The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has said a report into a stadium crush in the Cameroonian capital of Yaoundé will centre on who closed the gate at the Olembe Stadium.
At least eight people were killed and 38 injured in Monday’s incident during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) game between Cameroon and Comoros. The crush occurred at the south entrance of the stadium as fans attempted to watch the round of 16 match, which ended in a 2-1 victory to Cameroon.
“If [the gate] was open, [spectators] would have walked through and it was closed for inexplicable reasons,” CAF president Patrice Motsepe said during a press conference on Tuesday.
“If that gate was open as it was supposed to we wouldn’t have had this loss of life.”
Motsepe also vowed that such an incident will “never happen again” at an AFCON tournament, adding that “there were things that should have been foreseen.”
He said: “There is zero tolerance, absolute zero tolerance in the circumstances which could result in people being injured at a stadium or losing their lives.
It was also confirmed at the press conference that the AFCON quarterfinal due to be played at Olembe Stadium on Sunday will be moved to Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé, subject to approval from CAF’s executive committee.
A statement from the government of Cameroon said 31 people were lightly injured and seven were seriously injured in the crush.
“Facing this tragedy, the seriousness of which has provoked emotion and consternation, the Head of State [Paul Biya] sends his saddest condolences to the badly hit families, as well as his wishes of a speedy recovery to the injured, to whom he sends the profound compassion of the entire nation,” the statement added.
The deceased were taken to the Yaoundé Emergency Centre, while the injured were divided between four health facilities in Yaoundé.
In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA football’s global governing body sent “deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives.”
It added: “The thoughts and prayers of the global football community are with the victims, the ones who have been injured in this incident, and all the staff of both CAF and the Cameroonian Football Association at this difficult moment
Hot, dark and uncomfortable are words that best describe the current facility housing Sierra Leone’s Law Reform Commission at the Special Court premise, New England Ville in Freetown.
The Commission which was set up by an act of parliament in 1994 and amended in 1996 has as its core function reviewing all the laws of Sierra Leone and recommending reforms to expunge obsolete provisions and to generally modernise the country’s laws. It started operation in 2003.
Lack of electricity, no water supply, lack of adequate office equipment’s and administrative squabbles make work almost impossible for most members of staff.
In a letter dated 24th January 2022 staff members of the commission wrote to the Secretary to the President appealing for intervention. This they say comes after exhausting all internal mechanisms to resolve the problem between the secretary and the chairman of the commission.
According to them the crisis at the commission has pushed the commission to the brink of total collapse.
“We have decided to write you because we, as members of staff have exhausted all internal mechanisms to resolve the problem between the Secretary of the Commission and the Chairman of the Commission.
Sir as we write to you today, 24th January 2022, the Commission has gone without internet for at least four months and electricity since early December 2021. This has made it impossible for us to carry out our official functions,” a press statement from concerned workers read.
The members of staff noted that in August of 2021 they wrote a memorandum to the secretary after many verbal attempts calling for a review of their grading system failed.
In December of 2021, they said they also engaged the secretary on issues including but not limited to the constant lack of electricity a state of affairs the secretary blamed the accountant for.
In January of 2022 upon resumption of work to the dismay of workers their challenges have not been addressed.
Idrissa Kargbo is Principal Legal Research Officer at the Law Reform Commission, speaking in an interview he said recent events are an existential threat to the Law Reform Commission.
“What we are facing now is an existential threat, there is a threat to the existence of the commission. The crux of the problem is the lack of corporation between the Secretary and Chairperson of the commission,” Kargbo said.
He further noted that the lack of corporation between the Chairman and the Secretary has made it impossible for them to work. For this reason, they call for intervention from the Office of the President.
“There is no electricity in the office, there is no water, even to use the toilets. Government is pouring hundreds of millions on this commission, and we have to assist government to actualise its projects and programmes,” he said.
The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) Report is still fresh on the minds of Gambians and non-Gambians alike, its shocking revelations are still a discussion in every community, marketplace and office.
One of the several recommendations call for the banning of ten senior judges which it (TRRC) referred to as “Mercenary Judges” from holding government office.
This call according to the commission is in direct response to their (the judges) alleged roles in facilitating ex-president Yahya Jammeh’s use of the justice sector institutions to strengthen his grip on power and entrench his dictatorship.
The commission said the government should review the law on refusal to obey court orders by public officials, with a view to putting in place a more stringent regime that would ensure compliance.
It further recommends that government should study the implications of the fusion of the two positions of Attorney General and Minister of Justice and consider the potential benefits of separating the two functions for more effective administration of justice.
The commission also recommends that both former and present agents of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) be banned from holding any office with the government for their alleged roles in torturing detainees and perpetrating other human rights abuses.
The TRRC was established to investigate crimes committed in The Gambia under the leadership of Yahya Jammeh between 1994 to 2017 when he was at the helm of affairs. The report is a product of a three-year-long investigation during which the commission heard hundreds of testimonies from witnesses on different issues.
