By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The National Assembly Member (NAM) for Kiang West, Lamin Ceesay, has called for an increase in funds allocated to the Ministry of Youth and Sports as believes that empowering more young people in the country will help reduce the issue of illegal migration, commonly known as ‘backway’.

Honourable Ceesay made these remarks during his deliberations on the appropriations bill for the 2024 budget.

He stated that the allocation of fifty thousand Dalasi to 32 Gambian youths by the National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI), which is responsible for training young people and providing support to small businesses, is insufficient. He believes that the government should do more to support young people and small businesses instead.

“We the youths of this country are telling you that this is a small commitment to the development of the youth sector. This is minimal. 1.6 million dalasi for 32 youths is very small,” he said.

He added that for the country to mitigate the high number of youths embarking on the ‘backway’ journey, the government needs to pump in a huge amount of funds into the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

“To stop illegal migration, we need to empower the youth ministry. Looking at 50 thousand each to 32 youths is very minimal. In order to avert what is happening, we have to invest massive resources in the future of this country,” he pointed out.

NEDI supported 32 youths through loans after training some of them in entrepreneurship.

The Ministry of Youths and Sports, in the 2024 Budget, is allocated D122.3 million, an amount considered to be insufficient for the youth ministry.

In his response, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, said the money allocated to the Ministry of Youth Sports is an underestimation of money allocated to young people.

He said the ministries of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism are other ministries that have funds allocated to supporting the youths in their various programs.

By: Alieu Jallow

The head of the Police Anti-Crime unit, Momodou Sowe, testified before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court on Tuesday that Ousainou Bojang, the first accused person in the ongoing Sukuta-Jabang Traffic Lights police shooting trial, had confessed to him of committing the crime.

“He confessed to me that he did the act. He [told me] he shot at them,’’ Commissioner Momodou Sowe told the court.

Commissioner Sowe said while driving from the Casamance region of Diouloulou, he told him that the broken windscreen of the Benz stationed at the crime scene was intended for double PC Ancy Jawo and further explained the route he used to escape.

“He also explained how he escaped after the shooting incident. [His] sister, the second accused, facilitated his escape by providing a Benz C- class that took him up to Darselamine. He entered Senegal through Cassamance to Diouloulou,’’ Sowe said.

Commissioner Sowe stated that Ousainou claimed to have fled the country due to issues with his white girlfriend who threatened to post his naked videos on social media. However, Ousainou was unable to clarify this claim and instead shifted focus to narrating how the shooting incident occurred.

“When I questioned him [about] the social media [issue], he was stuck and could not further explain.  That was how he brought up the story of the police shooting and started explaining how the police shooting happened’’.

Commissioner Sowe informed the court that a team of investigators was sent to Brufut. Ousainou led the team to his house and workplace, where they discovered combat shoes, a white kaftan, and black jeans soaked in a bucket. This was based on the testimonies of witnesses at the crime scene.

“During the investigation by investigating officers, he said that he was not using that combat shoe but instead a desert combat shoes that was recovered subsequently by investigators from their compound”.

The case resumes on Thursday 14th of December 2023 at 1 p.m.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The National Assembly Member (NAM) of Kiang West, Honourable Lamin Ceesay, has requested an investigation into the large number of young Gambians who leave the country through the ‘backway’ route across the Mediterranean Sea, warning that if the government does not take action, it may be accused of aiding and abetting the situation, as different security officers are stationed on the coast to monitor illegal activities.

During the National Assembly session discussing the budget allocated to the Ministry of Youths and Sports for empowering young people, Honourable Ceesay proposed that the government should investigate how migrants would be able to escape the various security forces stationed around the coast to monitor activities.

“I think an investigation needs to be launched on this, or else, we will accuse them [security officers] as accomplices to this because you cannot post people there, and they are giving resources to monitor our waters — and there is no way better to monitor our waters than stopping our youths from traveling illegally,” he said.

