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UDP’s Hagi Suwaneh supports Parliament’s purchase of cars worth over 3.5M for NAMs 

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By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Despite public outcry over the purchase of $60,000 (D3.5M) 2023 Toyota Prado cars for each National Assembly Member (NAM), the National Youth President of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Hagi Suwaneh, has endorsed Parliament’s decision of buying the cars, saying it is a necessity that will help NAMs in executing their duties.

The cars, 58 in number and worth over 3 million dalasis are partly paid by the taxpayers. However, the UDP youth leader said he does not see anything wrong with the purchase of the cars.

According to him, it is a necessity to have purchased the cars because it will promote efficiency in their operations.

“There is nothing wrong with that. The vehicles are needed. It is a necessity. These vehicles will definitely promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of their functions. In terms of mobility, I believe the National Assembly Members really require these vehicles,” he said.

Mr. Suwaneh said Gambians should be discussing issues more important than the amount of money used to purchase the Toyota Prado Vehicles for the NAMs.

According to him, the National Assembly members deserved cars of this worth because they require quality vehicles to execute their functions for the people they serve.

He emphasized that the idea of buying vehicles of such magnitude despite so many challenges that Gambians are facing, including poor access to roads, ineffective electricity and high cost of living, is an idea that is not wrong.

“It is not an idea I believe is wrong, or it shouldn’t be. I don’t think this should suppose to be like a yardstick to be used in calculating the hardship currently affecting the livelihood of Gambians. It is not wrong to buy these vehicles for these NAMs.”

The Fatu Network understands that half of the amount, by which these 2023 Toyota Prado vehicles are bought, will be paid by the NAMs and the other half by the taxpayers.

A source close to Parliament revealed to The Fatu Network that National Assembly Members have started being deducted from their salaries since April to compensate for the purchase of the vehicles.

GAP calls on Islamic states to boycott UN after burning of Quran in Stockholm

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By: Dawda Baldeh


The opposition Gambia Action Party (GAP) leader Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly has called on all the leaders of Islamic states to boycott the United Nations (UN) following the recent burning of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, outside Stockholm’s Central Mosque in Sweden on Wednesday, June 28. 

The act, which Sweden Prime Minister UIF Kristersson described as “legal but not appropriate”, has been widely condemned globally.

“The burning of the holy Quran cannot be framed as legal by the so-called Prime Minister of Sweden,” the GAP leader said.

“To stop this Western foolery, I call on the Islamic States to withdraw their membership from the so-called United Nations that failed to protect the people and their properties from vandalism,” he said.

Mr. Batchilly said the burning of the Quran is not only provocative to the Muslims but also unethical and will be condemned with strict and stiff action even if that means extra judicial legal proceedings against the individuals.

He added that for people to live peacefully, respecting the fundamental principle of religious denominations around the world must be encoded in people’s daily operatives with zero tolerance towards “fallacious and lunatic thoughts.”

GAP leader mentioned that Muslims have been labelled as “fanatics and terrorists” simply because of their total submission to Allah.

“Our Islamic leaders have been attacked, humiliated, and killed by the arrogant Westerners just to avert and deprive Islamic states of development.

“While the West is busy contributing to the killings of innocent people in cold-blooded murder.

“Like many others, Batchilly said, when the Islamic scripts and mosques are burnt down, it’s regarded as thought or right, but Muslims are being kidnapped and killed for only fulfilling the obligation to Allah.

“Many Western leaders killed innocent people and committed a series of war crimes, but no one has ever labelled them as extremists or dictators even though they had blood lining in their hands,” Batchilly added.

According to Batchilly, the Westerns have never faced any criminal charges when they should be charged with manslaughter of Muslims.

“We urged the leaders of Islamic nations in the world to come in unison with a common sense of humour and goal towards building a world free and fair for all. The sooner they realize and act upon it, the better our society becomes,” he ended.

Excavating the history of Eid al-Adha, the spirit overweighs the feast: Purifying the inner self

By: Alieu Fatty

Alieu Fatty is a student at the International Ahmadiyya University of Theology and Scholastic Sciences in Ghana

Eid-u-Adha is an Islamic festival celebrated yearly by Muslims around the world. It is a festival of joy and happiness. We celebrate Eid at home by praying, making sacrifices and distributing sweets to everyone.

Eid is an Arabic word for ‘feast’ or ‘holiday’ but when we say Eid-ul-Adha, it specifically refers to the Islamic feast or holiday commemorated globally by Muslims each year. Undoubtedly, the experience of celebrating Eid-ul-Adha in the Gambia comes with special and unforgettable moments. The atmosphere on this day is totally different from all other days. Friends invite friends and families invite families for meals.

It was the practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) to give preference to this day, he took three days as Eid holidays from all daily works of life just to give thanks to Allah the Almighty. The Holy Prophet (saw) has given so much importance to this day that it is narrated in the Hadith that he(saw) has forbidden Muslims from keeping fast on this very blessed day.

It states:

“Allah’s Messenger (saw) has forbidden people to observe Saum(fast) on the day on which you breakfasting (the Saum of Ramadan) and the day on which you eat the meat of your sacrifice. i.e., the first of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. (Bukhari Kitab Saum, Hadith No.1990)

In the Holy Quran Allah, the divine scripture of Muslims all around the world, it is believed to have been divinely revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (saw) through revelation; it is the first source of all Islamic sources of guidance, in it Allah the Almighty has commanded the Muslims who can afford animal sacrifices on this day to also take part in the sacrifice.

