is according to UNFPA’s recently released 2022 State of World Population report. The 2022 report themed “Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy”, describes the statistics as a human rights crisis that has profound consequences on societies, women, girls and global health.

The report discloses that over 60 per cent of unintended pregnancies end in abortion and an estimated 45% of all abortions are unsafe, causing 5 – 13% of all maternal deaths, thereby having a major impact on the world’s ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

For The Gambia, the 2022 UNFPA report says the unmet need for family planning is currently at 24% while the contraceptive prevalence rate for modern methods of contraceptives is estimated at 19% and that the total demand for family planning among women is about 43%.

“Between 2015 to 2019, unintended pregnancies in The Gambia stood at 54 per 1000 women and only 23% of women can make decisions on their sexual and reproductive health and rights. These figures reflect the pressure societies place on women and girls to become mothers. An unintended pregnancy is not necessarily a personal failure and may be due to the lack of autonomy society allows or the value placed on women’s lives.”

The in-country launch of the report was done by UNFPA -Gambia on Friday 20^th May at the Alliance Française de Banjul.

The Gambia Police Force (GPF) has asked foreign commercial drivers to desist from driving.

This is according to a publication on the official facebook page of GPF, Poliso Magazine.

“In this regard, all foreign nationals involved in driving commercial vehicles are urged to immediately desist from doing so. Likewise, individuals using private vehicles for commercial purposes are equally warned to desist from such practices as the law will be strictly applied on persons found wanting,” police say.

The GPF Mobile Traffic Department is conducting an enforcement program targeting the use of commercial vehicles by foreign nationals and use of private vehicles for commercial purposes on public roads.

“This highly visible exercise which started on 16th May 2022 is necessitated by a mass increase in foreign nationals involved in driving commercial vehicles hence raising a security concern. The enforcement will ensure commercial vehicles are not driven by foreign nationals and private vehicles are not being used for commercial purposes in accordance with the law,” GPF emphasizes.

“In addition, the situation of tricycles used as commercial taxes is also being reassessed by the Police high command. This is in line with the Motor Traffic Act and Regulations,” Gambia Police Forces discloses.

By Ousman G Darboe

Ebo town is one community in Kanifing Municipality which has been existing without a health center since its inception.

Residents describe the lack of a health facility as a total setback for them.

The situation makes life difficult for the less privileged residing in the community.

Mamat Mbye is said to have been battling with an illness that sometimes causes difficulties in speaking and breathing.

Mbye is less privileged, thus going to distant health centers is considered a big challenge on him due to the lack of health center in his community.

“This illness sometimes attacks me at night, I have nothing to do except to hire a taxi which is sometimes very costly,” Mamat explained.

Mbye’s wife, Amie, is his main support. She told the Fatu Network that they sometimes pay taxi drivers six to seven hundred dalasi to convey them to the hospital.

The nearest hospital that they easily access is Kanifing General Hospital. She added that they most often visit the Banjul policlinic for treatment.

Amie said if the government had built a health center in Ebo town, her husband’s illness would have been handled with ease, noting that the amount of money she spends on transport would have been saved for other family needs.

The lack of health center in Ebo town is not only a challenge for Mamat and his family but for the entire Ebo Town community.

By Ousman G Darboe

Ebo Town is one of the densely populated communities in Kanifing Municipality without proper accessible drinkable water.

The main source of water for these people is an unclean well situated few steps to the river.

Sarjo Mbye in her twenties is one of the people who reside in the community.

For Ms Mbye, lack of clean drinkable water has caused lots of damage to their health because of the type of water they drink daily.

“We pay our taxes regularly, but it is as if we are not part of the society. We are being marginalized because we are not benefiting from what others are and we all pay tax,” Sarjo expressed.

Amie Secka, a house wife whose husband is said to be in a serious health condition, said inaccessibility of clean drinkable water poses unbearable danger to her.

Amie and her family buy water from people who are privilege to have running tap.

This, she explained is in a far distance from her house in order for them to have drinkable water.

