Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Dr. Mamadou Tangara, on Monday 7th December 2020 received the Secretary General of Commonwealth, The Rt. Patricia Scotland Q.C. in his office in Banjul.

In welcoming the Commonwealth Secretary General, Foreign Minister Dr. Tangara commended her and the delegation for the visit to The Gambia, the ministry said in a statement signed by its spokesman Saikou Ceesay.

The statement continued: “Minister Tangara informed her that The Government of The Gambia is committed to continue working closely with the Commonwealth to spur socio – economic development for The Gambia and all member states.

“He said partnership in the areas of Health, Judiciary and Education are crucial to the development blueprint of the Government and extend his appreciation for the technical assistance by the Commonwealth in the areas of Human right, Rule of law, Good Governance, Education and Health.

“For her part, Her Excellency The Rt. Patricia Scotland Q.C. said her delegation is in Banjul to share with The Gambia opportunities crafted together for the country to tap and utilise. She expressed Commonwealth’s readiness to work with the Government of The Gambia in ensuring a better future for the youth and collaborate in the areas of Climate Change, Good Governance, and Rule of law and Financial Accountability.

“She used the opportunity to thank Foreign Minister Tangara for the accurate information he provided about the great achievements and initiatives taken by the Government during the past two years.

“In attendance was the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Saffie Sankareh – Farage and other staff of the Ministry.

“It could be recalled that The Gambia formally rejoined The Commonwealth on 8th February 2018 following the unilateral withdrawal of the country by the erstwhile President Yahya Jammeh.”

Dr Demba Sabally has converted to National People’s Party in a huge blow to Gambia Democratic Congress.

“Yes I did,” Dr Sabally told The Fatu Network from Essau where he’s joined President Adama Barrow on his tour of the nation.

More follows…

Essa Faal took a moment out to warn businessman Sillah-Ba Samateh that it’s a criminal offence to lie to the TRRC.

Samateh began his testimony before the probe on Monday which centres around his 2010 detention at the National Intelligence Agency over claims he was dealing in drugs.

But 50 minutes into his testimony, Essa Faal looking attentive to detail read the law to the businessman.

“You see, that is not in your statement. In your statement, you said ‘we were asked about the drug transactions, we were later taken to Mile 2 where we spent a couple of days’,” Mr Faal said when Samateh testified that he wasn’t ‘aware’ of anything after a room he was put in at the NIA was sprayed.

“I know whatever I am saying here is the truth,” Samateh in responding said.

“Are you suggesting that whatever you may have said outside may not be the truth,” Essa Faal asked.

Samateh replied that could only Faal say that his written statement came short but “whatever I say here is the truth”.

“But I find it strange that you could not remember that the room was sprayed with some substance and you could not recall anything else until you woke up at Mile 2 prisons. It’s quite strange that you could not remember that fact when you spoke to the investigators,” Mr Faal fired back.

In responding, Samateh said: “That’s why I said unless I add to my statements but whatever I say here is the truth.”

“I am not disputing the truthfulness of what you’re saying but I have to warn you that it is a criminal offence to lie under oath, it is also an offence to provide false testimony to the truth commission. Do you understand that?” Faal then said to which Samateh replied: “Yes I understand.”

Fanfare greeted President Adama Barrow as he emerged out of State House to commence a huge tour of the nation.

The president will spend the next 30 days travelling around the country to interact with Gambians. He has the constitutional authority to do so.

Large crowds converged in front of the State House amid singing and dancing as the president left the presidential compound to begin his journey Monday afternoon. The president waved and blew kisses at his supporters who wore his t-shirt.

The president is at this hour at the ferry terminal to cross to Barra.

The country’s Balantas have thrown their weight behind President Adama Barrow with members of the tribe through their association holding a meeting with NPP officials on Sunday.