The Holy Prophet (saw) also ordered the Muslims on this day before going for Eid to take a bath, wear new clothes or the best clothes one has, and put on adorable perfume when going to the mosque for the observation of the Eid prayers.

Nobody can reject the great importance of making animal sacrifice or wearing nice clothes that one has possessed on the day of Eid. But do you also know that Eid is not all about making the biggest and healthiest animal sacrifices in your region, country or even the world or wearing the nicest fashionable clothes in the world or even putting beef on the dining table enjoying with family members, friends and loved ones and then later disperse like any other ordinary gathering?

Nevertheless, when we retrospect on the background of this great institution in Islam, we cannot help but agree to the truth that, indeed, Eid has an ulterior purpose, bigger and more profound than all the Eid meat that is enjoyed on this special day.

Rich Historical Background of Eid Adha

Eid has a very humble beginning, hailing from the time of Prophet Ibrahim(as) who is also known as the father of all prophets and the founder of all the three Abrahamic religions in the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Hazrat Ibraham(as) at an old age earnestly prayed to God Almighty to be granted a son. His prayers were graciously accepted by Allah the Almighty in the form of a son Hazrat Ismail (as).

Furthermore, interestingly Hazrat Ibrahim was tried by God to sacrifice his only son Hazrat Ismail (as). He (as) never doubted this divine commandment he received from Allah the Almighty. He (as) immediately consulted his son Hazrat Ismail (as), who also conceded for the divine will to be carried out literally since it was an order from God.

As Hazrat Ibrahim (as) took Hazrat Ismail (as) to a far-off land and was ready to literally contrive the divine commandment, it was through divine revelation that God Almighty again revealed to him (as) that, his intentions were accepted and instead of Hazrat Ismail (as), an animal sacrifice is made in his place. One breathtaking lesson from this incident is that it was also meant to eradicate the existing human sacrifices that persisted among the people at that time for so long. This one incident shaped the history of human sacrifice in the world forever.

Intrinsically, it could be close to never or very difficult that based on a mere revelation, someone is willing to sacrifice his only son, whom he had at an old age of life after continuous prayer in desirous of an offspring and also giving to the fact of the strong love and affection that exist between father and son. Yet Hazrat Ibrahim (as) was completely ready to sacrifice his only son in the way of God just to earn the pleasure of Allah the Almighty.

The True Purpose of Eid Adha, Burning the Inner Desires

Eid Adah indeed has a great significance in the lives of every Muslim, since the purpose of the celebration is to reminiscence and emulate the great sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim (as), Hajar (as) and Prophet Ismail (as) during the difficult moments of their lives.

The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslims beautifully expounded the real importance of the institution of Eid-Adha in Islam, he states: ‘Abraham, peace be upon him, was even ready to slaughter his son to fulfil the commandment of God Almighty. This was a hidden indication of the fact that man ought to become wholly devoted to God, and one’s own life, and the blood of one’s children, and one’s kith and kin, ought to appear insignificant in the face of God’s command.’

Little did we know that there are a lot of families out there who on this day do not have even the smallest animal to make of sacrifice or even buy the cheapest clothes in the market for themselves, their families and their loved ones.

However, these people who, unfortunately, do not have the means to buy animals or nice clothes, does it mean that despite having very strong and good intentions to also partake in the animal sacrifice and buy new clothes for the Eid celebration but due to depravity, their Eid is not accepted in the sight of Allah? Or due to the so-called constitutional restriction on minority Muslims for professing belief in the Oneness of Allah Almighty, believing in the Holy Prophet (saw) as the seal of prophets, believing in the Holy Quran exactly as having been brought by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), and believe in the six articles of faith and practice all the five pillars of Islam.

In fact, in the Holy Quran concerning animal sacrifices God Almighty has very vividly and categorically mentioned that neither the meat of the sacrificial animal reaches Allah Almighty nor does its blood reach him but instead. He stated that it is your righteousness which reaches him.

He stated:

لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنكُمْ كَذَلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Their flesh reaches not Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches him. Thus, has He subjected them to you, that you may glorify Allah for His guiding you. And give gliding to those who do good.” (Holy Quran chapter 22 verse 38)

His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community stated regarding the injustices being committed against Muslim minorities in Pakistan and elsewhere:

“In the verse, he recited in the beginning, God has stated that the physical sacrifices do not reach him, rather it is the spirit of righteousness that reaches him. Hence, we should not be bothered by being stopped from carrying out the sacrifice. If we had intended to do so and our intention was made with righteousness, then we need not worry for this will be accepted in the sight of God…”

“…..We should not become sad if we have been hindered from carrying out the sacrifice, for if our intention was pure then it will be accepted. We find from the time of the Holy Prophet (sa) that a person who had not been able to physically go for Hajj, but had made the intention and acted with righteousness, his Hajj was still accepted.”

His Holiness added:

“Therefore, when we make a pledge to offer every kind of sacrifice, we need to instil these same sentiments and thinking, that our sacrifice has no value, rather this is purely the favour of God Almighty for giving us the opportunity to make a sacrifice, which results in drawing us near to God the Almighty. The reality is that our sacrifices are completely insignificant compared to the sacrifices made by Hazrat Abraham (as) and Hazrat Ishmael (as), or the sacrifice they were ready to make. Whenever we give even the slightest precedence to our faith over worldly matters, we are immeasurably rewarded by Allah the Almighty.”