Jammeh stands accused of murder, torture, forced disappearances and rape among other crimes against humanity. There is already a rallying call for his trial by an international tribunal.
The President of Senegal Macky Sall has released a statement on Tuesday, January 25th 2022, confirming the death of Senegalese soldiers following an exchange of gunfire between the ECOMIG forces and elements of the separatist rebel group MFDC.
Macky’s statement confirmed that the incident in fact happened on Gambian soil and that the soldiers who are supposed to be on peacekeeping mission in the Gambia were on an operation against timber trafficking.
‘’I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of our brave soldiers who died during a security operation against timber trafficking in South Bwiam as part of the ECOWAS mission in the Gambia. May their souls rest in peace. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured’’
Macky’s statement has been met with strong reactions from Gambians, with some accusing the Senegalese government of using The Gambia to pursue their interest. His comment that the soldiers were on an operation against timber trafficking has also triggered questions regarding the mandate of the ECOMOG forces as this many believe is contrary to the mandate of their mission in the country.
‘’I was rifling through the ECOWAS charter in respect of their mandate on Peacekeeping Missions. I could not lay my hands on any part of their peacekeeping mission, where ECOMOG forces (ECOWAS’ Military Force), were granted a mandate, by law, to enforce any country’s domestic law. Investigating wood loggers/deforestation should have been the job of The Gambia Police Force/Gambia Forestry Dept’’
‘’Therefore, I was baffled when I read the tribute of the Senegalese President, Macky Sall, where he praised his force’s bravery in the deadly fight over logs of woods being transported by vehicles on Gambian soil. Who gave the Senegalese Army or the ECOMOG, authority to investigate and confiscate logs of wood transported within The Gambia, a practice they have been engaged in since 2017?’’ – Lamin Tamba, a UK-based Gambian who originated from Foni told this medium.
Senegalese forces clashed with members of the MFDC on Monday following an alleged attempt by the ECOMOG forces to confiscate a truck carrying timber logs. The truck driver reportedly changed course and headed to nearby Cassamance, the southern region of Senegal where the separatist group MFDC are based. The decision of the ECOMOG forces to cross into Cassamance was met with deadly consequences as gunfire ensued, killing two of its soldiers and displacing many in the surrounding border villages.
A lieutenant colonel appointed to oversee security in Burkina Faso’s capital has emerged as the leader of a military coup that overthrew President Roch Kabore after heavy gunfights in Ouagadougou.
The 41-year-old officer was promoted in December to commander of Burkina Faso’s third military region by President Kabore.
Dressed in military fatigues and a red beret, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was presented as the president of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR), which seized power on Monday.
“MPSR, which includes all sections of the army, has decided to end President Kabore’s post today,” a captain standing to the left of Damiba said, as he read a statement in the lieutenant colonel’s name on Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina (RTB).
The 41-year-old officer had been promoted in December by Kabore to commander of Burkina Faso’s third military region in what some analysts viewed as an effort by the beleaguered president to shore up support within the army.
The appointment to the strategic position followed an attack by fighters on a gendarmerie post in the northern town of Inata that killed 49 military officers and four civilians.
Reports that the troops had gone without food rations for two weeks sparked anti-government protests and calls for Kabore to step down.
In his new post, Damiba proceeded to reorganise the military ranks, appointing new officers to key roles with the declared intent of battling the uprising.
As a contrast to Kabore, who was faulted by the army for the rising rebel violence, Damiba has sought to present himself as an expert in countering terrorism.
He studied at a military academy in Paris, obtaining a master’s degree in criminal sciences from the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers.
In June, he published a book titled West African Armies and Terrorism: Uncertain Responses? in which he analysed anti-terrorism strategies in the Sahel region and their limits.
From 1987 to 2011, he was part of the Regiment of Presidential Security (RPS) of former president Blaise Compaore, who was overthrown in 2014 after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in protest at plans to extend his rule.
The unit was then dissolved by the transitional government, a move that caused resentment among some officers.
According to L’Observateur newspaper, Damiba quit the RPS in 2011 following a wave of protests and a violent army mutiny.
He was later posted to the northeastern town of Dori as Commander of the 11th Infantry Commando Regiment (RIC) and to the northern town of Ouahigouya as Commander of the 12th RIC.
In 2015, Damiba and other officers took part in an attempted coup that briefly deposed the transitional government.
He later testified in the trial of conspirators behind the coup, according to reports from the time in Burkinabe media, discussing his contacts with some of the putschists.
Following the events in 2015, Damiba left the country to pursue further military studies, according to L’Observateur, which did not provide further details on his time abroad.
Upon his return, he took the leadership of the 30th RCAS, a regiment tasked with supporting Burkina Faso’s counterterrorism strategy.
On December 3, Kabore entrusted Damiba with protecting Ouagadougou from the threats posed by a religious rebellion.