The Balantas are a minority tribe but they have come together through the Gambia Balanta Association and pledged to back President Barrow. At least 10,000 Balantas are said to be part of the association. Ahmad Gitteh, an NPP tiger is said to have been central to having Balantas throw their weight behind President Barrow.

Speaking at the meeting in Brikama on Sunday, Information Minister Ebrima Sillah asked the Balantas to initiate campaigns and ensure people come to NPP.

“2021 is not far away. We are not playing with respect to this issue. We’re fighting a point battle and those fighting a battle of points do not underestimate anyone and do not leave anything out.

“So what we can tell you is for everyone to tighten their belt to hold strongly and seriously our party. To know we’re fighting for ourselves, not some other person,” Sillah said while welcoming the Balantas into NPP.

An army WO2 Sam Kambai has told the TRRC former President Yahya Jammeh sat on a stone sweating and with a charm tied to his head shortly after soldiers overran State House in a military coup in July 1994.

Jammeh and fellow junior ranking soldiers stormed State House on 22nd July 1994 and seized it in a bloodless coup.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Sam Kambai was at the State House on the fateful day and he recalled Jammeh’s behaviour on the day.

“We saw the likes of Edward and Yahya Jammeh enter in. Yahya Jammeh sat on one stone. He tied a charm on his head and was sweating. I then called him and said, ‘Jola Moro’. He insulted me and said there is nothing like making jokes here [today],” Kambai told the TRRC on Monday.

The chairman of the TRRC Dr Lamin J Sise has called on the members of the public to come forward with information relevant to its remaining areas of focus.

The TRRC resumed its public hearings today where Dr Sise said the commission had heard testimonies from 300 witnesses.

“Of these, 231 were male and 69 were female. Out of the total number of witnesses appearing before the Commission so far, 191 were victims and 51 were self-confessed perpetrators and adversely mentioned persons. Twenty-eight witnesses have testified via video link from the Gambian Diaspora. These hearings also included several protected witnesses and closed door testimonies,” Dr Sise said.

According to Dr Sise, the TRRC remains committed to the execution of its mandate to the ‘best of its ability’.

“The TRRC tremendously appreciates the solid support from the population in general. The Commission will find it immensely helpful to receive more information on the remaining themes in its work plan, including the enforced disappearances of people like Chief Ebrima Manneh, Saul Ndow, and Mahawa Cham among others.

“Also information regarding the massacre of an estimated 56 West African migrants in 2005. We therefore continue to urge all persons – especially victims of any human rights violations that occurred between July 1994 and January 2017 – to please come forward and share their information or experiences with the Commission. Please rest assured that your confidentiality will be strictly guarded by the Commission,” Dr Sise said.

Top cleric Sheikh Chebo Cham has prayed to God for him to handsomely reward former President Yahya Jammeh for arresting sex workers.

The Barrow government is fighting to dig itself out of a firestorm after the government-funded National Aids Secretariat reportedly said a relief package was being lined for the country’s sex workers.

“When this thing was said, I remembered the past government, Yahya Jammeh’s government. Wallahi, they were putting sex workers in cars and jailing them,” Imam Cham in a sermon last Friday said.

The Imam added: “But for you today, you give money to sex workers in order for their work to continue.

“Those days people who have houses and turning them into motels were being arrested. May Allah reward him a handsome reward. We must tell each other the truth.”

Gambia Democratic Congress has revelled in the arrival of ‘over 300’ NRP supporters who have cross-carpeted to the party.

GDC on Saturday held a rally in Bati Ndar, where hundreds of people who are supporters of NRP officially cross-carpeted to GDC, MC Cham Jnr said. The party’s spokesman Ahmadou Kah confirmed the development in a Facebook post on Sunday.

It however comes as GDC’s top interpreter Moriba Susso reportedly left the party and joined National People’s Party.

Mamma Kandeh has claimed Tourism Minister Hamat Bah is among the people supporting President Adama Barrow because of their ‘pocket’.