APRC denies accusations of leader’s involvement in the burning down of party’s headquarters, threatens legal action

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By: Dawda Baldeh

The then ruling Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC) party has denied claims in a viral WhatsApp audio of one Sheriff Sanyang confessing to burning down the APRC national headquarters in Kanifing South in 2016 on the assignment of Hon. Fabakary Tombong-Jatta and others.

In a statement, the party, headed by Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, denied the allegations and described them as misleading while threatening to take legal action on the matter.

“The APRC will take up the matter with the Inspector General of Police and further engage our legal experts to help us bring to justice anyone responsible,” the party said.

The party distanced itself from what it described as “unruly statements and false accusations” to the arson attack of the then APRC head office in Kanifing South.

“It could be recalled that there were individual Gambians (names withheld) who made mention on the Freedom Online Radio in America, which was run at the time by the late Pa Nderry Mba, that they sponsored the arson attack on the APRC National Bureau through one soldier resident in The Gambia, which they made public and categorically clear that they were responsible,” the party explained.

The APRC party further described the viral audio as “absolutely misleading and pure fabrication” which it said sows a seed of discord and misunderstanding in the party’s hierarchy.

The party added that the then APRC national bureau contained valuable properties, important documents, asobis, and assets that got burnt inside the offices, adding that the party still has pictorial evidence of remains of the burnt materials at the time.

The statement commits the party’s allegiance, confidence, loyalty, and support to its accused national leader, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta who doubles as Speaker of Parliament, adding that the party is in solidarity with him and all those “falsely accused” in the viral audio.

 

Karpowership donates 50 rams to needy Muslims in Eid magnanimity

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Karpowership Gambia yesterday, 26th June, donated 50 rams to the tune of $15, 000 (D891,000) to needy Muslims ahead of the commemoration of the Muslim feast of Eid-ul-Adha, locally called Tobaski in the Gambia.

Karpowership is a socially responsible company committed to the development of communities in which it operates. With its operations in the Gambia, the company engages in social responsibility projects that support the development of the communities as well as providing educational tools. As a strategic partner, Karpowership is committed to the Gambia’s development and will continue to provide all Gambians sustainable, reliable and clean affordable electricity.

The gesture is geared towards helping the underprivileged to fulfil their act of worship by sacrificing rams at a time when prices of rams are skyrocketing, making it difficult for many families to afford them.

The beneficiaries, who walked home with rams that could have cost them thousands of dalasis, described the gesture as timely.

“We truly appreciate the timely and much-needed gift. I was not expecting much this year because things are not easy…,” said one of the beneficiaries.

Awa Bah, a resident of Banjul, who was among the fifty beneficiaries, said the gesture is huge and she prayed for Allah to reward Karpowership for their timely support.

“We are grateful to Karpowership for the gesture. This is indeed beneficial to us, and we hope and pray that Allah grants Karpowership the strength to continue helping the needy,” she said.

Omar Njie, Karpowership country director, said they are excited to have contributed to surprising some of the needy families in the Gambia.

“We are giving away fifty rams (50) to selected people to the tune of $15, 000 which is almost D890000. This is given to needy families, orphanages, and individuals during this Eid-ul-Adha,” Mr. Njie said.

According to Karpowership officials, since they began operating in the Gambia in 2018, they have invested over D25m in a social cooperate programme.

“This is not new. Every year, during Tobaski or Koriteh, we give away bags of rice, sugar, cooking oil, and other food items to needy families,” he added.

Mr. Njie expresses the company’s willingness to continuously help the needy people in the Gambia.

Eid Al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), popularly called Tobaski in The Gambia, is the second and the largest of the main holidays celebrated in Islam. It honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to Allah’s command.

Darboe, Bensouda And The UDP: A Final Exit, And A New Beginning?

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OPINION

By Cherno Baba Jallow

“Governors are appointed, councils are elected,’’ Talib Bensouda, who recently won re-election as mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council, once said in a speech. “Councils should not report to governors; councils report to the people,’’ he added.

Perfectly stated. Democracy is the will of the people. The people, that is, gets to decide who decides for them. In The Gambia, people have a say in who their local government councillors and chairpersons are, but not who becomes their governor.

Mayor Bensouda’s position on this matter comes from the heart. He is both puzzled by and anguished over a local government system deliberately catering to a minister and governors at the expense of local councils, the legitimate custodians of power and authority.

Predicting the future in politics is an ill-conceived leap into uncertain territory, but it’s probable that if he became president, Bensouda would champion significant changes to the way governorships are attained or run in The Gambia. He would ask for demarcation lines between what governors could do and not do as agents of central government. He would come up with ways to revamp local councils, protecting them from the intrusive and dictatorial abuse of governors and local government ministers. And he would call for the hiring and firing of governors be done by the people, not the president. Making governors elected officials, and hence accountable to the people, would remove one of the last anomalies of Gambian democracy.

A reform in local government is key. But this issue deserves a sustained presence in the public imagination, and up until public opinion assents to, and legislative reforms downstream from, it.