Analysts have suggested Monday’s coup started off as a mutiny in a military base hosting a prison where some of the key military figures that were involved in the 2015 coup attempt are imprisoned.
One Abdou Jammeh who works under the Criminal Investigation Department of The Gambia Police Force, and currently posted in Kanilai has reportedly gone missing amid tensions between Senegalese forces and elements of the separatist rebel group in Cassamance (Movement of Democratic Forces of Cassamance).
In an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, a cousin to Abdou who identified himself as Yusupha Colley said his family has been restless since yesterday and that all efforts to find out their brother’s whereabouts from both Gambian authorities and Senegalese security officials seems to prove futile so far.
The aggrieved family member alleged that his cousin was captured by Senegalese security forces while trying to do his job as an officer following a distress call from a villager in Kapa.
‘’Abdou happened to be my cousin and he is an agent of the police force. We were together on Monday when suddenly, his telephone rang. The person he was speaking to was telling him that there was an exchange of fire between the Senegalese soldiers and MFDC forces. He has been posted here for a very long time and the place the call was coming from is within his area of responsibility’’
‘’he told me he was going to the scene to get first-hand information on what’s happening. I told him to be careful because live ammunitions were involved, and he was not armed. He also spoke to his Station Officer at Bwiam to put him in the picture. He went to a village called Kapa, which is about 100 or 200 meters from Kampant. When they got there, he realized the information he got was true, that were was an exchange of fire indeed. That’s when he decided to notify his Station Officer in Bwiam.
‘’On his way coming home from Kampant with a vehicle, they were stopped by some Senegalese soldiers who were also trying to enter the bush as re-enforcement. They were stopped and questioned on where they were coming from. Abdou identified himself as an officer of the Gambia police and why he was in the area. He was with two other guys who travelled to the area to recue their sister and her two children. The Senegalese soldiers asked them to park and step out of the vehicle. Abdou stepped out of the vehicle and appealed to the soldiers to allow him to get the civilians he was with back to safety, especially the lady and her two children who were already in a state of panic because of the crossfires. Whilst the vehicle driver tried to move to get the car to a safer place, the Senegalese soldiers started to fire at the vehicle. Abdou had already alighted the vehicle’’
According to Yusupha Colley, the vehicle driver who was with Abdou told them that Abdou was immediately taken into custody by the Senegalese Soldiers.
‘’What I cannot confirm is if Abdou had his police identification documents on him or not. But all I know is they arrested a Gambian officer, doing his job, in his country.
Asked if Gambian authorities have been notified about his missing cousin, this is what Yusupha Colley said:
‘’We are just coming back from the station. We went to see the Station Officer to tell him that our brother is missing. The people he was travelling in the same vehicle have been released but Abdou is nowhere to be found. We were told they are following the situation and will keep us updated accordingly’’
The armed struggle in Casamance was ignited in March 1982. The conflict which has been described by analysts as neither war nor peace has claimed thousands of lives in the region and displacing many others since its beginning. Villages around the border are unfortunately inhabited by civilian populations who continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing conflict between the Government of Senegal and the (MFDC).
On Monday 24 January, Justice Alameh, the presiding judge in the case between The Sates and General Badjie set 4 February 2022 as date for ruling on whether the former security aide to ex-president Yahya Jammeh should continue to be remanded or charged and tried.
Justice Alameh revealed that the state made an ex-parte (one party) application to detain the General within 90 days at the Mile 2 Central Prison pending investigation into his alleged crimes.
The decision of making a ruling on the 90 days application came when defense counsel Sheriff Kumba Jobe rose to object to the said application to remand General Badjie without trial. The defense counsel maintained that the continuous remanding of his client without trial is unlawful.
It could be recalled that the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) report recommended for General Saul Badjie and others to be tried for their alleged horrendous crimes.
However, journalists and some alleged victims have complained about the space of the courtroom, saying that it cannot fully accommodate the press and some alleged victims leading to members of the press standing outside throughout the proceeding.
It was therefore suggested for the hearing to take place in a bigger courtroom that would accommodate more people as the case is one of public interest.
The next sitting is on Friday 4 February 2022 for ruling on the 90 days application.
A newly established fitness, nutrition and care center for women in The Gambia [Phenomenal Women] was officially launched on 21 January 2022 at the center’s address at Bartil Harding Highway, opposite Kotu Hospital.
In her statement, Fatima Jallow, CEO of Fatima & Co public relations firm (organizer of the launching ceremony) said the center focuses on women particularly on fitness, nutrition and care.
“The Center offers women in The Gambia a safe environment. They offer services to women such as Yogo, Zumba, aerobics/cardio exercise, kids Zumba classes, beauty salon, steps/TRX workout, massage/jacuzzi/steam, kids play area (nanny services) and nutrition classes,” she highlighted.
Making an opening remark, a member of Phenomenal Women, Laila Traboulsi said the center is a product of a discussion between her and Phenomenal Women chief executive Fatu Njie on a safe environment where when can exercise and receive trainings on their wellbeing.