She said her husband is no longer in the position to provide the money to buy water daily.

The poor water situation, couple with lack of a single health center, makes life difficult for many people who reside in the community.

Mamat, Amie’s husband, Maimuna Cham and Kaddisa Sonko all call for government’s intervention to ensure that they have drinkable water.

“Our children always fall sick due to the unhealthy water they drink daily. The government has to look into this matter properly.” Maimuna said.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

“The well is too deep. My back pains every time I draw water from it”, Adama Jarju, a young female gardener and breadwinner who is using her garden to support her family, explained her current plight to the Fatu Network.

Adama has a garden in Sifoe village in the West Coast Region of The Gambia. She uses the garden to provide food for her family and settle the school needs of her younger siblings.

“All that I acquired from the sales of the garden products is spent on my family’s needs”, she expressed.

Adama is the oldest daughter in the family and has been its breadwinner since the demise of her father in 2020. At age 27, she took up the responsibility for the affairs of her family through gardening which she began in 2018 with her father before his passing.

“I am the elder’s daughter of my parents. Since the passing of my dad, I have been responsible for my family. This garden helps me a lot. When I sell oranges, I used to make a lot of money, and all will go to the family spending”,  she revealed to TFN.

Adama conveyed that she does not do a lot in her garden nowadays due to the lack of water and easy access to it. She narrated that the well is too deep and any day she uses the well to water her plants in the garden, she will experience a painful back pain which has dwindled her productivity in the garden.  She explained that she can’t do so much in the garden now because it is affecting her. A predicament she said is disturbing her and weakening her financial muscles.

Adama has taken pride in gardening. She said that gardening puts food on her table and addresses certain financial problems in their house.

She began working on the garden in 2018 when her dad felt sick.  She described that despite the father’s sickness then, he would force himself to do farming.

“My dad was very sick, but even though he’s sick he would still want to do farming. I had to stop him from going to the farm; so I took it from there.  That’s what motivated me. From 2018 to date, I have not stopped. I know he’s very happy where he is and I am happy too that I can do something like this. My dad is my inspiration,” she voiced.

Adama does mix-planting. She plants Okra, Pepper, Cucumber, and Lettuce during the dry season. In the rainy season, she plants Cassava, Groundnut and beans to keep the feeding of her family alive.

But now, she is facing difficulties in continuing with the garden to feed her family.

According to her, she needs a borehole for her to keep the garden or else she might do little or nothing in the garden. She told TFN that she has spoken to people to come to her aid but to no avail.

“I spoke to a few about it but to no avail. Begging makes me ashamed. I need a borehole to keep the garden,” she asserted.

By Amara Thoronka

On Friday 20^th May, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in The Gambia launched its 2022 State of World Population report at the Alliance Française de Banjul on the theme, “Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy.”

According to the UNFPA, between 2015 to 2019, unintended pregnancies in The Gambia stood at 54 per every 1000 women and that only 23% of women could make decisions on their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

“These figures reflect the pressure societies place on women and girls to become mothers. An unintended pregnancy is not necessarily a personal failure and may be due to the lack of autonomy society or the value placed on women’s lives,” the report says.

It discloses that over 60 per cent of unintended pregnancies end in abortion and an estimated 45% of all abortions are unsafe, causing 5 – 13% of all maternal deaths, thereby having a major impact on the world’s ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

“In The Gambia today, the unmet need for Family Planning is currently at 24% while the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate for modern methods of contraceptives is estimated at 19% and the Total Demand for Family Planning among women is about 43%. This shows that a considerable part of the population needs modern contraceptive commodities but do not have access. This means that the said population have limited autonomy, if any, over their bodies, fertility, and ability to make informed choices, thus contributing to the staggering high rates of unintended pregnancies globally,” UNFPA explains in its report.

On gains made, the report states that there has been progress in the areas of reproductive health and rights of women and girls.