So Bensouda’s re-election means he gets to stay for five more years, and with it, a chance to build on his political capital and flesh out his ideas on the management of government affairs. He won re-election not because he had an “impressive” first term —- he didn’t; it was a mix-bag —— but rather because of his political charm and his lofty ambitions to bring ameliorative changes to the conditions of his constituents.

Bensouda’s essence isn’t really anchored in his past, his last five years in office. It is in his future, in the strong belief that he has the potential to be a great leader, a trailblazer in Gambian politics. His United Democratic Party should take a closer look at him for a potential leader and a challenger for the presidency in 2026.

At the moment, Bensouda is riding a crest of urban popularity. He gets wide berth among those displeased with President Adama Barrow’s juvenile incompetency, turned off by Ousainou Darboe’s political hubris and incensed at Halifa Sallah’s stubborn inflexibility. He is young, eloquent and compelling. He exudes a tranquil bearing, far removed from the disorderliness of Gambian politics and the clangor of its discourse.

Going into his sixth year in office, Bensouda is accumulating executive experience, a good start for a sojourn into the presidency. He is the kind of a leader the UDP needs to broaden its reach, to smoothen its rough edges and to help make a compelling case against Barrow in 2026.

In the 2022 presidential election, three thunderclaps sank Darboe’s candidacy: he flaunted an aura of invincibility aligned with smug superiority, he had a (huge) likability problem and he had (zero) elective-office experience. The last two matter because they fundamentally matter to voters in deciding for and against those seeking to run the affairs of state. They won’t vote for politicians they don’t like. And they are leery of voting for those without the faintest of experience in running things. Darboe was and still is well-liked by his supporters. But he struggles to find love from the rest of the electorate. He has been running for the presidency since 1996, but the electorate, excluding the UDP members, sees his lack of elective-office experience as an embarrassing, unsettling even, omission in his suitability for representative leadership.

The UDP is still unwilling to acknowledge or admit it publicly, that it has a leadership problem. So, it indulges itself in the self-perpetuating canard of a “stolen’’ election. The party would save itself a lot of precious time if it, among other things, concentrated on finding a replacement for its perennially-losing candidate. That would help it abandon its long-running, if constraining, culture of supine idolization and inflamed resentment. It would also, for once, bring to the fore of the party, an “ordinary’’ candidate —— a candidate in the mold of those seeking elective office by dints of ideas and persuasive abilities, and not by the cults of their personalities.

Those candidates shouldn’t be hard to find within the UDP. Consider Bensouda, Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, Chairman Yankuba Darboe and Chairman Landing Sanneh. These young leaders are organically growing, and from the bottom-up. They are grinding it out, tackling the knots and bolts of constituent matters, something Darboe has never done throughout his political career.

Forged out of the embers of a quasi-military dictatorship in 1996, the UDP arrived on the scene at a highly unpropitious time: constitutionalism was dead and buried, democracy was in full retreat and a young military leader (then-Captain Yahya Jammeh), having already enjoyed the saccharine taste of power, was beginning to force himself onto the political scene, plotting an overwhelming control of the country’s future. With the ruling party, the PPP, banned and with an opposition scene dotted with fledgling parties, Jammeh was poised for a comprehensive dominance of the soon-to-be-revived phase of multiparty politics. But the UDP’s emergence helped prevent that, and to the country’s benefit.

The UDP’s strongest asset in its 27-year lifespan, a common denominator in the longevity of political parties, has been its fortitude, the staying power inherent in mass movements. The party’s character is moored in the firmness of resolve of its members. But it lacks a leader with a Jawarasque charm and eloquence, his first-rate political skills, his ability to inspire even those on the other side and his capacious understanding of the fine details of electoral politics. Darboe has been in politics for 27 years, but it has never been his true vocation in life.

A few years hence, and all political things held equal, the UDP will be presented with another opportunity to show if it really wants to govern the country with young and fresh hands (read: Bensouda, et al). Or if it is still determined to gift Darboe the presidency as compensation for “his years of suffering for The Gambia.’’

BREAKING: Alieu Fadera joins KRC Genk in D320M deal

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By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Dazzling Gambian winger Alieu Fadera has joined 4-times Belgian league champions, KRC Genk, on a four-year contract from Zulte Waregem, in a deal worth €5 million (D320.9 million).

The Gambian international was an integral member of Zulte Waregem last season, where he scored six goals and assisted six, a performance that caught the eye of Genk for his services.

Alieu Fadera is a highly sought-after winger in Belgium with vast potential for the future.

He was represented in the deal by his agent, Saikou Saidy, who is now a popular football agent exporting Gambian players to the European Leagues.

Speaking to The Fatu Network after his player put pen to paper, agent Saikou Saidy said he wants the best for Fadera and believes that this move will have a massive impact on the player’s future.

Much attention will be paid to the fast-rising Gambian winger in KRC Genk who hopes for a better career.

KRC Genk is a Belgian professional club based in the city of Genk in Belgian Limburg. The team plays in the Belgian Pro League and has won four championship titles, the recent one being in the 2018-19 season.

Memo to President Macky SALL

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By Katim S Touray, PhD

His Excellency, President Macky SALL of the Republic of Senegal

Avenue Léopold Sédar Senghor,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Your Excellency, President Sall,

First, allow me to express my sincere condolences to you and our relatives, the good people of the Republic of Senegal on the sad loss of lives, and my sympathies to those injured and/or who have lost property in recent disturbances in your country. May Allah, Subhanahu wa ta’ala (SWT) grant the deceased eternal Jannah, quickly heal the injured, replace the lost properties, and bring back peace to your country.

