Women in relationships with cheating partners are at a higher risk of getting diseases and should disentangle themselves to avoid exposure, U.S based Gambian doctor Jay Ceesay has suggested.

Speaking on The Sisters Show aimed at inspiring people of African descent, especially women, Jay shared a more radical approach to dealing with an unfaithful partner. The topic was ‘if you would put a tracker on your husband’s car?’

Her words: “No… I’m not putting a tracker or a manker or anything. Or Find My Phone. None of that. I wouldn’t snoop around your phone. You can look at my phone. I don’t have any reason to look at your phone or to search for any information. If I have a doubt you are cheating am done.

“It’s not about affecting my relationship, it’s about health. I’m not gonna put a tracker because a tracker is not gonna track how many women you’ve been sleeping with. It only takes one person you’ve slept with that can give me an STD, so if I know you are cheating am done. If I’m in love with you and you cheated on me am not gonna have that trust because the way my brain works it’s like, you guys know this, I give it all. Once that boundary is crossed then you hurt my heart and I’m done.”

Weighing in, Olay Ceeesay a leader in the tech industry and Vice President for a Fortune 500 company in the U.S believes resort to use of tracking devices should only be reserved for circumstances with substantive proof of cheating.

She added: “I will not put a tracker on my significant other’s car. But if somebody else does it, I understand the reason. It may be because that person gives you a reason to. So, absolutely it’s a tool that you can use. If you have a strong enough reason where you just wanna clear your mind so you could sleep soundly at night, put a tracker. Once a cheater always a cheater. So if your man cheats and comes back and apologizes and say all these good things, being the Prince Charming and buys you flowers I think it’s gonna happen again. It’s up to the woman. If you are ready to be in that type of relationship, that works for you.”

The Sisters Show airs every Saturday at 8:00PM GMT ,4:00PM EST.

The European Union has donated a generator and fuel to enhance power supply at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) for COVID-19 testing.

The stand-alone generator is capable of supplying electricity to the NPHL’s Molecular Laboratory Unit, the EU said in a press release on Monday.

It provides uninterrupted power supply required by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing machines and will allow for testing runs of samples to be completed without errors, the EU said.

According to the EU, this donation comes in response to a call from the Ministry of Health, noting that without a secure source of stable electricity, several testing runs were aborted thereby wasting valuable time and resources in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Sometimes, electricity is not stable, and a blackout could happen in the middle of laboratory procedures. This generator will bring predictability, and this is very important for the turnaround time for the lab,” explained Dr. Mustapha Bittaye, Director of Health Services, Ministry of Health, according to the press release.

“For several weeks the Government’s COVID-19 situational reports mentioned the electricity challenges at the NPHL. The European Union naturally stepped in again to help the Gambian people in fighting this pandemic. I thank our implementing partner the International Organization for Migration for making this support a reality” – said the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Attila LAJOS, according to the press release.

President Adama Barrow received the outgoing European Union Ambassador to The Gambia Attila Lajos at the State House in Banjul on Monday as the top diplomat’s time in the country expires.

Mr LaJos was at the State House to bid farewell to the Gambian President, State House said on Monday.

Talking to the media, the Ambassador said “The Gambia’s transition ran a long way,” adding “it was remarkable that The Gambia has decided on a democratic change that the EU wanted to support since the beginning,” according to State House.

He, however, stated that “transition is difficult as it is anywhere in the world but The Gambia stays on the path of democratic transformation,” State House said.

Ambassador Lajos pledged that the European Union will support the country to complete its transition as a reliable partner, State House said.

A 16-year-old has died after contracting coronavirus, the ministry of health’s latest report has said.

According to the ministry on Monday, coronavirus test was conducted on the girl following her passing. Her death her now brought the total number of coronavirus deaths to 118.

It comes as the ministry also said four new coronavirus cases have been registered, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 3,636.

TRRC chairman Dr Lamin J Sise has revealed his investigation is determined to submit its final report and recommendations ‘sometime’ in 2021.

“As we resume our public hearings, the Commission assures the Gambian public and our international partners that it remains fully inspired, committed and determined to complete the mandate entrusted to it and to submit its final report and recommendations sometime in 2021. As we embark upon this final phase of our work we as usual, continue to crave the public’s support and blessings,” Dr Sise said on Monday in a opening statement during the resumption of the public hearings of the TRRC.

