The Supreme Court of The Gambia has dismissed a consolidated lawsuit challenging the appointment of six presidential advisers who simultaneously hold positions in political parties. This ruling came after combining six separate cases that shared common facts and legal issues.
In a judgment delivered on December 12, 2024, Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow, writing for the majority, ruled that “the restriction on holding of office in a political party imposed by Section 170(1) of the Constitution which is limited by the said Section to public servants i.e. civil servants and others so declared to be pursuant to Section 166(1) of the Constitution does not apply to the 1st defendants as they are appointees of the President pursuant to Section 80 of the Constitution.”
The case, brought by Ebrima Dibba and the United Democratic Party, had sought to invalidate the appointments of six Special Advisers to the President, including Dembo Bojang, Lamin Cham, Dodou Sanneh, Henry Gomez, Lamin K. Saidy, and Sulayman Camara. The Court confirmed these advisers held various party positions: Dembo Bojang as National President of both UDP and later NPP, Dodou Sanno as National Organising Secretary of NPP, Henry Gomez as Leader of GPDP, Lamin K. Saidy as Deputy National Youth Coordinator of NPP, Sulayman Camara as Secretary for Media and Communication of NPP, and Lamin Cham as National Campaign Manager of NPP.
The Court made a crucial distinction between “public office” and “public service,” determining that while presidential advisers are public officers, they are not public servants and therefore not subject to the same political neutrality requirements as civil servants. In the case of Sulayman Camara, the Court noted his unique position as a pro bono adviser on cyber security, questioning whether he even qualified as a public officer since he received no payment for his services.
The judgment was delivered with four justices in agreement, following the passing of Justice M.M Sey, who had participated in the hearing and conference but died before the judgment was delivered. The Court ordered no costs in the matter.
State House, Banjul, 12th December 2024: At the invitation of H.E. William Ruto, the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. President Adama Barrow attended Kenya’s 61st National Day Anniversary as the Guest of Honour.
President Barrow highlighted the importance of building African ties and exploring the numerous opportunities within the continent, such as innovation in technology, agriculture, and education, for broader collaboration that would result in shared growth.
Here is an excerpt from President Barrow’s statement at the celebration:
“The Republic of Kenya and The Gambia have much in common, in terms of history, culture, and colonial experience. It is little wonder, therefore, that we are celebrating together the National Day of this great nation, the Pride of Africa.
Looking forward, there is ample scope for our two countries to explore and deepen our bilateral relations in the mutual interest of both countries.
There is also much to learn from each other’s experiences and mutually leverage our respective strengths to our advantage. Specifically, numerous opportunities exist for broader collaboration that would result in shared growth, marked by advancements, for example, in innovation, technology, agriculture, and education.
The Gambia is committed to good governance, which makes us open and able to collaborate and cooperate closely with the Republic of Kenya and other African countries.
The occasion accords us the opportunity to reaffirm our collective commitment to the ideals of Africa’s Pan-Africanist founding fathers – unity, solidarity, and cooperation. Together, let us work towards a better future, characterised by economic prosperity within our uniquely peaceful, stable, and socially diverse but harmonious communities.”
As part of the Independence Day Celebrations, President Barrow was honoured to a luncheon at the State House of Kenya. In his toast, President Barrow said Africa must trade more amongst itself, citing the low trade within the continent. This call is in line with the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement of the AU.
Additionally, President Barrow emphasised the values The Gambia shares with Kenya, including the democratic values of unity, patriotism, freedom, and liberty.
Later in the afternoon, President Barrow visited the Kenya National Park in Nairobi, established in 1964.
The Gambia Police Force and The German Police Support Team (GPST) concluded the PIU Subproject with a ceremony at the Police Intervention Unit Headquarters in Kanifing on December 12, 2024. The event celebrated the project’s successes, acknowledged the contributions of GPST staff, and expressed gratitude to the German government for their support.
Commissioner of Police for the PIU, Adeline Basangeh, welcomed attendees and highlighted GPST’s contributions, which enhanced the operational capacity of the PIU through training, logistics, technical expertise, and infrastructure development. He expressed gratitude for the resources that will continue to support the PIU in maintaining public order and combating crime.