Your Excellency, I am Gambian, but I am also writing as your brother and fellow Saloum Saloum. I come from Ballanghar in Saloum, The Gambia, but I have uncles in Dinguiraye in the Département de Nioro du Rip. In addition, one of my sisters is married in Ngayène Sabakh (Département de Nioro du Rip), and another is married in Nganda (Département de Kaffrine). As such, I have a moral duty to speak up on the recent disturbances and ongoing crisis in Senegal. As we say in Wolof, Your Excellency, Mbokka ma chi boole. I am concerned because we (Gambia and Senegal) are blood relatives.

The recent tragic disturbances in Senegal came after the leader of the opposition Party PASTEF, Ousmane Sonko (who is also the Mayor of Ziguinchor) was acquitted of rape charges but convicted and sentenced to 2 years in prison for corrupting young people. As a result, Senegal exploded! Never, in the wildest imaginations of many of us would we have expected Senegal, a beacon of hope, an island of peace and Teranga (hospitality), in a sea of conflict and strife in Africa, especially the Sahel region, would come to this.

The recent protests, Your Excellency, follow similarly motivated pro-Sonko protests in 2021 in which an estimated 13 lives were lost.

It should not have come to this, Your Excellency. You have achieved a lot for Senegal — and Africa — during your political career. Early in your first term as President, you articulated your vision for Senegal in your Plan Sénégal Emergent (PSE — Plan for an Emerging Senegal [PES]). You achieved a lot in implementing the PSE, including the new Aéroport international Blaise Diagne (AIBD), and the transformation of the formerly sleepy Diamniadio into a hub city to ease the pressure on Dakar, the Capital of Senegal.

You achieved all of these during over two decades of public service. Between April 2000 and May 2003, you served as Special Advisor for Energy and Mines to President Abdoulaye Wade. In addition, you held two ministerial positions, you served as a Member of the National Assembly of Senegal, you were elected President of the National Assembly, and you were Mayor of Fatick, your hometown.

Your Excellency, you continued your rise to power in July 2004, when you were appointed as Prime Minister, a position you served in until June 2007. You have served as President of Senegal for the past 11 years, starting in April 2012. During this time, you also served as Chairperson (2015–2016) of ECOWAS, the regional economic grouping of 15 West African States, and as Chairperson (2022–2023) of the African Union, with 55 member States from Africa.

It is clear, Your Excellency, that you have been incredibly blessed, coming as you do from humble beginnings. On the other hand, the recent tragic riots in Senegal show that you risk tarnishing your — so far — great legacy. Senegal has since Independence in 1960 been a bastion of democracy and peaceful coexistence, a country of dialog. However, events in the last few weeks have caused many to wonder whether Senegal, the country of Teranga (hospitality) has, under your leadership, lost its way.

Your Excellency, after over two decades of your service to Senegal and Africa, it is time for you to move on. You should have confidence that your legacy will last for a long time, if not forever. You should also be thankful for, and content with what Allah, SWT has blessed you with, and accept that there is nothing you can do for Senegal that you have not yet done. Besides, Senegal does not need a President who thinks he or she is indispensable because that would be an affront to the capacity of Senegalese to manage their affairs.

Your Excellency, I urge you to reconsider your attitude to the opposition protests. For this reason, I am glad to learn that you plan to address the nation of Senegal on June 25. I urge you in that address to adopt a reconciliatory attitude toward the recent tragic events in the country, and as many have called for, inform Senegalese that you will not run for a third term in office.

I hope, Your Excellency, that Mayor Sonko and other opposition groups can be encouraged to join the national dialog you recently launched. Furthermore, I suggest that the national dialog in the end proposes and that you accept, a way forward for Senegal including withdrawing the cases and nullifying the convictions against Mayor Sonko.

I also hope that the national dialog proposes that protestors arrested in the recent tragic events, and security personnel involved in controlling the protestors should be granted amnesty. I also suggest that you, as well as members of your party and administration, should be granted immunity from prosecution for any and all acts committed up to, but not after, the declaration of that amnesty. I believe that Senegalese have the heart to forgive, and that what Senegal has in the future is much more than whatever damage has been done in the recent disturbances.

Finally, Your Excellency, I would like to mention an Open Letter I wrote to former President Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia in 1999. I suggested to him that he should listen to those who criticize him constructively or suffer the fate of the former Shah of Iran and former Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic. President Jammeh did not heed my warning and was, with your firm support of The Gambian people, forced out of office 17 years after I wrote my letter to him.

I sincerely hope Your Excellency, that you will listen to the pleas of the many people who are calling on you to declare that you will not run for a third term in office, and that you will engage the Opposition in a dialog to bring the Senegalese family together again. May Allah SWT guide and bless your efforts in that regard.

Dewenati, and Eid Mubarak!

I thank you!

Lesson for the National Assembly of the Gambia on the allocation and implementation of constituency development fund

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Alhagie M. Dumbuya

Director of Research and Library Services

National Assembly of The Gambia

Email: [email protected]

Overview

Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is a political development tool that is increasingly gaining popularity among parliaments and parliamentarians worldwide, more so in developing countries. The Gambia could be considered among the latest countries to adopt a CDF approach to development when the budget for it was approved by the National Assembly in 2021.