“I have said it before that there are two people supporting Adama Barrow: the one who doesn’t know and the one who is after his pocket,” Kandeh said on Saturday in Bati, CRR during a GDC rally there.

The GDC leader added: “These are the two people following Adama Barrow. I will not blame the one who doesn’t know because he’s just ignorant.

“But the one who knows but follows his pocket doesn’t care about Gambians and the development of Gambia. He is the worst among people. For such a person, put seven seas between yourself and them if you can.

“The likes of Hamat Bah [for example]. Hamat had for more than 20 years been seeking to lead the country. He’s now forgotten about becoming president and is now wiping shoes. So Hamat wasn’t looking for president. He was looking for a position and money. He was using NRP to get money but not president.”

GDC leader Mamma Kandeh has said President Adama Barrow is seeking to pull the wool over the eyes of Gambians over multiple projects he has newly flagged off.

The president has in past weeks laid down the foundation stone of multiple projects most of them roads across the country.

But speaking in Baati Ndar, CRR on Saturday at a rally held by GDC, Mamma Kandeh expressed shock the president was wasting resources over such a thing as laying a foundation stone.

“I have heard they’re going around laying foundation stones. But I want Gambians to listen to me carefully. What they have not done in four years, do you think they can do that in one year? So it’s deception.

“Even if it’s not, do you think at all laying a foundation stone requires the president taking delegation of over 100 cars with all their fuel? If it’s a hospital, the minister of health is there. If it’s a road, the works minister is there. A governor can lay a foundation stone. A national assembly member can lay a foundation stone.

“Why would the president every time get up to say I’m going to lay a foundation stone? Let’s open our eyes. They are just politicking to deceive us to say Barrow is working,” Mr Kandeh said.

Momodou Sabally called Dou Sanno President Barrow’s Haman as he fired back at the president’s deputy political adviser.

Dou Sanno had accused Sabally and his UDP compatriot Ebrima Dibba of being behind the claim the Barrow government is promoting prostitution in the country.

Sabally in setting off his own attack called Mr Sanno President Barrow’s Haman. Haman was a dependable aide of the powerful ancient King of Egypt, The Pharoah. Haman reportedly never advised The Pharoah anything good.

Sabally said: “This is not about Shariah. Anyone clean and with a sound mind will not support prostitution. But Dou Sanno came out to say Ebrima Dibba and I are the ones making false claims about it. He insulted and blamed us.

“I’d told Ebrima Dibba that what I am going to say is not politics, it’s about the country. Just as I did in the case of the issue of homosexuality.

“But Dou Sanno got up with every impertinence and ignorance to disparage me, to disparage Ebrima Dibba and to aim digs at some other people. Dou Sanno is my own big brother when it comes to the truth, there is no such thing as young and old.

“What Dou Sanno is talking about it’s Standard newspaper that published it. The Barrow government never came out to dismiss it. Because they know what’s said is the truth.

“Dou Sanno is my elder but it’s sad. It’s Adama Barrow who wronged us by taking our money and paying someone like Dou Sanno, saying he is an adviser. Dou Sanno cannot advise even a wrestler, talk less of a president.

“He should go and tell President Barrow the truth. Instead it’s Haman’s behaviour he employed in this issue. Haman never told Pharoah the truth. Because Haman was a sycophant and that is what Dou is.”

Dou Sanno has stated imams could have engaged the government on the sex workers compensation claim to find out if it’s true or not, joining a row which has erupted over the issue.

National Aids Secretariat caused controversy after comments purportedly by its executive director that sex workers will be paid compensation after coronavirus pandemic negatively impacted their business.

A raft of imams on Friday blasted the government for promoting prostitution in a Muslim majority nation.

President Barrow’s deputy political adviser Dou Sanno has pushed back at the claim saying it is the work of UDP.