“Through The Gambia Government-UNFPA funded Country Programme, a lot has been done towards improving the reproductive health and rights of women and girls. The Country Programme has over the years supported the development of a National Family Planning Policy, a Costed Implementation Plan and a Communication Strategy for the Ministry of Health, in order to aid effective Family Planning programming to benefit everyone, everywhere in the country.”

“The National Population Commission Secretariat has been supporting the coordination of population programmes in The Gambia. UNFPA in collaboration with the Government of The Gambia remains committed to continue investing in the realisation of zero unmet need for family planning and the empowerment of women and girls and their families, to be able to make informed choices. These investments will have a ripple effect on the productivity of the population, strengthening socio-economic indicators and inspire inclusive sustainable development.”

The global population agency says the report should serve as a wakeup call to everyone as it highlights how easily the most fundamental rights of women and girls are often pushed to the backburner.

“The report calls on decision-makers and healthcare systems to prioritise the prevention of unintended pregnancies by improving the accessibility, acceptability, quality and variety of contraceptives and greatly expanding quality sexual and reproductive health care and information. It urges policy makers, community leaders and all individuals to empower women and girls to make affirmative decisions about contraception and motherhood, and to foster societies that recognise the full worth of women and girls. Women and girls will be able to contribute fully to society, and will have the tools, information and power to make this fundamental choice—to have children, or not—for themselves.”

The State of World Population report is UNFPA’s annual flagship publication. Published yearly since 1978, it shed light on emerging issues in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights, bringing them into the mainstream and exploring the challenges and opportunities they present for international development. This report’s analysis builds upon new data from our partner, the Guttmacher Institute, released on 24 March.

The United Nations Population Fund is the agency charged with the mission to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. To achieve this, the agency works towards realizing three transformative results: ending unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal death; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices.

As the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA helps people obtain contraception and life-saving reproductive health services and information and empowers women and girls to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The national youth President of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), MC Cham Jr has called on opposition parties to form an alliance to contest against the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in the local government elections.

The GDC youth leader asserted that the only way to prevent the Gambia from NPP’s total dominance is by opposition political parties coming together against President Barrow’s party

“We have to help each other by putting up a tactical alliance among opposition parties so that we can support each other and stop NPP from dominating the local government elections”, he told the Fatu Network.

He added that the local government election is the grassroots, noting that having chairpersons and mayors will be good for the political base of the opposition parties.

MC Cham, who contested and lost in the April National Assembly elections explained that if opposition parties had formed an alliance in April,  NPP would not have dominated the current national assembly.

“If there was a tactical approach in the national assembly election, Barrow’s candidates were going to win only in the Upper River Region. He would have only seven MPs, but because all the political parties put up their candidates, the votes were divided and that gave NPP the upper hand to win the majority of the seats”, he uttered.

He exuberantly outlined that it is high time for the opposition parties to roll on such political tactics to prevent the National People’s Party from controlling the municipalities and localities.

“It is high time we come together as opposition parties to have a tactical alliance within ourselves to support each other.  That way, we will stop the NPP from dominating the country. Having a one-party state will be very wrong for our democracy”, he emphasised.

Cham, whose party lost every seat they competed for in the April national assembly elections, told The Fatu Network that it is quite feasible for the opposition parties to come together.  He said that they should learn from the national assembly election. Cham further amplified that  GDC will engage other opposition political parties about a possible alliance against the ruling party.

According to him, political parties and leaders should now look at the country and not their parties.

“We have to do it so that we can save the Gambia from the crossroads that we are. Let us not see our party now, let’s see the Gambia”, he pointed out.

Sierra Leone’s health authorities have confirmed the first cases of human infections of anthrax, less than a week after an outbreak of the disease in animals was reported.

The Ministry of Health says three people tested positive for the bacterial infection which was first confirmed in animals at the beginning of last week in the northern Port Loko district. A spokesman in the Ministry of Health said the human cases were detected in the neighbouring Karene District.

Harold Thomas, Communications Lead in the Directorate of Health Security and Emergencies in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) told ManoReporters that samples from four people who presented with symptoms of the disease were tested and three came back positive for anthrax.