The TRRC’s public hearings have been shelved for weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It finally returned on Monday with a continuation of our hearings on the former president’s alternative HIV/AIDS and other diseases treatment programme during which several people suffered human rights violations and abuses.

By Sarjo Brito

A land dispute in the coastal village of Berending has claimed another life. A source who spoke to The Fatu Network on condition of anonymity said the victim was allegedly wounded on his neck with a cutlass two weeks ago following a bitter land scuffle with another native. The alleged altercation left the victim Ousman Drammeh with life-threatening injuries that led to his demise on Sunday.

This will be the second land-related death in Kombo South following the demise of Gunjur’s Buba Jammeh in March 2019 who was shot and killed at his orchard by one Buba Drammeh of Berending.

Confirming the news to The Fatu Network, Police PRO Supretendent Lamin Njie said: “Some time last week on the 28th of September, we received a complain at the Gunjur police station where one Lamin Drammeh told police that his uncle was stabbed and that he needed police intervention in the situation.

“The police decided to get to the victim’s place whose name is Ousman Drammeh. He is commonly known as Kotu, 58 years of age and a resident of Berending. At the scene, our officers were able to arrest the suspect whose name is Lamin Joku.

“The victim was rushed to a health centre and later referred to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital where he was receiving treatment until the time of his demise. The police are continuing their investigations and appropriate action will follow.”

UNICEF has assured the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education of its continued support as the ministry moves ahead with plans to safely reopen schools after more than six months of physical closure for most classes.

This commitment was made during a meeting between Gordon Jonathan Lewis, UNICEF Representative in The Gambia, and the Honourable Claudiana Cole, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, on Wednesday, 07 October, a day after the Minister announced plans to begin safe schools reopening, UNICEF said in a statement on Monday.

“Rest assured that as The Gambia prepares to safely reopen schools, UNICEF and the rest of the United Nations system in the country, will provide strong support to ensure that students and staff are safe in school,” said Gordon Jonathan Lewis, UNICEF The Gambia Representative, according to the statement. “We have already redirected important resources to support The Gambia’s COVID-19 response and this includes the safe reopening of schools.”

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in The Gambia, UNICEF has reprogrammed more than US$4 million of the agency’s regular and emergency budgets to support the country’s response to the pandemic and ensure continuity of services across a range of sectors, including keeping children learning through distance learning programmes and provision of hand washing stations, the statement said.

“Furthermore, as recent as September, UNICEF made an additional commitment of more than US$1 million to consolidate the agency’s COVID-19 support. Of the total reprogrammed amount, approximately US$850,000 have been destined to the education sector,” the statement added.

“UNICEF has always been a close partner of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education,” Minister Cole said, according to the statement. “We are happy and encouraged by this support and looking forward to stronger collaboration with UNICEF.”

The Wednesday meeting came as a courtesy call on Minister Cole, the first face to face interaction between the two officials since Mr Lewis joined the UNICEF office in The Gambia as Country Representative in late August.

UNDP and The University of The Gambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in The Gambia, project design, piloting and scaling, and the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal, UNDP said in a statement on Monday.

The statement said: “The thematic areas of mutual interest include SDG tracking, Curriculum Development, case studies and research on SDG baseline information and SDG Lecture Series.

“The purpose of this MoU is to provide a framework of cooperation and facilitate and strengthen collaboration between the Parties on a non-exclusive basis, in order to forge a meaningful partnership. This will include the UNDP Accelerator Lab (AccLabGM) established in 2019 to support the development of innovative solutions for the attainment of the SDGs in country with a three-year mandate. As part of its gradual phasing, AccLabGM by extension of UNDP, will support and co-host activities with UTG to strengthen its standing as the national partner in the Lab handover framework.

“Through this partnership, UTG will conduct academic research on gender and women’s empowerment and changing organizational culture through the Gender Equality Seal and feeding this knowledge to organizations and policy makers through the development of knowledge products and publications.

“In collaborating with UNDP The Gambia, all the Schools within UTG will select a particular SDG or SDGs that is or are in line with their mandate to deliver to The Gambian public.

“The UTG will establish a Centre for Sustainable Development and Policy Studies (UTG-Think Tank) as a hub for learning, policy analysis, debate, and to coordinate the overall implementation of this collaboration.