“What’s being said that President Barrow’s government has taken out money and given it to sex workers… I want to tell you it’s a lie, it’s not a statement that’s true. It’s a hypocritical and hate statement,” Mr Sanno said in an audio The Fatu Network has since obtained. He singled out UDP’s Ebrima Dibba and Momodou Sabally as the ones peddling the false claim.

He added: “What you’re trying to do is to instigate conflict between President Barrow and the country’s imams. I want to inform you that President Barrow is a true Muslim who never misses his five daily prayers and has performed the hajj.

“Your statement has led to some Ustadhs running away with it to the point of delivering sermons on it, in front of people who were looking at them and saying ‘these are opposition Ustadhs’. These are Ustadhs… If you want to trust government you should trust government or if you hear something, before you bring it into a sermon, you can go to government and ask that government about it first. If that government tells you ‘yes, it’s true’, then you can take to your pulpit and talk about it. This is what you should do.”

President Adama Barrow said on Saturday evening he is relying on his work to gain the greater trust and confidence of Gambians – as he shared what was prompting a lot of people to join NPP.

National People’s Party held a meeting in Sinchu Alagie on Saturday and speaking there, the president said a lot of people continue to join the party.

“When I decided to wear my own shirt (forming his own political party), I had said that you can say that you own your party and you will be right, but it would be a lie to say I own the people,” the president told a crowd of supporters.

The president quickly added: “This is why all parties [supporters] are cross-carpeting to NPP. There is a reason why they’re coming to NPP. They have seen something.

“NPP is about speaking less and working much. Let the action outweigh the word. I don’t want to brag but it’s my work that will make me popular.”

By Sainey MK Marenah, IMF 2018 Journalism Fellow

Nearly a year into the global pandemic, individuals, communities and organizations are still reeling from the devastating impact of the coronavirus, which stalled economic growth and the attainment of sustainable development goals. The impact of the pandemic, as reiterated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, “has made inequality even worse because of its disproportionate impact on low-skilled workers, women, and young people”, and in low-income countries, “the shocks are so profound that we face the risk of a lost generation”.

It was within this context, and in order to support the most vulnerable groups, the office of the IMF Resident Representative in The Gambia, recently extended direct provision to seven women, youth and differently-abled based nonprofit organizations within the Greater Banjul Area and the West Coast Region. The beneficiary organizations identified in collaboration with UN agencies working directly with the local communities are: the Gambia Women Chamber of Commerce (GWCC), the Network against Gender Based Violence (NGBV), the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (Gamcotrap), the Paradise Foundation, the Kafuta Community Library, the National Youth Council and the Gambian Federation of the Disabled.

The beneficiaries, who were given office furniture and other equipment, described the donation as timely, adding that it will go a long way in helping their respective organizations effectively executing their duties and assisting communities and demographics adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. They commended the IMF Banjul Office through its Resident Representative, Mr. Mamadou Barry, for the great foresight and support to organizations involved in community development.

Meanwhile, in a bid to mitigate the impact of the crisis on The Gambian economy, the IMF earlier extended GMD1 billion (US$ 21.3 million) Covid-19 emergency support to the country at the onset of the pandemic, in mid-April. This was accompanied by a GMD 148.3 million(US$2.9 million)debt service relief under the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust, for the six-months ending October 2020. The debt service relief was extended to about the same amount (US$3 million) for the subsequent six-months.

Furthermore, on March 23, 2020, IMF had approved a US$ 41.7 million 39-month program for The Gambia supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The ECF-supported program aims to anchor macroeconomic stability and progress on structural reforms and catalyze much needed donor financing, particularly in the form of grants for budget support. This is with a view to maintain the momentum in reducing debt vulnerabilities and deliver on key commitments in the National Development Plan 2018–2021, with a focus on inclusive growth and poverty reduction.

The Fund also, recently, delivered a series of technical assistance programs for The Gambia covering areas such as tax revenue administration, financial sector stability review, project appraisal and selection, tax expenditure policy reforms, risk-based financial supervision, debt &public investment management, national accounts and price statistics, cash management as well as the establishment of a treasury single account.