“We were chatting on a safe environment where women can put on their sport gears, a place exclusively for women. Women have so much to offer but are not giving the opportunity to prove themselves. Our work here is not only to exercise and offer nutrition and care services, but also to help women and young ladies unleash their potentials.”
Madam Traboulsi encouraged women to take advantage of the opportunity by coming to the center and make use of its services.
Speaking on reason for establishing Phenomenal Women center, Chief Executive Officer of the center Fatou Njie said she has travelled to many countries and has discovered that most countries have similar centers for women, but not in The Gambia.
“Other countries have centers like this where women exercise and are taught on how to take good care of themselves, their children and their families in general. We need such in the Gambia and that is where the idea came from. We are the mothers, and we are the ones who give birth to the Presidents, Ministers and all. Women are the foundation of a better country and a better world”
She said the center has a safe and conducive environment for women to exercise and discuss their challenges with workable solutions.
Jeun Francois Normand, husband and partner of Madam Fatu Njie thanked all the people that have been working with them to realize the establishment of the center, noting that his wife always think about her fellow women and has always been trying to do something to make women in the Gambia feel confident, healthy and good looking.
Keynote speaker of the ceremony Saliou Taal, President of Gambia Bar Association praised Madam Fatu Njie, her husband and all those who contributed in realizing the establishment of the center.
“Fatu Njie always want to bring to the Gambia the best she has seen in other countries. This center has the high standards you can find in other parts of the world. I believe this is a showcase of love and passion for this nation because if it is about money Fatu and her husband would have invested in real estate and other stuffs.”
Mr. Taal assured that he will encourage his wife to visit to the center regularly, calling on other men to allow and encourage their wives and sisters to take advantage of such opportunity.
Spokesperson of the Gambia Police Force, Superintendent Lamin Njie has confirmed to The Fatu Network that a British citizen believed to be in his late forties shot and killed an unidentified man in the early hours of Monday 24th January 2022 at Brufut Heights.
After the incident, the man reported himself to the police who obtained statements from him.
According to reports, the man was in bed at his Brufut resident between 6:30 to 7:00 in the morning when an unknown man with knives broke into his house and attacked him, adding that he then ran into his room, took his hunting gun and shoot the ‘attacker.’
The reports went on to say that that upon trying to run by jumping the fence, the attacker suddenly fell and fainted, after which the Police were called and informed about the incident.
Some police officers later visited the scene to get on-the-scene information and exhibits. The victim according yo credible sources had two knives, 3 smart phones, a hotel room key and 10 British Pounds,15 euros, 450 dalasi notes and a bottle of sparkling natural water.
The United States Ambassador to The Gambia, Carl Paschall has expressed optimism, hope and gratitude to the government and people of The Gambia as he prepares to depart the country after spending nearly three years in office as US Ambassador to The Gambia.
Below is his farewell message:
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Banjul, The Gambia
January 24, 2021
OPINION EDITORIAL: A Message of Optimism, Hope, and Gratitude for The Gambia
By R. Carl Paschall, Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of The Gambia
As I prepare to depart The Gambia after nearly three years, it is difficult to say goodbye and leave the Smiling Coast of Africa. But I leave this beautiful country with a sense of optimism, inspired by the passion of the Gambian people who press for completion of promised democratic and economic reforms, including justice and accountability.
My optimism is grounded in the strong will of the Gambian people. When we arrived in March 2019, it was thrilling to sense the excitement of a citizenry who, just over two years earlier, demonstrated to the world their commitment to democratic values by peacefully voting for change despite intimidation and repression. That Gambian passion for democratic change, for justice, and accountability has not waned. Indeed, nearly 90% of registered Gambian voters cast their marbles in December – with extremely high percentages of women and youth actively, energetically participating in the democratic process.
The Gambia’s young people continue to provide uplifting inspiration to me. Many committed young adults took an active part in working with the IEC to ensure their fellow Gambians young and old registered and then voted while many others took part in civil society-led voter education and election observation missions. And these young people – in the words of an esteemed Gambian – are not just the leaders of tomorrow – they are the leaders of today and tomorrow. While in my experience they are unfailingly respectful of their elders, I urge those who like me are older to make room for active youth civic involvement – they are eager, they are energetic, and they are committed to building a brighter future.
It was an honor to represent President Biden at the inauguration of His Excellency Adama Barrow to a second term. I suspect that President Barrow, like my government, is attentive to the passion of the Gambian people for continued progress in democratic reform, transparent and accountable governance, and justice, as documented in the AfroBarometer surveys in 2017 and 2021. Indeed, I am encouraged that in his post-election news conference, the President underscored his commitment to continuing the democratic reforms promised in 2016, many of which remain undone, naming constitutional reform as his intended legacy for a second term. I also note the President’s statement that he is the “biggest fan of term limits” – something Gambians repeatedly and emphatically state they want applied universally.