Mr. Steffen Haas, Deputy Head of the GPST Project, expressed pride in the milestones achieved during the project’s tenure. He highlighted the shared commitment between the GPF and GPST in improving law enforcement capabilities and expressed confidence in the sustainability of these advancements.
Assistant Inspector General of Police Operations, Pateh Jallow, speaking on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, expressed heartfelt appreciation to GPST for advancing policing efforts in The Gambia. He reaffirmed the GPF’s commitment to responsibly using the provided resources to ensure peace and stability.
Representing the Minister of Interior, Mr. Kebba Nfally Darboe commended GPST’s contributions and emphasized the Gambian government’s appreciation for the partnership with Germany. He highlighted the mutual benefits of such collaborations and their role in addressing security challenges and building institutional capacity.
German Ambassador Klaus Botzet reiterated the strong bilateral relationship between Germany and The Gambia, commending the achievements of the GPST project and reaffirming Germany’s commitment to supporting The Gambia in enhancing public safety.
The ceremony included tactical demonstrations by PIU officers and musical performances, showcasing the professionalism and progress achieved through the partnership.
Chief of Jokadu District, Alpha Mariam Khan, has expressed concern about the Gambia Immigration Department allegedly overcharging immigrants for a visitor’s pass, or laissez-passer, without providing proper receipts, after two Senegalese nationals reported having each paid D500 for the pass amid allegations of financial misconduct.
This allegation raises concerns about a potential breach of trust between the state and its immigrant population, highlighting issues of financial accountability and transparency within government agencies.
During a community engagement organized by ActionAid in Kerewan last week, Chief Khan expressed his frustration regarding practices he claims have infiltrated the ranks of immigration officials. He noted that the visitor’s pass, commonly known as ‘laissez-passer’, which is usually issued for D50 dalasis, is being overcharged by the immigration authorities in his district. Chief Khan alleged that he came across two Senegalese nationals who reported to him the financial misconduct they experienced, having paid D500.
“I found two Senegalese nationals who had this issue. They said that some immigration officers gave it to them, and they paid each of them five hundred dalasis. To my understanding, a laissez-passer is free.
“Also, if you collect money from someone, you should give the individual a receipt. There was no receipt, which means that money is not accountable, and there was no stamp. You cannot simply give people ordinary papers like that; it means any criminal can come across that paper, photocopy it, and keep issuing it to others. We should respect our national documents,” he said.
The chief’s allegations reveal a pattern of systematic irregularities, indicating that undocumented fees may be benefiting certain officials while undermining the legal framework intended to regulate immigration processes. He emphasized that this kind of behaviour promotes corruption and diminishes respect for national sovereignty.
“I understand that the laissez-passer is free. Something free should be issued for free, but if an individual takes that document home, it signals that there are dubious things happening in our country. [Moreover], two, three, or four people should not provide us with incorrect names. So, as an authority, I took it upon myself to document this and follow up with the authorities because I want it to stop. If you come across something unlawful that is happening and we all choose to turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to it, that means we are not rectifying it, which is unjust to the people we serve,” Khan added.
Chief Khan urges the director of the immigration department to enhance supervisory mechanisms at the grassroots rather than limiting supervision to the upper levels, as most issues originate from the grassroots.
“I would call on him [Director of Gambia Immigration Department] to at least engage his regional authorities, regional directors, to go on constant monitoring and supervising”.
In response to the allegations, Siman Lowe, the Public Relations Officer of The Gambia Immigration Department, clarified that the document or receipt in question is not the standard receipt their officers issue for ID cards and passports. He highlighted that a laissez-passer is provided free of charge, which every immigrant over the age of eighteen is entitled to when travelling in accordance with the law.
PRO Siman Lowe reiterated the department’s commitment to addressing public concerns, which significantly contributes to their efforts to enhance professionalism. He assured that the department would thoroughly investigate the issue, particularly the challenge of impersonation by a few individuals posing as police officers.