Citizens’ Alliance on Saturday unveiled its 68-page manifesto where its presidential candidate Dr Ismaila Ceesay insisted it should not just be a document to fulfil a request.

“This should not just be another document to fulfill a request that a party should have a manifesto,” Dr Ceesay speaking during the unveiling of the document at Paradise Suites Hotel said.

CA’s manifesto dubbed ‘a contract with the Gambian people’ offers a real idea as to how the party is planning to govern the country.

CA says its commitments are anchored on four pillars which “will be critical in navigating our country’s reversal from underdevelopment and stagnation to the pinnacle of growth, progress, and prosperity”. These pillars are: creating economic prosperity and decent Jobs; empowering the Gambian citizenry; promoting good governance and transparency; and ensuring peace, security and stability.

Dr Ceesay said: “We call this document a contract with the Gambia people. And contracts must be respected and fulfilled. No, it must be put into practise when we come into government.

“If you make a promise, you must fulfill that promise. We don’t want to be a government that doesn’t adhere to contracts they’d signed with the population. It will not tell well for our legacy.”

Imam Chebo Cham has questioned the faith of the executive director of National Aids Secretariat over sex workers comments he reportedly made.

“What Ousman Badjie did is that he insulted all Muslims in The Gambia. Maybe he could say ‘no Imam, I am a Muslim and I will not insult a Muslim’. But yes you insulted Muslims,” Imam Cham said on Friday in a sermon he dedicated to the issue of a relief package for the country’s sex workers. The Fatu Network understands a number of other Imams have also dedicated their sermons to the issue.

The Standard this past Wednesday quoted the executive director of National Aids Secretariat Ousman Badjie as saying his office is to implement a grant from the Global Fund specifically for, among other groups, addressing the needs of people living with HiV/Aids and sex workers.

“One of the proposed interventions recommended in that proposal is related to addressing the needs of the sex workers in the context of Covid-19, because there is evidence that sex workers will lose income, after the closing down of all the premises they go to earn income. And one of the proposals is to incentivize the sex workers and work with them within the next two months and give them some cash to mitigate the impact of income they continue to lose as far as Covid-19 is concerned,” Mr Badjie said while addressing a press conference marking World Aids Day, according to The Standard.

In a forthright sermon on Friday, Imam Chebo Cham ripped into the top NAS official saying he was promoting sex work in the country.

“The amount of poor people around, they are not helping anyone other than sex workers, those that sell sex. To give them money to say ‘since you’re suffering because places you go to got closed’.

“He is not a good citizen. He wronged God, he wronged the prophet, he wronged Islam, he wronged all Muslim.

“I think everyone knows what the punishment is for adultery. Scholars have said when God was asking us to avoid adultery, he didn’t say do not do it. He said do not go near it. If at all he still has some faith left in him, I would ask him to come out and apologise to Muslims,” Imam Cham said.

NAS officials have reached out The Fatu Network seeking to clarify that their comments have been misrepresented. They will be interviewed.

GACH boss Abubakary Jawara has called on Gambians to have each other’s back, lifting the lid on why he returned to the country.

“I want all Gambians to know I am not someone who will destroy Gambia. I want The Gambia to develop. No matter how much you dislike someone, acknowledge his good work. That’s what being Muslim is about,” Jawara speaking Saturday in Sanyang said. Some people in Sanyang had claimed the businessman’s mining activities destroyed farms; the town’s VDC and officials of the geology department later rubbished those claims as untrue.

The businessman was in Sanyang to hand over 1,000 bags of cement he promised the people of the seaside town after they asked he helps them in the construction of the town’s new car park. The people of the town – men and women – led by their Imam Saikou Bojang and the alkalo’s special representative Nfansu Jabang attended the mid-day event.