He pointed out that the issue needs to be looked at and blamed the security forces for not effectively monitoring the coast.

“What is happening to security sectors that are guarding our coast? They need to be thoroughly looked at. We have the Immigration and the Navy, how come these people escaped in our waters and traveled this far, and we can only be informed that a boat sunk through others rather than our authorities because they are not monitoring?

“In my view, if the coast of our waters is well monitored, these people should not escape our waters either night or day,” Ceesay said.

Last week, the nation went into mourning after news revealed that a boat that carried over sixty Gambian youths, mostly people from Kartong and Jambur, capsized in the sea, without any survivors.

During his Meet-the-people tour, President Adama Barrow announced that his government would legislate a law that would criminalize the smuggling of migrants through the ‘backway’ journey.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Women in Liberation and Leadership (WILL), a group dedicated and committed to educating women on issues related to Sexual and Gender Violence (SGBV), in their insatiable desire to end violence against women, recently organized a training programme for over 30 women traditional communicators, locally known as Kanyelan’olu, to effectively use socially acceptable methods in addressing issues affecting women in the communities.

These communicators were trained to develop strong messages on sexual and gender-based violence that is currently affecting women and girls in the communities.

As part of their training, the Kanyelan’olu gathered and performed dramas with themes centered on women’s issues. In addition to that, these women communicators composed songs that communicate the dangers of female genital mutilation, child marriage, rape, and other harmful practices.

This effort is part of WILL’s ongoing campaign to raise awareness about the importance of women’s rights and to end gender-based violence and female genital mutilation.

These women traditional communicators are targeted because they are influential figures within communities and have been known to use their oratory skills to raise awareness on many taboo subjects such as female genital mutilation, teenage pregnancy, contraceptive use, sexually transmitted diseases, and many other women-related issues.

According to some of these women, numerous young girls in the North Bank Region of the country have fallen victim to rape. This issue has tragically ended the bright futures of many of these girls. However, it is disheartening to note that most cases of rape do not receive the attention and action it deserves.

To address this malaise against women, WILL has taken steps to train and empower women. The training is designed to ensure that they are armed with tools to end rape and other forms of violence, including child marriage and female genital mutilation.

Meanwhile, three female circumcisers present in the training, who viewed female circumcision as a traditional practice that they grew up with, and use it as a means of generating income, say they will only stop this act if the government or any other individuals or organizations that are advocating for them to do so provide them with an alternative source of revenue.

Under a UNDP-supported project, Women in Liberation and Leadership is implementing various initiatives to promote peace and social cohesion. Their focus is providing mental health and psychosocial services to survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based violence in The Gambia.

By: Alieu Jallow

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, has said the government aims to revamp the telecommunications sector in The Gambia by restructuring The Gambia Telecommunications Company Limited (GAMTEL) and privatising its subsidiary, GAMCEL, in a bid to attract capital and increase competitiveness in the sector.

The finance minister made these remarks during his budget speech in Parliament.

In 2000, GAMTEL was established as the National GSM Operator. However, this cellular has been unable to provide tough competition to other telecommunication giants such as Africell, Qcell, and Comium. On the other hand, GAMTEL, which owns the fiber-optic cable that runs across the country and controls the country’s connection to the international internet via the ACE submarine cable system, has been underperforming in terms of providing fast and high-quality internet.

“The Government is supporting GAMTEL’s network upgrade and expansion initiatives geared towards enhancing inclusivity, providing adequate redundancy, and building resilience.

“To achieve this, the government will restructure GAMTEL and privatize GAMCEL in a bid to attract and induce the much-needed capital to help revive the sector and restore its competitiveness,” Keita told parliament.

Hon. Keita announced that the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy is currently working on a plan to revitalize and reposition GAMTEL/GAMCEL. This involves drafting a National Fibre Protection Policy that will address the frequent network interruptions caused by cuts on the national fiber backbone.