As partners with the Gambian government and civil society to support efforts to achieve Gambian aspirations, we will continue to invest and work to realize these goals – but they require Gambian ownership, Gambian leadership, Gambian accountability. During my tenure here, I am proud that the range of U.S. government and non-governmental partners has expanded our bilateral and multilateral support to The Gambia’s reform efforts, as well as donated lifesaving COVID vaccines. Among many different programs, this expanded engagement is perhaps most profoundly displayed by the signing of a new bilateral USAID Development Agreement with initial multi-million-dollar programs to support the Gambian-led justice sector and rule of law reform efforts, as well as the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Program agreement to develop and implement strategic reform of the electricity generation and supply sector.
And of course, my wife Jane Ellen and I are infinitely grateful for the many opportunities we have had to meet wonderfully warm, welcoming, hospitable Gambians from all walks of life – from Kartong to Soma to Basse to Fatoto, and Barra to Farafeni to Wassu and the many villages and towns in between. Among our long list of things, we will cherish are the beauty of the land, the warmth of the people, and of course Gambian cuisine. (My favorite is Domoda Chicken, while Jane Ellen prefers Chicken Yassa, we both love Supa Kanja, and Akara, and we believe Gambian Benachin is far better than Thieboudienne). Jane Ellen and I want to simply say “thank you” – thank you for welcoming us and thank you for sharing with us Gambian culture and traditions. We will treasure and hold in our hearts forever this remarkable place.
Gambia’s Tourism and Culture Minister is expected to appear before the National Assembly (lawmaking body of The Gambia) today 24 January 2022, over corruption allegations at the Gambia Tourism Board.
The Tourism Minister and former Gambia Tourist Board Director Abdoulie Hydara will face the National Assembly Public Petition Committee as part of the committee’s investigation into the alleged accusations. The investigation was triggered after a group of concerned staff wrote to the National Assembly select committee on tourism in 2018, asking that they launch an investigation into alleged corrupt practices involving the Minister and other top officials in the tourism industry.
In a letter addressed to the said committee, the employees challenged the Gambia Tourism Board for awarding the Eco-Lodges contract to the highest bidder (Lerr Group), sidelining the other companies who offered to run the project at a more affordable cost.
“In 2018 bids were invited for the construction of the eco-tourism camps and five companies namely Mendura Construction, BB Electricals and Construction, Peace Enterprise, Lamin Jatta Eco Construction, Santa Yalla Construction and Lerr Group.
“Mendura Construction presented a bid amount of D12,121,746,50, BB Electrical and Construction presented a bid price of D14, 628, 032, 80, Peace Enterprise presented a bid amount of D13, 188,075, Lamin Jatta Eco Construction presented a bidding price of D13, 839, 309 Santa Yala Construction presented a bid price of D16, 514, 888 and Lerr Group presented a bid price of D26, 199, 667, 84,”
In their petition, the aggrieved group of employees also mentioned the wrongful allocation of land in the tourism development area, accusing the Minister and his cohorts of orchestrating the 5% waiver for businesses.
The accusations were met with strong reactions from some Gambians who called for the suspension of the Minister at the time.
The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Kaboré, has reportedly been detained by mutinying soldiers.
Some troops in the West African nation have demanded the sacking of military chiefs and more resources to fight Islamist militants.
Gunfire had been heard overnight near the presidential palace and at barracks in the capital, Ouagadougou.
The government on Sunday denied suggestions of a military coup or that the president was under arrest.
President Kaboré was detained at a military camp by mutinying soldiers, foreign media reports say.
Video from the capital appears to show armoured vehicles – reportedly used by the presidency – peppered with bullet holes and abandoned in the street.
BBC reporter Simon Gongo in Ouagadougou says the city is quiet again. Soldiers have, however, surrounded the state television headquarters and there has been no live programming on Monday.
On Sunday, hundreds of people came out in support of the soldiers and some of them set fire to the ruling party’s headquarters. A night-time curfew has since been imposed.
The president’s location is unknown, but AFP news agency quoted security sources as saying that he and other government ministers are at the Sangoule Lamizana barracks in the capital.
There has been no communication from President Kaboré himself since Sunday night, when he posted to social media congratulating the national football team on their win in an Africa Cup of Nations match.
Amid disruption to the internet, the situation in the capital is not clear, with no statement from either the military or the government.
A former French colony, Burkina Faso has suffered chronic instability since gaining independence in 1960, including several coups.
The country’s name, meaning “land of the honest men” was picked by revolutionary military officer Thomas Sankara who took power in 1983. He was toppled and killed in 1987.
Since 2015, the country has been fighting an Islamist insurgency that spilled over from neighbouring Mali. This has fuelled anger in the military and damaged the once important tourist industry.
The unrest comes a week after 11 soldiers were arrested for allegedly plotting a coup.
But discontent has been growing in Burkina Faso over the government’s failure to defeat an Islamist insurgency in the country since 2015.