CDF is considered an arrangement that allows a Member of Parliament (MP) to facilitate the spending of funds dedicated and directly earmarked for development project(s) in his or her constituency. In other words, CDF is a mechanism that gives MPs a degree of authority to identify and implement projects in their constituencies. The ‘good’ intent is to provide, through parliament, initiatives that would address inequalities in terms of developments around the country. For some countries, the MP plays the lead role of presiding over constituency opinions on what, where and how the fund is spent or will be spent.

Over the years, arguments have emerged from among the public both for and against the execution of CDF by MPs. The proponents for CDF pointed out some of the benefits of the initiative, noting that it brings about direct visibility of the MP through the projects implemented in the constituency. Those against the approach argued that the implementation of projects is exclusively reserved for the Executive. They posited that parliament is the supreme audit institution which alone has the mandate to approve the spending of national resources and ensure that such resources are effectively accounted for by implementing institutions. For this reason, parliament cannot be a referee and a player at the same time. In other words, parliament cannot be an audit institution of how national resources are spent, at the same allowing Parliamentarians themselves to become spending officers of that resource. The question that might arise would be, who shall hold Parliament accountable?

To the proponents of this latter argument, Parliament would be deviating from its traditional mandate of legislation, oversight/scrutiny and representation as in the case of an auditor becoming an accountant. As such, this will dilute Parliament’s position to effectively monitor and scrutinize projects that it has itself implemented.

 CDF in The Gambia

It may be argued that the ultimate objective of CDF is to eliminate poverty at grassroots the level and bridge the gap of development imbalances across the various regions of the country through the projects and programmes implemented under the initiative. It is against this understanding and craving desire that, in 2021, The Gambia joined the list of countries that adopted CDF as the National Assembly appropriated sixteen million two hundred thousand dalasis (D16,200,000) for use by parliamentarians on development projects in their constituencies. Each of the fifty-three (53) elected National Assembly Members (NAMs) was allocated the sum of three hundred thousand dalasis (D300,000) for that purpose. In 2023, CDF allocation was increased to twenty-nine million dalasis (29,000,000) cumulatively to include both elected and nominated NAMs, thereby allocating each five hundred thousand dalasis (D500,000).

By virtue of his role as Chief Executive Officer, the Clerk of the National Assembly is the accounting officer and vote controller of CDF. There is no law yet on CDF in the country. However, the National Assembly Authority, through the Office of the Clerk, developed a CDF Policy to guide the disbursement and implementation process of the fund. The onus lies with the Authority, through the Office of the Clerk, to ensure that before funds are disbursed, the requests and proposals submitted by NAMs fulfil procurement rules and requirements. All procurements of goods and services are made by the Office of the Clerk. No NAM handles the CDF in cash. They only implement what has been procured, and this procurement is strictly done in line with their submitted proposals and The Gambia Public Procurement Act.

The CDF policy constitutes a CDF Committee and CDF Contracts Committee. The National Assembly Authority serves as the CDF Committee while the Contracts Committee of the National Assembly also serves as the CDF Contracts Committee. The CDF Committee considers and approves project proposals submitted by NAMs as well as addresses complaints of disbursement and management or other matters relating to the fund. The Contracts Committee considers all procurements relating to CDF and ensures that contracts are awarded to the most responsive bidders/suppliers.

Furthermore, the policy establishes a Monitoring and Evaluation Team with the mandate of conducting field visits at least quarterly to verify the implementation of projects at the Constituency level by NAMs and report back to the CDF Committee. To ensure accountability, the policy further tasks the Office of the Clerk to submit to the CDF Committee a quarterly summary report of project proposals received and approved or otherwise, status of disbursements of funds, and implementation status of projects for which monies have been disbursed.

 CDF in Other Jurisdictions

In most jurisdictions where CDF is being implemented there is a law usually an Act of Parliament to guide the process. In Zambia for instance, CDF was originally introduced in 1995. The Constituency Development Fund Act, 2018 established under the Zambian Constitution provides for the management, disbursement, utilisation and accountability of the CDF. The Act establishes CDF Committees in constituencies and their composition reflects a cross-section of the MP, councilors and civil society.

Kenya first introduced CDF in 2003. The recent law that the country has on CDF is the Constituencies Development Fund Act, 2013 which makes it mandatory for the provision of at least 2.5% of all the national government ordinary revenue collected in every financial year to the Fund. The Act equally establishes a CDF Board with a Chief Executive Officer as well as a CDF Committee for every constituency.

Also, Zambian CDF is managed by local councils through special constituency accounts opened for this purpose, contrary to what obtains in The Gambia. Under Zambian law, the CDF does not only comprise monies appropriated by Parliament but also grants, fees, council contributions or donations received for purposes of the Fund whereas in The Gambia, monies earmarked for CDF are only those appropriated by the National Assembly from the national budget.