Jawara told the people of Sanyang: “I will not destroy someone from Sanyang, I will not destroy Gambia. Because I am a Gambian. Whatever I get, I want us to enjoy it together, especially the women.

“So I never want to make the women cry. Because there has been a lot of talk around this mining but this is because they are not happy. What they couldn’t see wanted to see so they say things that are not true. This mining has been here since 1926 but it’s now that all the talk is happening.

“When the change came, we all decided to return home to contribute to national development. Let me say it for all Gambians to hear it. I’m not the person they think I am. I have opened a lot of companies in The Gambia here. There is a tomato factory. The tomato is good, a lot of women know about it and it’s reasonable. We have to take charge of our own responsibility. We should manufacture what we eat locally for our own good health. FASDEP (director) is also here and he’s my witness. They have given me a project of up to one million dollars.

“My company implemented that project successfully and now it’s just left with the handing over. I believe that is what good citizen is about. They have also given also project which has gone up to 85 percent and I want to make sure I finish that by the start of the new year.

“So my line of business is not just black sand. I began mining sand here not even up to two years. The period mining was actually conducted is not up to 12 months and within that period what I paid to government has gone up to one million dollars. Since 1926, the geology officials are here… Let them produce their records in terms of which other company paid that sum to government. I have actually told the people of Sanyang that I’m into whatever they’re into. That I want them to be happy even if I will not get even a dalasi.”

Earlier on, the town’s Imam Saikou Bojang detailed how Mr Jawara’s arrival change the game in terms of Sanyang benefitting from what comes from Sanyang.

“This sand has long been mined here but Gambia and Sanyang never benefitted anything from it. When Jawara came, he has started constructing our mosque and he will start some work on this car park too. I ask that whatever you get from the sand, plough some of it to the town which we can show to our children,” the imam said.

In addressing the gathering, Nfansu Jabang representing the alkalo simply corroborated what the imam said.

“What the imam said is true. For all the years the sand was being mined, the town got nothing. But Allah is in control of everything. Have you not seen he has effected change and brought a Gambian who has a heart for the country and the village,” the town official said.

Lamin Kanteh of the Geology Department said Mr Jawara was simply fulfilling his corporate social responsibility duty.

“It’s us who gave him a license. We have been working with him not just in Sanyang. What he’s doing here today is simply about his corporate social responsibility because who we give a license to, that is one of the things we agree to,” he said.

Yusupha Jassey, VDC secretary said when they informed Mr Jawara that they wanted to construct their car park, the businessman quickly responded he is a native of Sanyang and will chip in.

“He decided to give us 1,000 bags of cement,” Jassey said as he highlighted other various support the businessman has carried out in the town.

The businessman at the end of the event handed the cement to the people of the town but only after promising to give D100,000 the women of the town.

President Adama Barrow has shared the reason for his trip to Nigeria which has seen some Gambians speculate over what he was travelling to Nigeria for.

“Purposely the visit is just to go and update President Buhari. Gambia, we’re in a transition and now it’s almost four years and they’re our partners in the transition and Nigeria have been very very supportive,” President Barrow told journalists at the airport on Friday when he returned to the country.

“Personally, Buhari have been very very supportive to The Gambia. I deemed it fit to go there and update him [about] the state of affairs in The Gambia here. Basically it was all about that,” the president said.

The president travelled to Nigeria on Thursday on a courtesy visit which saw Nigerian media report that President Buhari told President Barrow helping him end Jammeh’s rule in 2017 was also about helping Ecowas.

“I was in Gambia physically at least two times. It was the least we could do to stabilize the region. We’ve accepted multi-party democracy, and we must comply with its tenets. By supporting you, we were supporting ECOWAS. We are dealing with our own troubles here, but we will continue to support you bilaterally, and through ECOWAS,” President Buhari told President Barrow, according to Vanguard Nigeria.

Ecowas troops including Nigerian soldiers were unleashed to The Gambia in January 2017 when Jammeh refused to step down. Jammeh then fled.