“The complaints made by the public are significant in our drive to enhance professionalism in the department. This is why I appreciate that you raised the concern with us.
“On another angle, recently, there had been reports of impersonation of police officers on the media. Thus, if the complainants could inform us of the area where this occurred, it would help us as a department,” he said.
The Gambia’s ongoing struggles with immigration and governance are underscored by the allegations made by Chief Alpha Khan, highlighting the urgent need for transparency and accountability in public institutions.
Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano announced that Atlético Madrid has agreed to a new deal with Spanish-born Gambian Omar Janneh, a “talented striker who scored 5 goals in 6 Youth League games.”
According to Romano, Omar’s “new contract will be valid until June 2028.”
Ousainou Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party, visited Basse as part of the party’s nationwide tour, where he was greeted by a large crowd of supporters.
During his visit, Darboe emphasized his commitment to justice, equality, and progress for all Gambians. The tour, which began on 7th December, aims to engage with communities across The Gambia, address concerns, and present the party’s vision for the future, with a series of meetings planned through to 29th December.
The Gambia records over a dozen ‘Kush’ related deaths (Photo: Foroyaa newspaper)
By Hawa Demba
A substance referred to as “Kush” is wreaking havoc in The Gambia with 13 related deaths mainly youth, the 5th national situation report (Sitrep 5) by the National Taskforce for Drug and Substance Abuse stated on 20th August 2024.
A subsequent situation report (Sitrep 6) indicated a percentage increase of clinical cases with the age group 14-23 years as the ‘most affected’ with 96% male, followed by 24-33 and 34-43; while 54-63 has none. The total cases (143) were reported by 10 health facilities in the country, with the Kanifing General Hospital recording the highest cases (52.5%), followed by Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), which recorded 29.5% cases.
The substance is ‘mostly’ consumed by the mentioned age group, with symptoms such as drooling saliva, swollen tongue and lips, pain and restlessness- which accounted for 64.7%. It also triggers abusers to sleepwalk, bang their heads against hard surfaces and walk into moving traffic resulting in very tedious situations. The National Taskforce for Drug and Substance Abuse “KUSH” records revealed.
The age and sex distribution of ‘Kush’ cases from 1st January – 23rd September 2024 (Source: SitRep 6)
Commissioner Pa Bojang, Chairperson, National Taskforce for Drug and Substance Abuse “KUSH” shared that the preliminary analysis of ‘Kush’ indicated the presence of chemical components such as Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, Moringa leaves, Fentanyl and Tramadol. He revealed that Sukuta Zoo, Tallinding, Bundung, Faji Kunda, Bakoteh in the Greater Banjul Area and Nyamanarr village in the Upper River Region are ‘the biggest Kush markets’ in the country.
In the Gambia, it is a public perception that drug abuse especially, among the youth, is not for pleasure, but for stress, anxiety, and depression relief. The perception also includes peer influence and curiosity as other causes of substance abuse in the country.
A former ‘Kush’ abuser, who claimed to have started taking the substance due to unemployment, shared his experience with this medium. “This country is very hard … I have searched everywhere for a job, but to no avail. So, I got depressed and frustrated, and I felt this (taking ‘Kush’) was the only way to better my life,” he recalled.
How does ‘Kush’ affect health?
A senior mental health nurse at Kanifing General Hospital, Amadou D. Jallow, said that taking the substance involves ‘the risk of dying’. Other health implications of taking the substance include post-traumatic stress disorder, among others.
“The health implications of Kush are the risk of dying and swollenness of the tongue which blocks the airways and makes the individual suffocate or not be able to have oxygen in his or her system and as a result causing the individual to lose oxygen in the brain which would eventually lead to death. The other health implication is, the patient can have psychological problems- that is behaving like a psycho in which the individual can be hearing voices that are not real, acting restless and aggressively, and he/she might not be able to sleep like before,” he explained.
Health workers encounter challenges when treating cases with the manifested symptoms of the substance. A nurse at a local facility, Tuti Kujabi treated a patient in a ‘critical condition’ with such symptoms.