In February 2019, reports emerged that the government had agreed to restructure GAMTEL and GAMCEL, which would allow GAMCEL to operate independently and divest shares in GAMCEL. However, no further developments have been reported since then.

Hon. Keita also mentioned that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (MoCDE) is prioritizing the development of a comprehensive National Postal Service Policy and Strategy. Additionally, they are conducting a thorough review of the existing Postal Service Act to ensure that it is up-to-date and reflects the modern reality of postal services.

“In accelerating The Digital Terrestrial Transmission Process, the ministry continues to intensify resource mobilization efforts for the deployment of a robust platform that will anchor the digital migration process, ensure nationwide coverage, and provide better-quality television transmission,” Keita said.

It has been reported that GAMCEL, a telecommunication company, may face closure in 2020 due to financial struggles and difficulties competing in the market. The company’s general manager, Elizabeth Johnson, confirmed this during a meeting with the Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) of the National Assembly.

According to Johnson, the GAMCEL network is not easily accessible and experiences serious network congestion in areas where it is accessible. She also stated that the company is unable to expand its network coverage from its internally generated revenue and requires capital injection.

Additionally, Johnson mentioned that GAMCEL has lost 70% of its market share to competitors in the last decade. In response to these challenges, the government is considering restructuring and privatizing the company to increase competition and improve internet affordability and quality for citizens and non-citizens alike.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ebrima Tunkara, a ‘backway’ migrant returnee, who is now a farmer in Kerewan Suwareh Kunda village, has expressed his willingness to stay in The Gambia and focus on farming if he receives support from the government in the form of a tractor.

Tunkara, who previously attempted the perilous journey to Europe by sea, faced difficulties and returned to farming due to depression.

Although many young people in the country prefer more lucrative jobs, Tunkara is passionate about farming and dreams of becoming a successful farmer.

He believes that with the necessary support, such as a tractor and fertilizer, he could cultivate enough rice for his family and even sell the surplus for profit, eliminating the need to buy rice.

“If I have the support, I can cultivate enough rice for my family and sell [some too].

“We need to go back to the farm and cultivate rice if we want to reduce the dependence on imported rice,” he said.

Tunkara highlighted the importance of modern farming equipment and fertilizer, stating that even a small farm can achieve a bumper harvest with these resources.

In addition to groundnut farming, he is also involved in watermelon farming and has experienced success in both areas.

However, the lack of cold storage facilities has resulted in income loss due to spoilage.

During the rainy season, Tunkara and his siblings, who are learning various skills, return to the farm.

Tunkara said that this year, their groundnut farms, rice fields, and watermelon crops have all shown exceptional growth.

He emphasized the importance of growing more rice to reduce the dependency on imported rice and lower its price in the local market.

Tunkara believes that if the government provides support to farmers like him, the country’s reliance on imported rice will decrease, leading to a significant reduction in its price.

By: Alieu Jallow

The women gardeners of Faraba Kairaba have told The Fatu Network that the University of The Gambia’s Faraba campus has encroached on their land by constructing its fences on their land, and they have vowed to fight until the fencing is stopped or until they are allocated a new piece of land.

According to the women, they have been cultivating vegetables on the land for the past six years and believe it belongs to them. They claim that the university has infringed on their farmland by erecting their perimeter fence on it.

Last year, the women and youth of the village requested the construction workers to stop working due to what they believed was a serious encroachment into their land. After a stakeholder meeting with the governor of the West Coast and other relevant authorities, no action was taken.

Recently, the construction of the university perimeter fence resumed from a different direction, leaving the villagers with no option but to obstruct the ongoing works.

Marima Jaiteh, a vegetable gardener, said that upon realizing the resumed construction, they decided to bury the dug foundation for the fence and will not stop until a concrete solution is reached.

“Work will stop there [and] no fencing activity will take place until they allocate a land for us but other than [that], we are ready to go any length,’’ she said.