In Port Loko, over 200 animals have been confirmed dead due to the outbreak. Officials in the ministries of Agriculture and Health said they mounted an investigation in response to reports of several unexplained deaths of animals in Tinkabere Village in Kamasondo, Bakeloko Chiefdom. A total of 223 livestock – 91 heads of cattle, 53 goats and 79 sheep – were eventually confirmed dead.

According to Thomas, there has been no indication of human-to-human transmission, which means that those who were infected in Karene might have gotten it from either infected animals, animal products or bacteria spores.

Anthrax is described as a serious infectious disease caused by a bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. The bacteria occur naturally in soil and commonly affect domestic and wild animals. Human beings can get sick with it too if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. But the disease is treatable.

According to the Health Ministry spokesman, all the confirmed human cases were Cutaneous anthrax, which is the most common of the three types of the disease and the less dangerous one. The other two types are Inhalation and Gastrointestinal anthrax.

Source: ManoReporters

By: Christian Conteh

The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has expressed delight that it was able to raise the sum of 4.72 Billion Dalasis between January to April 2022 amidst the financial difficulties globally.

According to Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General, GRA a major challenge hindering the revenue collection is the Ukraine-Russia war. He, however, pledged to despite the hardship globally continue its commitment and dedication to ensure that the task ahead of the authority is achieved for the development of this country.

The Gambian Government according to Yahya Manneh, Director of Technical Service had given the GRA an annual target of D13.5billion for 2022. Technical Service and Excise are expected to collect D7.82 billion and domestic taxes to collect D5.68 billion which will sum up to a total of D13.5 Billion as the overall annual revenue target for 2022.

“The Gambia Revenue Authority collected D4.72 billion from January to end of April 2022 against D4.71Billion which means GRA has exceeded the target by about 0.3% of 13.79 million which is the overall target of GRA for 2022,” Director Manneh said.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

When Bakary went to Rwanda to participate in the Peace Building Institute under Never Again Rwanda in February 2020, he was inspired by the history of Rwanda to replicate a similar thing in the Gambia.

“I was inspired by participation at the Peacebuilding institute under Never Again Rwanda, after an intensive training I had and understanding the history of Rwanda, I was inspired to replicate something like that back home, that’s what gave birth to PHTG”.

Two months later, in May 2020, Bakary founded Peace Hub The Gambia, a peacebuilding organisation that will make indelible strides within a short period.

Christened Bakary Dena Sonko, the 25-year-old award-winning peace advocate and educator was born in Essau, in the North Bank Region of the Gambia.   He grew up in Essau, a village that looks like a city.  His background growing up and what he sees in his vicinity shaped his focus till today.

A trained teacher and an advanced Diploma holder in Peace and Conflict Studies and a final year student at the University of the Gambia, Bakary desires change through advocacy.

“Growing up as a young man, I’ve lived and witnessed how differences were handled and how people live together and the happiness I drive from seeing people live together coupled with my desire to become a diplomat encourages me more to study peace and conflict and venture into peace advocacy”, he explained to The Fatu Network.

Developed an appellation ‘Tha Change’ and ‘Peacetivits’, courtesy of his passion for producing change through advocacy and dialogue, Bakary’s journey into activism in peace and nurturing the brains of young people is an amazing tale.

According to him, his background growing up in Essau motivated  him in his direction.

“I’ve developed so much passion for peace advocacy and this is largely inspired by my background as a young man growing up, and those experiences shaped my desire to do the work I do today.

“Equally, harnessing the potentials of youth offers the best hope for both personal and collective growth, the desire to grow and help others grow inspired my work as a young leader”.

Since he co-founded the Peace Hub Gambia (PUTG) in May 2020, they have embarked on a series of tours from one region to another in advocating peace, building the capacity of young people,youth political participation and diversity.

The Peace Hub is a youth-led social cohesion organisation that focuses on promoting youth participation in the peacebuilding process.  The organisation seeks to keep on building the capacity of young people to be the centre for all peace processes in The Gambia.