“When the escorts came with the boy with his tongue out and eyes rolling, I got terrified… I’m glad I treated him, and I will continue to help because abandoning them is not the right decision. We have recorded three critical Kush patients on that same day. I treated one patient and my colleagues treated two during their night shift and these are very young boys who are aged from 14-25,” she shared.
The government explored measures to tackle the substance blamed for the 13 deaths. The efforts include the constitution of a national task force to look into the matter. Despite this, there is no scientific proof of its connection with the deaths due to the lack of a laboratory in the country. The senior mental health nurse, Jallow confirmed this challenge.
“It is still unknown as to whether those people are affected by Kush or not because there is no laboratory to test the urine or blood samples of victims that are suspected of consuming the substance. Even the analysis that has been done so far shows that there is some content of Cannabis but the rest of the components is still not known,” he revealed.
Fight against the substance
A review of Drug Law Enforcement Agency seizure statistics from 2020 showed that the institution has not registered any seizure of ‘Kush’. It also showed that 7g of suspected Kush was reportedly seized in 2021- with an increase in regional seizure of 9g in 2021. There were no seizures in 2022, while the weekly seizure statistics for 2023 showed a fluctuating trend with 7,353,121kg seized. However, no seizures were made in January and February of the year.
The Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Gambia (DLEAG) enforces all drug laws and regulations in the country and brings perpetrators to justice. At a press conference, DLEAG Director General, Demba Ceesay, told journalists with certainty that his agency’s fight against drugs is ‘winnable’.
“We are working tirelessly with our men and women at the DLEAG to instil in them the right aptitude (and) to better equip them for the task they have signed up for. Our fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse has not been helped by situations in some parts of our communities. We, therefore, call on all cross-sections of Gambian society to join the bandwagon in the fight against drugs,” the DLEAG leadership said.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GITOC) designed a research study into ‘Kush’ in Sierra Leone with the Clingendael Institute. The research aimed to support civil society and authorities in West Africa, and the rest of the world to develop evidence-based responses by providing more data.
Initial tests using an FTIR spectrometer by the global initiative showed that the substance contains synthetic cannabinoids and significant natazenes. The components of the substance are sprayed onto marshmallows and other leaves. The report provided no official figures on the death toll in West Africa related to ‘Kush’, but authorities in Sierra Leone said that the numbers are tragically significant.
‘Kush’ is said to be a ‘toxic poly-mixture’ that has detrimental effects on health and causes death. Its possession, distribution and trafficking are illegal under the Gambia’s related laws, including the Drug Control Act of 2003.
Ends
Editor’s note: This story has been produced under Freedom House (Promotion of Right to Justice) Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2024. However, the story has been independently produced in accordance with the ethics of journalism.
Manchester City suffered a 2-0 defeat against Juventus during yesterday’s UEFA Champions League match, leaving them precariously positioned just one point clear of the elimination zone and three spots above it. With only one victory in their last 10 games, their next challenge comes against Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has warned of retaliation after Ukrainian forces launched US-supplied ATACMS missiles at a military airfield in Taganrog, southern Russia, on Wednesday.
The ministry said electronic warfare systems diverted several missiles and two were shot down, with only minor damage reported.
The incident marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s use of Western-provided long-range weapons on Russian soil, potentially prompting a response similar to Russia’s November deployment of its Oreshnik hypersonic missile.
President Adama Barrow arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi this Wednesday for Kenya’s 61st Independence Day Anniversary, where he was welcomed by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho.
At the State Pavilion, he signed the Distinguished Visitors’ Book and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between The Gambia and Kenya.
The decision was made after Saudi Arabia was the only country to bid for the tournament. The kingdom has promised to deliver an impressive event, marking another major milestone in its involvement in global sports.
Banjul, The Gambia – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad is pleased to announce the successful evacuation of 25 Gambian nationals from Lebanon. This significant milestone underscores the Government of The Gambia’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the rights, safety, and welfare of Gambian citizens abroad. The Ministry extends its profound gratitude to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the invaluable support and cooperation in complementing the Government’s efforts during this critical mission. The logistical and technical assistance provided by IOM was instrumental in ensuring that the government facilitated the safe return of our citizens today 11th December 2024.