That escalated to new highs in November, when 53 people, mainly members of the security forces, were killed by suspected jihadists. And on Saturday, a banned rally to protest against the government’s perceived failure led to dozens of arrests.
In Burkina Faso, mutinying soldiers made several demands, including the removal of the army’s chief of staff and the head of the intelligence service; more troops to be deployed to the front line; and better conditions for the wounded and soldiers’ families.
On Sunday, Defence Minister Gen Barthelemy Simpore downplayed previous rumours of the president’s capture, and the nature of the unrest at large.
State television, meanwhile, had characterised the sound of gunfire at military barracks as the actions of a small few disgruntled soldiers rather than a widespread fight or coup attempt.
Following comments made by the head coach of the Scorpions, Mr. Tom Saintfeit’s about Team Gambia’s accommodation at the Hotel La Vallee de Bana at a pre-match press conference at the Tagidor Garden Resort, The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) has made some clarification for better understanding of the said submisssions of Saintfeit and apologized to organizers of the competition and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“Mr. Saintfiet was responding to a question posed by one of the reporters regarding the team’s accommodation. The Coach was quoted to have said in the media that six players are sharing a room in the height of a global coronavirus pandemic. However, what the Coach meant to say was that at the aforesaid hotel, there are apartments and in one of the apartments, there is one main entrance with three separate rooms with two players in each of the rooms with all six of them forced to share single toilet and bathroom,” GFF explained.
“He was raising concerns that in a tournament where CAF rules states that if one player tests positive for Covid19, his roommate will automatically miss the upcoming game that the roommate tested positive for. Thus, for six players to share one sanitation, therefore, risks the health of the players concerned. In this regard, the coach’s remarks were taken out of context and he did not in any way insinuate that six players were sharing one single room,” Gambia’s football governing body stated.
The GFF further clarified that just as in the case of Cape Verde, who are sharing the same hotel with us, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe before us, except for four officials, players and staff are all sharing two persons to a room with one single bed, adding that CAF has made the same arrangements for all National Teams participating in the 2021 Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations and no one team is treated better than the other.
“Also, contrary to a report where the Coach was purported to have admitted to the Cameroonian authorities this evening that what he said at the press conference wasn’t true. We wish to clarify, in no uncertain terms, that up to the time that we released this press release, Mr. Saintfiet hasn’t spoken to any medium or individual about the matter apart from what he had already said at the aforesaid press conference. Thus, the quotes attributed to him are false,” it emphasized.
The GFF said it would like to apologise to the Local Organising Committee and the Confederation of African Football as well as any party or individual who may have been offended by the remarks of the Coach. Neither the Coach, nor the Federation, have any intention of sabotaging the organisation of a competition where we’ve sent a signal to the entire continent and the world that we’re a force to be reckoned with.
In an interview with Radio France International (RFI), Manager [coach] of Gambia’s main football team Tom Saintfiet have expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as ‘disrespectful treatment’ being given to both players and technical members of the Scorpions who are currently competing in the ongoing 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.
“Six players per room, two and a half hours from the stadium,” Gambia manager Tom Saintfiet disclosed, noting that his players are ‘disrespected’ as they prepare for their AFCON Round 16 encounter Guinea on Monday on 24 January 2022.
Tom emphasized that he is not happy with the kind of treatment they are getting at their hotel in Bafoussam in Cameroon.
“I’m not going to be happy with the hosting conditions. Six players sleep in the same room with the same sanitary and the same shower. Only two, three staff members have a single room, the others sleep together in the same bed, in the time of Covid,” Saintfiet described.
“I have worked 14 years in Africa, but I have never seen this type of condition in a tournament of such nature,” the Belgian says.
He added, “We are a small country like Malawi or Zimbabwe, but we have to be respected. We are here to make history. I have great players evolving in Europe, they are not respected by the organization, and it’s really a shame.”
Dr. Omar Bah, a US-based Gambian has announced his plan to contest the 2022 United States Congressional Election slated for November this year. Dr Bah will be contesting under the ticket of the Democratic Party, in hopes of replacing long time Rhode Island congressman James R. Langevin who recently announced his retirement.
In a statement shared on his official Facebook page, Dr. Bah said he hopes to minimise the political polarization, protect the interest of the American people, especially Rhode Islanders.
‘’wish to confirm that I plan to run for US Congress. When Congressman Langevin recently announced his retirement, I saw a great opportunity to once again manifest the amazing opportunities I have had in this country since my arrival here as a refugee’’
‘’I will run as a democrat, but my hope is to help in uniting the country, represent the diversity and experiences of people in this country, and to build and promote a moderate tone in Washington’’
‘’There are numerous issues to tackle such as safe and affordable housing, healthcare, education, homelessness, crime, and climate change. I am not a career politician and therefore hope to help minimise the political polarisation and promote the interest of the American people, especially Rhode Islanders’’
‘’I also hope to be a source of inspiration for folks from various ethnicities who might as a result have the audacity to try out the American Dream and the possibilities abound’’
From 2002 – 2006, Dr. Omar Bah began publishing articles anonymously on the oppressive regime’s murders and torture practices in an online news site called Freedom Newspaper, which was operated by a Gambian exile in the US.