Some time ago, Bakary and his team made a breakthrough between the people of Gunjur and Berending village in Kombo South and the land conflict in Salikene where his team settled the disputes. According to him, these are the organisation’s utmost accomplishments in addition to building the capacity of young Gambians in peace and conflict issues.

The 25-year-old and his team built the capacity of young people in these villages and after the benefits, they organised a football game which warranted the demise of the conflict in these villages.

A final year Development student at the University of The Gambia, Bakary visualizes a safer and better Gambia for all young people including persons living with disabilities and the Gambia that will cater for all.

In addition to empowering youths through capacity building in peace and conflict, Bakary’s Peace Hub The Gambia has provided employment opportunities for eight young Gambians who work at the organisation’s office.

A passionate young Gambian, Bakary is an award-winning peace advocate and educator, a trained leadership champion, and a champion of the sustainable development goals with more focus on goal 16. As a passionate peacebuilder, Bakary has spent a lot of his time raising awareness on youth political participation through his strong advocacy of the realization of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda in The Gambia.

As a peacebuilder, He mobilizes communities and inspires them to action by ensuring peace and security in those communities.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on 19th May facilitated the voluntary humanitarian return of 148 Gambian migrants stranded in Libya through a return flight, and another 45 through a commercial flight from Niger.

A statement from the organization states that this represents the highest number of Gambian migrants assisted with voluntary return in a single day, since IOM opened a country office in The Gambia in July 2017. The 193 migrants who returned included 184 men, 3 women and 6 children.

“Today’s flights reflect the great work of our teams across multiple countries, who are always ready to support stranded migrants in need,” emphasized Fumiko Nagano, IOM’s Chief of Mission in The Gambia.

“This further highlights our strong partnership and coordination with relevant authorities to promote the safe and dignified return and reintegration of migrants into their communities.”

Prior to departure, IOM staff in Tripoli and Niamey provided all returning migrants with health checks and pre-departure transportation assistance, counselling services and protection screening. In addition, personal protective equipment in compliance with COVID-19 regulations was provided.

The returnees from Libya included vulnerable migrants who had been subject to exploitation and violence. Those with identified vulnerabilities were referred for further assistance.

Since 2017, over 3,300 Gambians have benefitted from IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) programme, which offers a dignified and safe return for migrants stranded in Libya.

Most of the Gambian migrants who returned from Niger were stranded in the desert at the border with Algeria, in the Agadez region. In Agadez and Niamey, IOM’s team provides emergency and life-saving humanitarian assistance to vulnerable migrants in one of its seven transit centres.

This assistance includes registration, accommodation, food, health care, psychosocial support, and assistance in the delivery of consular documents before they return to their country of origin. Since 2017, over 1,700 Gambian migrants have been assisted to return home from Niger. Of those supported to return, three were from Senegal and were supported with onward transportation.

Upon arrival in The Gambia, returnees received a comprehensive orientation on the process of receiving reintegration assistance – which may include economic, social and psychosocial support, tailored to each returnee’s needs.

The returns were made possible through the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, funded by the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

Magistrate Sainey Joof of the Bansang Magistrate Court in the Central River Region (CRR) has remanded 14 villagers of Kerr Mot Ali in the Upper Saloum District, Central River Region (CRR) at the Janjangbureh Prison pending their appearance at the High Court

The accused persons are facing two counts of felony and arson. However, they both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The accused persons; Omar John, Ali Ceesay, Abdou Mbaye, Ali Secka, Ali Ceesay, Musa Mbaye, Haddim Ceesay, Mod Talla Secka, Modou Habib Secka, Abdoulie Sowe, Batch Samba, Modou Habib Secka, Sheikh Sey and Mustapha Ceesay are all facing conspiracy to commit felony contrary to section 32 (a) of the criminal code cap 10 Volume 3 Laws of The Gambia and Arson contrary to Section 305 of the Criminal Code Sub Section 8 Cap 10 Volume 3 Laws of The Gambia.