Moreover, in Kenya, 75% (three quarters) of the money allocated as CDF in a single year is divided equally among the constituencies, and the other 25% (one quarter) is allocated based on the poverty ranking of constituencies using a formula which ensures that poorer constituencies get more money. Similarly, in Tanzania, the Constituencies Development Catalyst Fund Act, 2015, makes it mandatory to allocate 25% equally to each constituency, and 75% to be allocated in such manner as 45% in relation to the population of people living in a constituency; 20% in relation to the poverty margin; and 10% in relation to the size of the geographical area of a constituency. In Nigeria, CDF has been initiated through a government policy since 1999. The fund is divided on a 60:40 ratio between the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively (Busari, 2018).

Without a doubt, these practices in both Tanzania and Kenya go against the common feature that characterises CDF in most countries, including The Gambia where the same-size-fits-all measurement is used. In The Gambia, every constituency is allocated an equal amount of funds from the CDF regardless of their size, development needs or other considerations and needs. A lump sum amount is appropriated in the budget, and it becomes the responsibility of the CDF committee to ensure that every constituency is allocated their equal share, pro rata.

In Nigeria, although the fund is divided equally among legislators of both chambers, except for their leadership which is alleged to have the greater share, implementing the zonal intervention projects (as it is referred) does not involve cash payments or any other form of payment to a legislator. The duty of the legislator is simply to identify the location and the type of project to be sited. Once this is done, it is included in the budget of the relevant MDA by the National Assembly (Busari, 2018). Senator Ayogu Eze (cited in Nnamani, Ekoh & Joe-Akunne, 2021) corroborated that the role of the National Assembly in Nigeria is to identify projects for their constituency while the executive arm of government will identify a contractor to execute the project.

Meanwhile, an important provision in the Kenyan CDF Act worth mentioning is an “Emergency Reserve” which is not less than 5% of the total amount due to the constituency, made available only during emergencies or urgent unforeseen needs for expenditure within the Constituency. There is no such thing in The Gambia’s CDF policy. In practice, what is often deducted is a 10% withholding fee which is the directive of the Income and Value Added Tax Act, 2012 regarding government contracts.

The Debate

In almost all countries where CDF is introduced, views have been expressed on both for and against the use of the fund. Understandably, there are those that lauded the introduction of the initiative as it brought about the desired developments that were envisaged. Tsubura (2013) submits that CDFs have potentially positive effects on electoral democracy in developing countries. Given that many MPs in developing countries raise funds to directly support the daily lives of their constituents, he notes that CDFs, if designed and implemented in transparent and accountable ways, have the potential to mitigate the influence of political finance on electoral competition as well as level the electoral playing field.

Baskin (2011) indicates that the policy tool can redress the imbalance between executives and legislatures, mitigate the “winner take all” quality of elections, give legislators a way to deliver essential goods and services to constituents, provide an opportunity for popular participation in development projects, and strengthen ties of constituents to representatives and legislatures. Aman & Murti (2022) agree that despite its flaws, CDF ensures fast delivery of assistance on social and cultural needs, directly benefiting constituents and business communities, easily accessible, and less bureaucratic processes involved, stressing that it is one of the few funds that go directly to rural people.  Gikonyo (2008) observes that since CDF was introduced in Kenya, it has made a great impact with numerous projects coming up throughout the country.

Highlighting some of the opinions in favour of CDF, Zyl (2010) indicates that the initiative empowers the legislature by allowing them to allocate and spend money independently of the executive, and allow MPs to respond directly to concrete demands from their constituents, something that they may not be powerful enough to make the executive do. Robertson, Awuor & Okotto (2020) indicate that of the many projects that were being funded by CDF in Kenya, education, health and water/sanitation are the key projects that greatly impact community welfare.

Despite its numerous benefits and merits, there are concerns that CDF monies are not managed in a transparent manner; that many CDF projects are not useful to local communities; and that local communities are not sufficiently involved in its management (Gikonyo, 2008). Tsubura submits that CDFs are controversial as they directly involve MPs in the utilisation of public resources. He agrees with concerns generally raised by scholars, civil society organisations and Western donors that CDFs erode the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of the government, an arrangement that secures checks and balances in democracies. Tsubura emphasizes that in democratic systems, the legislature is mandated to make policies through the formulation of legislation and to oversee the executive while the executive implements such policies for the provision of public services, arguing that the CDF approach blurs the boundaries of these distinct functions of the government branches.

Zyl disagrees in totality that CDF barely makes any positive impact, and thus the concept or the initiative should be discouraged by all means. He argues that CDFs have a more negative impact on accountability and service delivery that most poor countries can ill afford. He stresses that the risks associated with CDFs should be taken more seriously by governments, donors, CSOs, and other actors involved in the development process. Apparently, Zyl’s concern is that CDFs may breach the key democratic principle of the separation of power by conferring the executive function of budget execution on the legislature. As a result, CDFs may compromise the ability of legislators to represent the electorates and to oversee the work of the executive. In a public statement in May 2022, the Rt. Hon. Halifa Sallah of The Gambia claimed that CDF promotes the self-perpetuating rule of NAMs, and as such, he called for the fund to be scrapped from the National Assembly budget. The Rt. Hon. Sallah argued that the CDF is utilised through a top-down approach instead of a bottom-up. He, therefore, suggested that the fund should rather be diverted into the development budgets of the local and municipal councils to allow them to manage and utilise from the grassroots (Voice Newspaper, 2022).