In May 2006, Freedom Newspaper’s website and emails were hacked by the government and Bah’s identity was exposed, which led to The Gambia Police Force declaring a national manhunt to find him, as they circulated his name and photograph in the media.
42 years old Bah fled to the United States in 2007 after he was declared wanted by former authoritarian ruler Yahya Jammeh.
In the hopes of addressing the gap between government-assisted resettlement and true integration for refugees, Bah started the non-profit organization Refugee Dream Center (RDC) in Providence, Rhode Island in 2015. Bah would be the first black US Congressman from Rhode Island.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Rhode Island and double Master’s in Public Administration and counselling psychology. He also holds a PHD in leadership psychology from the prominent Willaim James College in Boston.
French President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that French people who continue to refuse to get COVID-19 vaccines are not acting like citizens.
Macron made the remark during an interview published by the Le Parisien newspaper on Tuesday. The French president said he hoped to “hassle” those who were “irresponsible” enough to refuse vaccines into getting their jabs.
A bill that would effectively strip the unvaccinated of the right to participate in most aspects of public life is currently being debated in the French parliament.
“We have to tell them, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant,” Macron said during the interview, according to a translation from The Guardian. “You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema.”
“When my freedoms threaten those of others, I become someone irresponsible,” he added. “Someone irresponsible is not a citizen.”
Macron noted that “only a very small minority” of French citizens were still refusing the shots, with around 90% of the country’s eligible population already being vaccinated.
He argued that while he would not send the unvaccinated “to jail” or force them to get vaccines, “pis*** them off even more” could be an effective strategy for convincing the hesitant.
The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth has described The Gambia as a beacon of democratic progress. Patricia Scotland who attended the president’s inauguration ceremony in Bakau congratulated Adama Barrow and the people of The Gambia.
Adama Barrow was sworn in as The Gambia’s 3rd and continuing President before a jubilant crowd of Gambians at the Independence Stadium. Commonwealth leaders, African heads-of-government and heads of international organisations attended the inauguration.
President Barrow expressed gratitude to The Gambian people and said:
“Today, we can comfortably conclude that my re-election for another five years is a vote of confidence in my government, a vote of acknowledgement of my achievements, a vote of endorsement of the path we have undertaken to follow, and a vote of acceptance of the democratic principles and values we stand for.
“It is also a vote of appreciation of who we are as a people and how we have branded ourselves, as well as a vote of the willingness of the people to come together and work together to pursue our dreams and aspirations. In short, it is a vote of hope and reassurance, a rejection of division and oppression, and a new legitimate mandate for me as President and Head of State of the Republic of The Gambia.”
Witnessing the swearing-in, the Secretary-General said: “Four years ago, when The Gambia re-joined the Commonwealth, it felt like an old friend, or a beloved brother or sister, coming back home.
“Today, my brothers and sisters, we can say together that our partnership will go from strength to strength.
“Our world faces profound and serious challenges, but I truly believe that The Gambia will shine like a beacon across the Commonwealth, just as the Commonwealth will shine like a beacon across the world.
“We can see, in the process of democracy, The Gambia’s light shine.
“Because at a time when democracy is under strain in many parts of our world, democracy in The Gambia is getting stronger.
“I hope the example of The Gambia’s journey will not only provide a strong foundation for The Gambia’s future but will also help to heal injured democratic process in other places.”
Africa’s top public health bodies have called for donated COVID-19 vaccines to come with a shelf life of three to six months so countries could plan their rollouts and avoid a situation where doses expire.
John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said 2.8 million doses of vaccine had expired on the continent, roughly 0.5% of the 572 million doses delivered to date. He said 10.4% of Africans were fully vaccinated.
“In terms of the 0.5 %, let me be very clear, any dose of vaccine that expired pains me because that is a life that can be potentially saved,” Nkengasong told a news briefing on Thursday
In a separate briefing, the World Health Organization regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, echoed Nkengasong’s call.
“Many countries indicate that they would like vaccines to be donated with at least three months of shelf life, if not more,” Moeti said.
Nkengasong said that expired doses were mostly among those donated by individual countries or via the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX and that they had arrived with “very short notice”.
It’s the tale of a boy who cheats on his fiancée -one misdeed too many in a selfish life and in desperation turns to a genie for help. The genie gives the errant lad five magic cowrie shells to wipe the slate clean, but these will only work if he uses them wisely.
This is the idea for a script pitched by Kine Niang, a 30-year-old student screenwriter at new film school in Senegal that hopes to unlock Africa’s movie-making potential.
Housed in a beautiful old office building converted into a cultural space in the capital Dakar, the school is the first venture in Africa by a ground-breaking collective that offers free training in filmmaking.