We also acknowledge the steadfast dedication of the Honorary Consul General of The Gambia in Beirut, Lebanon, Honorable Khalid Hammond, whose tireless efforts and collaboration with the Ministry, IOM Beirut Office, and Authorities in Lebanon greatly facilitated this evacuation process. The commitment demonstrated by the Honorary Consulate General Hammond during this very difficult period, to the welfare of Gambian nationals in Lebanon has been exemplary.
The Ministry also seizes this opportunity to express heartfelt appreciation to the evacuated migrants and their families for their patience and cooperation throughout this challenging period. Their resilience and understanding have been vital in achieving this successful outcome.
The successful evacuation under a very difficult circumstance reflects the collective determination of government, partners, and our consular networks to provide effective assistance to our citizens in distress and is also further testament to the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of Gambians abroad.
Consequently, as we welcome these 25 Gambians back home with joy and relief, the Ministry reaffirms its commitment and dedication to strengthening support systems for Gambians living and working abroad and will continue to engage with partners and stakeholders to ensure that their rights, dignity, interest and well-being remain a top priority.
Chief Magistrate Pa Modou Njie, who was arrested and interdicted last week in connection with an alleged drug case, has been formally charged with several offenses, including abuse of office, fraud, breaches of trust, and the removal of property under lawful seizure. Njie, who served at the Bundung Magistrates Court from August 2023 to November 2024, is accused of ordering the removal of 104 blocks of cocaine from the exhibit store and disposing of 31 blocks (weighing 51.9 kg).
In court, Njie was granted bail set at three million dalasi, with two sureties, each required to provide a bail bond of one million five hundred thousand dalasi or property valued at three million dalasi, to be assessed by state valuers.
Njie has been released on bail as investigations continue.
The upcoming Economic, Trade, and Investment Forum in Banjul, scheduled for December 19-20, 2024, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba International Conference Centre, will see the representation of Gambia’s President Adama Barrow and Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
President Barrow will be represented by His Excellency Vice President Muhammed BS Jallow, while President Faye’s representative will be His Excellency Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The forum, under the theme “Harmonization of Friendlier Business Environment,” aims to strengthen bilateral ties, boost trade and investment, and enhance the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of goods, services, and people.
Discussions will focus on sectors including trade, transport, energy, agriculture, ICT, and joint infrastructural projects, with collaboration between The Gambia’s GIEPA and Senegal’s APIX being a key highlight.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to reflect that President Barrow will be represented by Vice President Muhammed BS Jallow, and President Faye will be represented by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko at the forum.
At the African Union Conference on Education, Youth, and Employability in Nouakchott on December 10, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye underscored the need for resilient education to support Africa’s future.
“Young Africans, representing more than 60% of the population, are not only the future but also the present of the continent,” he said, stressing the importance of inclusive and quality education, particularly for girls and rural communities, to break the cycles of poverty.
President Faye also called on African leaders to unite in building an economy that can retain local talent and meet the aspirations of the youth.
France has begun withdrawing its military assets from Chad, marking the end of decades of French military presence in the Sahel.
According to France24, two Mirage fighter jets were returned to France, signaling the start of the pullout, which follows Chad’s decision to end military cooperation with Paris.
Chad’s Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah emphasized that while military ties are ending, the country remains open to maintaining “constructive relations with France in other areas of common interest,” as reported by The Guardian.
Senegal has also requested the departure of French troops, citing their presence as “not compatible” with the country’s sovereignty.
Papa Tunkara, the Chairman of the Kerewan Area Council, in an exclusive interview discussed with The Fatu Network his journey from obscurity to leading a vibrant and functional council, reflecting on the challenges he faced as a former ward councillor of Farafenni, the strategic initiatives that fuelled their success, and his vision for the future.
He explained that when he took office, he inherited a council struggling with significant issues, including limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of community engagement.