According to the particulars of offence, all accused persons sometime in the month of May 2022 at Kerr Mot Ali village in The Gambia in the Upper Saloum District of CRR, conspired among themselves to commit a felony there with arson thereby committing an offence.

Count two states that sometime in the month of May 2022 at Kerr Mot Ali village, all the accused persons willfully and unlawfully set fire and burned the houses of Musa Secka, Lamin Sowe and Alhagie Ousman Secka to ashes.

Shortly after their plea of not guilty, police prosecutor Sub-Inspector M. Conteh assisted by sergeant 3449 Kemo Jabang applied for the case to be transferred to the High Court and that the accused person be remanded in custody, arguing that the magistrate court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the case in accordance with the special criminal code.

However, Lawyer Sheriff Kumba Jobe, who announced his appearance for the accused persons argued that since the court that the Bansang Magistrate Court lacks the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter, arranging the accused at the said magistrate court is a violation of the accuses’ rights and that the prosecution team didn’t follow due process.

Lawyer Jobe further urged the court to discharge the accused persons, citing competence, territorial jurisdiction and merits.

However, after a thorough look into the two submissions made by both parties, Magistrate Joof overruled the defence’s application, thus ordering for all the accused persons to be remanded in prison pending the ongoing investigation.

The Embassy of The Gambia to the United States of America and the Permanent Mission of The Gambia to the United Nations in New York have confirmed the distribution of The Gambia Government allocated funds of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) amongst Gambians involved in the Bronx fire disaster that took place on 9 January, 2022. The fire claimed seventeen lives. Fifteen of the deceased were Gambians.

The Mission and the Embassy, in concert with the Gambian community leaders designed a distribution formula which allocated Two Thousand Dollars ($2000.00) to each deceased person. With this, altogether the representatives of the Fifteen (15) dead persons received Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00), whilst the remaining Seventy Thousand Dollars ($70,000.00) was shared amongst the rest of surviving victims through their family or household representatives. A total of 103 survivors received $679.61 each amounting to $70,000.00.

In his welcoming remarks, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to the United Nations in New York, H.E. Lang Yabou, warmly welcomed victims’ families to the Mission and thanked them on behalf of H.E. the President for coming to receive what he described as a gesture of solidarity from the Government of The Gambia. He said the circumstance that led to the meeting is indeed an undesired one, noting that worldly ephemeral material cannot be equated to human life because it is sacrosanct. He used the opportunity to pray for Allah’s mercy on the departed souls.

Ambassador Yabou explained that previous meetings and consultations with families of victims were all geared towards ensuring that no member of victims’ families is left behind. He said accountability is an integral part of good governance thus the need to ensuring that every victim gets his or her fair share of the funds. He informed the gathering that as government representatives, accountability and transparency are key to their work.

Ambassador Yabou recognised great efforts made by the staff of the Permanent Mission as well as the collaboration and support given by The Gambia Embassy in Washington, D.C, the 2 Mosques, Gambia Youth Organisation and Elders in generating an all-inclusive data concerning the victims and families. He reiterated that the involvement and presence of the Embassy in Washington, D.C. is important as the welfare of every Gambian in the United States falls squarely under the Embassy.

The Ambassador used the opportunity to hail the unity and solidarity between members of the Gambian community, especially, when the unfortunate incident happened. He said the incident has further strengthened bonds of solidarity adding that each and every member of the community rendered support to victims in one way or the other. Ambassador Yabou returned gratitude to His Excellency, the President, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People of The Gambia for the support given as The Gambia is the only country that gave such a relief package to its citizens affected by the fire. He therefore urged families to remain strong adding that the tragedy was ordained by Allah (SWT).

Ambassador Yabou recalled the prompt engagement of the late Ambassador Dawda D. Fadera when the tragedy happened and how the team and the Foreign Minister, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara discussed the issue of the humanitarian gesture and came to a consensus that support should be given to the victims.