The scheme is being pushed by Ladj Ly, a French director and screenwriter who won the jury prize at Cannes in 2019 for “Les Miserables” — a film about urban violence, set in the gritty Paris suburb of Montfermeil where he grew up.
His collective, Kourtrajme, has already helped set up two other such schools, one in Montfermeil and the other in Marseille. They offer training in cinema and other audiovisual professions, free of charge and without conditions of age or academic qualifications.
Ly and Toumani Sangare, a director who co-founded Kourtrajme in 1995 and is the school’s co-head, both have roots in Mali and were keen to find their latest venture there. But serious unrest thwarted the plan.
Even in more peaceful Senegal, Ly and his partners would have appreciated a few magic cowries to make the task easier, with red tape and the COVID pandemic hampering progress.
Fame “opens a lot of doors”, said Ly, “but it is still an obstacle course, to tell yourself that you want to create free schools, open to all.”
The Presidential Taskforce that was charged with the responsibility of investigating the cause of what the authorities describe as ‘a painful nationwide gasoline shortage’ during the week of 31st October 2021 has uncovered fraud, massive procedural errors, dereliction of duty, recklessness and lack of transparency at GAM Petroleum fuel depot.
The Taskforce which was chaired by Trade & Employment Minister, Honourable Seedy Keita included members from State Intelligence Service (SIS); the Permanent Secretaries of Trade and Ministry of Petroleum (MOPE); Director-General of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA); Managing Directors of The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) and The Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
President Adama Barrow Visits GAM Petroleum Fuel Depot
The task force has after intense and comprehensive investigations presented its preliminary report to President Barrow on Wednesday 9th January 2022 at a session attended by the Vice President, a cross-section of Cabinet and members of the Security Services.
“Contrary to the reports and figures presented by Gam Petroleum (GP), The Taskforce found massive coverups and blatant disregard for established procedures,” the statement from the Presidential Taskforce signed by The Gambia Government Spokesperson Ebrima G Sankareh
Adding that, “significantly, the Taskforce found four out of the five gasoline tanks at the Gam Petroleum Depot in Mandinary were totally empty. The fifth tank in fact contained only 50,000 litres consisting of a mixture of gas oil and water. The stock of petrol as of 1st November 2021 was 910 metric tonnes and that of JET Fuel was 4,209 metric tonnes.”
The Taskforce went further to reveal that stocks entrusted to the National Depot by International Traders (Addax, Trafigura and PSTV) and local Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) were equally missing.
The total volume of products missing was 10,753 metric tonnes of petrol and 20,245 metric tonnes of gas oil with a cumulative value of approximately USD20, 968,100.
The Taskforce found that the missing stocks were issued without any legitimate authorization and the value of the unaccounted stock at pump price (including duties and taxes) was USD31, 265,972. The projected tax and duties throughput attached to these stock values is approximately USD10,297,872, which needed to be ascertained if paid or not. The investigations revealed that the Management of Gam Petroleum illegally allowed some OMCs to take fuel without proper authorization.
Moreover, the Taskforce also discovered weak oversight of the Depot operations and poor compliance with the regulatory framework of the Petroleum Products Act of 2016.
Equally, the Board of Gam Petroleum (GP) was weak and lax in checking Management’s blatant excesses.
In a crass disregard for supervisory instructions, the Management of Gam Petroleum provided fraudulent, dodgy and terribly misleading information and was equally, not forthcoming with reliable facts during the review by the Presidential Taskforce.
Consequently, the Taskforce recommends that PURA’s Management strengthens its regulatory oversight functions over GP and ensure that the National Strategic Reserve mechanism as stipulated in Section 25 of the Petroleum Products Act, 2016, be fully enforced.
In addition to PURA, the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Weights and Measures Department of the Trade Ministry should deploy staff at the Depot until the situation is adequately normalized.
The restructuring of Gam Petroleum should include the constitution of a new Board of Directors, immediate appointment of an interim management, rustication of the current management with subsequent legal processing for wrongdoings, formation of an Audit Committee, implementation of appropriate modern software for stock management and prosecution of all persons and entities directly and indirectly responsible for the stock theft and national gasoline shortage. Lost stock must be legally recovered.
Crucially, The Presidential Taskforce recommends that the current practice of elevating the Second Layer of Management to oversee the operations of Gam Petroleum and the Depot be immediately halted as it is inconsistent with standards of best practice and a recipe for unabated malpractice and or corporate fraud.
Further, the National Audit Office (NAO) should review the audit reports by PKF to ascertain the position of GP at the time of the takeover from Euro Africa Group. This NAO exercise should be followed by forensic audit of Gam Petroleum by an independent firm to determine the full extent of the losses including any taxes that may be due to the State.
Accordingly, H.E. President Adama Barrow strongly assures Gambians and partners of his Government’s unwavering commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring that fair and transparent business practices are upheld with equal opportunities for all in the country.