“The time we came into office, we made inquiries through the director of finance and the former CEO who were here. It was only D400,000 I found in our account which was very limited, and it was the end of the month and paying salaries was challenging. So, after a meeting with my council, we decided to go out with my councillors to make collections from the various markets and ‘lumos’ to test and gauge the amount the collectors were collecting a day.”
Guided by perseverance, the KAC Chairman embarked on a mission to transform the council. A pivotal strategy he employed was the establishment of a transparency and accountability framework to mitigate financial discrepancies.
“From my experience as a former ward councillor and the chairman of the finance committee, when I just came, I knew that what they were generating and what was on the ground was different. That [is] why I mobilised my councillors and started the collection. When we did this, we doubled the amount they used to collect. Secondly, in those days the collectors did not bank but kept the money in their offices and personal custody and when the need arose, they were called to complete a transaction, but I decided to stop it completely. I instructed them to bank all the monies they collected daily as it will help us to account for finances,” he said.
Chairman Tunkara further emphasized the council’s struggles with mobility, leading him and the CEO to resort to using their personal vehicles for the council’s official duties.
“We came and realised that there was no vehicle that was road-worthy again. We used our vehicles [and] eventually those vehicles got stuck, but we had to negotiate with Super Sonic to [get a] loan [to] buy vehicles which we are using now and paying by instalment,” Tunkara told The Fatu Network.
Today, the Kerewan Area Council serves as an exemplar of effective governance, highlighting the significance of women’s empowerment through the appointment of seven women to the tribunal court.
“We realised that there were no women representatives in the tribunal court which is very bad because a female may have an issue and cannot discuss that with a man, so we deemed it necessary and appointed seven women in the tribunal court,” he said
The Kerewan Area Council’s ongoing evolution stands as a testament to the power of dedicated leadership and community engagement, transforming a previously underperforming council into a dynamic centre of progress and optimism for the coming generations.
Ministry of Youth & Sports, Hon. Bakary Y. Badjie last Thursday presented to Cabinet the country’s new Sport Policy in the form of a Cabinet Paper for deliberation and adoption. The paper was eventually approved by the cabinet chaired by H.E President Adama Barrow.
The new policy outlines the Ministry’s vision and road map for sports development in the country, including infrastructure, management, enhancing skills for coaches and athletes, and talent identification and development.
The new policy, that will now serve as a guide for the intervention of government and other stakeholders in sports emphasizes the prioritization of certain sports disciplines, the development of infrastructure, the establishment of a sports development fund as well as linking sport with developmental issues such as health, environment, tourism & culture and technology, sports for elderly and Person with disabilities (PWD)among others.
With the approval of the policy, the Ministry looks forward to its dissemination and usage to guide the implementation of the strategic plan in the short and long term.
The Gambia Government has taken steps over the past decade to provide free education for all public schools. With support from the World Bank, the initiative gave birth to the banning of all forms of levies in public and subvented schools.
While the effort leads to a significant increase in enrollment, a question still lingers over the quality of such services. This is confirmed in the 2018 Education Summary Report 2019, which reiterates the challenges being faced in improving student performance in public schools.
Evolution of Gross Enrollment Rates by Educational Level 2015- 2019
This chart illustrates an increasing trend in the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for all education levels from 2015 to 2019. (Source- Education Summary Report 2019 by MoBSE)
By contrast, the private schools performed better than the public schools in the National Assessment Test during the same period.
Experts, teachers and school administrators interviewed said the underperformance of students in public schools may be attributed to delayed payment or the insufficiency of the school improvement grant.
A table showing how private schools outperform public schools in different subject areas in the National Assessment Test from 2015 to 2019 (Source Educational Summary report 2019 from MoBSE)
Late and insufficient
The SIG is an eleven-year World Bank-funded initiative that gives missionaries and public schools extra resources to improve education. The payment to schools is determined by their enrollment. The fund provides D100 for a student at the Lower Basic School, and D150 for those in ‘designated hardship areas’.