Fanta Bojang, an aging woman, expressed disappointment as she believes the current situation is not in line with their initial agreement. She stated that the land in question was given to them by the Kanteh Kunda family.

Fanta Bojang further added that they can only allow work to resume when they are given another piece of land for their gardening.

“What we want [right] now is before the end of the month for them to allocate [a] land [to] us. Let them tell us [here is a land for you to] use with documents indicating our ownership and hand it to us.’’

The chair of the VDC, Saikou Sowe in Faraba Kaira, has emphasized that the piece of land intended for women cannot be given without a concrete agreement. He has stated that due process will be followed with the relevant authorities until the matter is resolved.

“We will follow due process, but we will make sure that work is at a standstill until the matter is resolved,’’ he told The Fatu Network.

Professor Pierre Gomez, the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, has promised to provide support for the women in their community. He has assured them that he will fence their garden and drill a borehole for them, which has never happened in the history of their community.

“I have the VDC, Alkalo, and Chief to work with the governor and identify a place within a month to drill a borehole for them. all I want is a participatory process using the bottom-up approach so that they feel the sense of belonging as part of empowering the community,’’ Gomez said.

These women are determined to prevent work from resuming until they receive a tangible benefit and want the process to be expedited as they are about to embark on their vegetable gardening.

They are firm in their belief that they will be disadvantaged if they allow the fencing to continue without a concrete agreement. While they are excited about the arrival of a university in their hometown, their livelihood takes precedence over everything else.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ramatoulie Bah, who resides in Bundung, Kanifing Municipality, has spoken on behalf of Bundung-Ka Kunda and called on the government for assistance in relocating Bundung’s only cemetery, which is said to have reached its maximum capacity.

She praised the government for its community development initiative and highlighted other pressing needs. Then, she made an emotional appeal to the government.

“President Barrow, our graveyard in Bundung is full. We want you to help us with a new space to relocate the graveyard.

“At the moment, even if someone dies, we find it difficult to bury a dead body. This is a problem that we are encountering and is of great concern,” she revealed.

Her plea became the first time since the beginning of the tour for someone to make such a request from the government.

Ms. Bah further mentioned several other pressing issues, such as access to water supply, more roads, and a steady electricity supply.

She also commended the President Barrow-led government for the developments that are currently ongoing within the community, citing the Sukuta-Nema road construction that was previously inaccessible.

Adding to her list is the expansion of the Bundung-Ka Kunda market so that it could be a standard market with the desire to ensure that women have enough space to sell.

She also mentioned that the Minister of Youths & Sports should develop their football field to a standard that enables young people to engage in sporting activities.

Other speakers, including the representative of the Alkalo, Saikou Conateh, expressed their appreciation to the government for their efforts and highlighted acute water shortages and criminal gangs as major concerns.

“Even if people come to the police station to complain, sometimes the police find it difficult to effect an arrest due to the lack of vehicles.

“Criminals are now armed, and one police officer can’t arrest suspected criminals.

“A vehicle for the Bundung police station is among the needs of the community because even today I witnessed the police arresting suspected thieves,” he explained.

In response to these concerns, the Gambian President Adama Barrow took to the podium and explained how his government is trying to address the water crisis in Bundung, Talinding, and London Corner respectively.

“Previously, we hired experts to drill a borehole in Bundung Faro Kono, but when they came, they dug fifty (50 meters), and the water was not good. They dug again to a hundred meters, two hundred meters, but still, the water wasn’t good.

“This is what hindered you from getting water.

“Recently, I have talked to the contractors, and they have assured me that in two weeks they will connect Bundung to the borehole they have already drilled in Nema, and this will address the water issues here,” he reassured the residents in Bundung.

Tuesday’s meeting draws the ongoing Meet-The-People’s Tour closer to the end, as only one meeting is now left, which is scheduled to take place in The Gambia’s capital, Banjul, on Wednesday, 6th December 2023.