He called on the community to inculcate high sense of discipline in their children and send them to school. This, he added, would further increase the value and recognition of the community in the US. He also informed the gathering that The Gambia Government is appreciative of support given by Gambians in the United States as well as other nationals.

The Honorary Consul-Designate, Mr. Ebou Cham, commended the entire Gambian community for the cordial working relations he had with them since the incident broke out. He used the opportunity to pray for the victims by wishing them peace and unity as a community.

Mr. Sheikh Musa Drammeh, a community leader, who spoke on behalf of the community said it is not the amount given but it is the gesture that matters and that meant a lot to them. He thanked the staff of the Mission in New York and the Embassy in DC for the collaboration and support since the incident happened. The support, Mr. Drammeh said, was overwhelming and therefore expressed profound gratitude and assured that as a community they will continue to support and defend the Government and its officials. He observed that it is consoling to know that the Government is sensitive to their pain.  He expressed the community’s displeasure over what he referred to as the lack of enough support and sensitivity from the US authorities. Mr. Drammeh concluded by calling for urgent steps to be taken by their community elected authorities to address the challenges facing them as a community.

A number of family representatives took the floor to commend and pray for the Mission and Embassy Staff as well as the Government and people of The Gambia while expressing their sincere appreciation for the donation. They asked the Ambassador to convey their sincere appreciation to His Excellency, the President and his Government.

Credit: Embassy of Gambia in Washington DC, USA (Facebook page)

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Country Director for the Gambia under the International Model Diplomats For Integrated Development (IMDID), Muhammed Kanyi, has told young people of the Gambia to decorate themselves with ethics and values to raise the standards of integrity and resourcefulness in the society.

Speaking to the Fatu Network, the Information, Technology and Communications specialist explained that if the young people are innovative, they will remain relevant in a progressive society.

“We must adorn ourselves with admirable ethics and values, and raised the standards of integrity, and credibility and resourcefulness in our society”, he pointed out.

He further said that young people in the Gambia should be creative enough to have the ability to identify needs in society and proffer adequate solutions to address the needs.

Kanyi, a passionate advocate of justice and equal opportunities also encourages young people to contest in the next local government elections as councilors, chairmpersons or mayors.  He outlined that elected offices are where decisions and made and influenced.

” It is only prudent that more young people brace up to contest for electoral offices.  Being in such positions will grant us (youths)the platform to influence major decisions at the community and national levels that affect the lives and livelihood of young people across the country”.

He used the April parliamentary elections as examples where few young people contested and won.

The Gambia will witness local government elections next year where wards and regions will elect ward councilors and area council chairpersons and mayors to steer their affairs at the local level.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of The Gambia Football Federation, Lamin Jassey has come out in defence of the federation’s decision to play the country’s home game in Senegal as the Gambia’s independence stadium faces a temporary ban from hosting international games.

The General Secretary said that playing home games in Senegal is not a shame as opposed to critics’ claims.  He argued that the Gambia and Senegal are friendly neighbours, adding that those saying the move is a shame are not getting things clear.

“It is not a shame. They are our neighbours.”    He went further: “We are always going to Senegal for our private businesses and Senegalese are here.  People that are saying it is shams don’t get it.  They are our closest neighbours. We are inter-linked and married”, he pointed out.

He also pointed out that the Senegalese national team at some point played its home game in The Gambia. He explained that standards have lifted, adding that when the independence stadium was built, the current standard was not set up.

The Gambia senior national team will be playing its home games away in Senegal due to the ban meted on the independence stadium.

On the 4th of June, the Gambia will be hosting South Sudan in Thies, Senegal as the qualifies for Ivory Coast 2023 starts.

According to Jassey, since the federation received the notification of the banning of the independence stadium, they forwarded it to the Gambia government and he claimed that the government is working on that.

Speaking to the Federation’s media earlier today, 19th May, the chairman of the events management committee, William Abraham told Gambians that the stadium in Thies is very small, confirming that tickets will be out by next week.

He explained that the capacity of the stadium is eight thousand and seven hundred seats.