It pays D575 for students in Upper Basic Schools, which increases to D675 for ‘designated hardship areas’. The highest, D1440, is paid for each student sitting GABECE while D29 is paid towards the printing of results at the level of the school.
“The SIG doesn’t come early, sometimes it comes very late. Sometimes, we would go up to the time we are to write the exam but there is no money because SIG has not been paid,” said Musa Bah, the principal of Mbulumbu Senior Secondary School, in the North Bank Region. According to Louis Moses Mendy, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, the delay doesn’t come from their ministry.
“We don’t have control over when finance releases the money which is not only for MoBSE but generally for all the sectors,” said Mendy.
Components of SIG expenditure
A good number of issues with the payment going to finance are critical to learning. For example, the excursion of students, purchase of teaching and learning materials and payment of some auxiliary staff (Source: Guidelines on the use of SIG for Senior Secondary Schools)
But even where it is paid, there are still concerns over its insufficiency. “… Whatever they used to determine D100 (for each student at Lower Basic School) eleven years ago is not realistic today,” argued Essa Sowe, the secretary general of the teachers’ union. “This means that what a D100 could do some eleven years ago, it cannot do now.”
Sowe believes the poor performance of students can be attributed to the late payment SIG, though the amount itself is insufficient to cater for the educational needs of the students.
“It is obvious that when the materials are not available we will not have effective teaching and learning,” said Sowe.
When teachers had “enough”
The final month of the first term of the school year nearly ended. The teachers from grant-aided did not receive their salaries and the first term of the School Improvement Grant for the mission was not paid. But this time, the teachers’ union has had enough.
On December 2nd, the Union commenced a sit-down strike which ended shortly after the government paid the SIG. In a statement, the Union said the delay in the payment of SIG has caused “significant distress and financial hardship” for its members.
Before the payment was effected, at least one day of class was disrupted by the strike.
“… There are certain things that are taught in the classroom that require excursion for students to properly understand. This is funded by the SIG,” said Essa Sowe, the deputy secretary general of the Union.
Ends
Editor’s note: This story has been produced under Freedom House (Promotion of Right to Justice) Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2024. However, the story has been independently produced in accordance with the ethics of journalism.
Ahead of the ECOWAS Heads of State meeting on December 15, the Alliance of Victim-Led Organisations in The Gambia (AVLO), alongside victims, local and international civil society organizations, and concerned citizens, have petitioned ECOWAS to support the establishment of a Special Tribunal for The Gambia to ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations occurring from July 1994 to January 2017, as documented by the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
The petition, signed by over 300 individuals from 22 countries, has been handed to The Gambia’s Ministers of Foreign and Defence to present to the ECOWAS authorities.
“As individuals are unable to speak directly during these statutory meetings, the final letter (attached), received over 300 signatories from 22 countries and has been entrusted to The Gambia’s Ministers of Foreign and Defense, Honourables Tangara and Njie respectively on Wednesday, 4th December 2024, to carry it forward to their counterparts and, ultimately, to the ECOWAS Authorities of Heads of State for their consideration,” AVLO said in a letter addressed to regional bloc ECOWAS.
The proposed tribunal aims to ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations in The Gambia from July 1994 to January 2017, as documented by the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
The petitioners argue that ECOWAS has a legal and moral obligation to assist in prosecuting those responsible for crimes such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture.
“We, the undersigned victims, victim associations, civil society organisations in the ECOWAS block, local, and international partners, and concerned citizens of the world write to respectfully urge you to endorse and actively support the establishment of the Special Tribunal for The Gambia, as proposed by the Government of The Gambia and recently deferred by the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council. This Tribunal is critical to ensuring justice and accountability for the serious human rights violations and crimes that occurred in The Gambia between July 1994 and January 2017,” the petitioners noted in their letter.
The establishment of the Special Tribunal, alongside The Gambia’s Special Prosecutor’s Office and the Special Criminal Division of the High Court, would facilitate the investigation and prosecution of international crimes, providing closure for victims and their families.
The petition emphasizes that ECOWAS’s support would demonstrate a firm stance against impunity and promote human rights and the rule of law in the region.