“In the spirit of this collaboration, UNDP The Gambia will help UTG mobilize resources to facilitate and enhance the overall implementation of this collaboration.

“UTG as the premier public institution of higher learning in The Gambia, is key in collaborating with UNDP The Gambia to implement the SDGs in the country. The University is already contributing towards the implementation of SDG 4 which is Quality Education. Another step taken by UTG is the implementation of SDG 17 which is Partnerships to Achieve the Goals – by partnering with many institutions like UNDP in realizing the SDGs for The Gambia.”

Displaced persons in parts of Casamance are being assisted to return home after scores of rebel fighters pulled back and returned to their villages, Senego reported on Sunday.

Southern Senegalese region of Casamance has since the 80s struggled with instability as rebels of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) pushed for the independence of the region. Thousands of people have died while tens of thousands of people have been displaced.

The coordinator of the Group for Peace in Casamance (GRPC) Robert Sagna told Rfm on Friday October 11 that the process of returning displaced persons was underway, Senego reported.

MFDC is not opposed to the idea with the exception of a few delicate areas where efforts still need to be made, the outlet said.

According to Robert Sagna, many fighters have returned to their homes and their villages.

By AFP

Nigeria on Sunday dissolved a special police unit set up to fight violent crimes after deadly protests and a social media campaign backed by music and cinema celebrities rose up against years of alleged abuses.

The president’s office and the Nigeria Police Force announced the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) with immediate effect.

The police statement also announced an investigation into allegations “of crimes committed against citizens”, adding that “the culprits will be punished”.

The investigation will involve human rights groups and civil society organisations, it said, adding that former SARS officers are to be redeployed into other units.

APRC secretary and deputy spokesman Dodou has said a better Gambia was more realistic with APRC in the saddle compared with ‘what we’re having right now’.

“I believe with APRC, we can have a better Gambia compared to what we have right now,” Mr Jah told For The People By The People Show on Sunday.

The APRC top official during his interview with hosts Banka Manneh, Musa Jeng and Pasamba Jow (Coach) admitted human rights violations took place during the 22 years rule of former leader Yahya Jammeh.

“Exactly, it happened. What I’m saying here is, who were the people responsible? That’s where the question mark is. Because there are issues Jammeh himself was not aware when it happened. It’s not like everybody who died Jammeh gave them greenlight ‘go and kill so and so’,” Mr Jah said.

The National Human Rights Commission has stated that many girls in The Gambia continue to face female genital mutilation and child marriage despite a legal prohibition.

In a statement on the occasion of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, the commission said: “In The Gambia, a focus on adolescent girls is not just timely but crucial. For instance, numerous rape cases, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence have been reported over the course of 2020.

“Additionally, despite the legal prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, many girls continue to face these and other forms of discrimination, violence and exploitation in their communities.

“The continuous rights violations, abuse, discrimination and violence faced by adolescent girls are consistent with the United Nations (UN) findings that despite significant gains over the years, many of the commitments made to girls are left unfulfilled.”

PDOIS leader Halifa Sallah has reacted to his so-called firing as spokesman of Coalition 2016 by Mai Fatty.

Mai Fatty in March 2017 while serving as Minister of Interior blared that Halifa Sallah was no longer spokesperson of the coalition.

“Whatever he said is his opinion. He can only speak for his party, ” Mai Fatty had said at a press conference held at UDP Manjai Bureau. The press conference was jointly held by UDP leader Ousainou Darboe and Mai Fatty and Hamat Bah’s NRP.

But in an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, Halifa Sallah said: “Well that was a joke, in a way. He said it but you see, these are all young people that I’ve brushed shoulders with and I know them.

“You know at that material time, the interests were surfacing. But I showed no interest. I was more powerful than many people at that time.”

Police have said the five weeks old baby that was allegedly stolen by a woman in Lamin on Saturday was going through medical checks.

Police spokesman Suprintendent Lamin Njie told The Fatu Network Sunday: “We can confirm receiving a report of stolen baby at Lamin Babylon yesterday 10th October 2020.

“The Police opened a swift investigation into the matter leading to the arrest of Fatoumatta Kandeh of Lamin, today in the early hours of the morning.

“The one month old baby has been found and currently undergoing medical check-up.

“The suspect is helping the Police in their investigations.”