Busari (2018) alleges that even though the lawmakers in Nigeria are not allowed direct access to the fund, they have devised several means of getting a cut from the zonal intervention project fund every year, noting that one of such dubious means is by inflating the budgets of government agencies. This position is shared by Nnamani et. al. who insinuates that a preponderance of the Nigerian masses views the concept of constituency project as a conduit pipe through which the nation’s treasury is being drained. The authors cited a Daily Trust report of 2010 which alleges that former President Obasanjo accused Senators and members of the House of Representatives of corruption through budget padding and collection of unjustifiable allowances amounting to billions of naira by inserting items in the budget which are not actually required by ministries, and connive with contractors in executing constituency projects to take kick-backs.

 Lessons to Learn

In The Gambia, very little has been written about CDF from the public. This may be attributed to the infancy of the implementation of the initiative in the country.

By way of good practice, countries that have newly adopted CDF could learn a lot from those that have long initiated it. Countries such as Zambia and Kenya, have utilized their past experiences to make a series of adjustments and improvements on the allotment, implementation and supervision of projects sponsored by the fund.

On this account, the first lesson to learn may include introducing a quarter system in the distribution of CDF to ensure equity. It is obvious that constituencies, whether in The Gambia or elsewhere, are different in size and population. Therefore, introducing a percentage or quarter system will help address inequalities among constituencies and bridge the gap among the populace.

Also, there should be CDF committees in the constituencies, recognized by the law. The law will make it mandatory for the public to initiate projects which will be implemented by the committee and scrutinized by the National Assembly through its oversight function. In that, the law may allow the MPs to suggest to the committee but may not have the unilateral authority to decide on the types of projects implemented in their constituencies.

However, couching this into law will avoid a scenario advanced by Benson (2018) that “the approach taken in the implementation of the CDF in Nigeria tends to point to the fact that constituents are often vulnerable to manipulations by their representatives who withhold information from them. Most of the system operations seem to be shrouded in secrecy, and as such, constituents are not aware of the essence of the policy. They may sometimes seem to be taking part in meetings, but they really do not make an input to the project selection or the siting of such projects in their constituencies. They merely attend those meetings as nominal participants and play no part in the decisions that are made.”

Thirdly, the implementing countries of CDF may contemplate on making an Act instead of a policy. The Act, which is more binding than a policy, will detail out the manner of distributing the funds, identify implementing agencies and accounting officers, and outline penalties among others. The policy is merely a guideline which may be subverted to suit convenience. As a matter of fact, the violation of an act will be more grievous.

 Conclusion

Different approaches have been adopted by different countries to allow them to conveniently implement projects and programmes under CDF in order to meet their overall developmental needs and objectives. Some of the factors that guide the allocation and implementation of the funds include both cultural and geopolitical considerations.

There may not be a “the” way of institutionalising the CDF. However, as a newcomer in the CDF realm, the National Assembly of The Gambia can continue to learn from the experiences, successes, challenges and best practices of parliamentary jurisdictions that have vibrantly flourished through the effective and efficient utilisation of the funds.

As a matter of fact, CDF could be a very fast way for the legislature to respond to the development needs of their constituencies as they are closer to the people than the executive. However, stringent checks are necessary to control the tendency for excesses in the course of fund allocation, implementation or award of contracts to prospective bidders.

REFERENCES

 

 

 

 

BAC: CEO says he is willing to work with Chairman but…

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By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Chief Executive Officer of the Brikama Area Council, Modou Jonga, has said he is willing to work with the chairman of the council, Yankuba Darboe, for the betterment of the West Coast Region but stressed that Darboe does not have any administrative responsibility over the departments of the council.

Jonga outlined his office’s willingness to work with Darboe despite the latter expressing his disappointment and dissatisfaction over the CEO’s alleged refusal to submit the information he demanded, a claim he refuted.

“We are more than willing to work with him [Yankuba Darboe] to deliver the good. We are more than willing and always committed to working with the new chairman to deliver the West Coast we all want for the residents. There is no lack of commitment on our part,” CEO Jonga told The Fatu Network.

The Brikama Area Council as an institution is composed of appointed and elected officials. The CEO heads the administration of the appointed officials who are subjected to the direction of the elected officials headed by Yankuba Darboe as the Chairman.

The office of the Chairman and the CEO have common but different responsibilities.

Jonga, while responding to questions regarding the leaked memo from Yankuba Darboe over certain requests including the bank statements, noted that the chairman’s access to the accounts should be determined by regulations since he is not a signatory to the accounts.

“His access to the accounts will have to be determined by regulations. It is important to indicate that under section 15 of the local government act, which stipulates the functions of the chairperson, the chairperson is not a signatory to the accounts of the council.

“The signatories to the accounts are the CEO and the Director of Finance. The alternative signatory is the Director of Administration,” he said.

Meanwhile, he explained that he reports to the office of the chairman but is not answerable to the chairman alone.

“It is important to indicate that I report to the chairman. I am answerable and subjected to directions of the general council and not the chairman alone. It is essential to underline this,” he outlined.

Jonga went further to explain his responsibilities he feels the chairman should be aware of in the work of the council.

“My responsibility is the day-to-day performance of the executive and administrative functions of the council, and I have a responsibility to coordinate the departments of the council. That is not the role of the chairman. The Chairman does not have any administrative responsibility over the activities of the departments of the council. That is my responsibility,” he said.

Mr. Jonga called for the collective work of the two offices, noting that they can collectively deliver what the people of the West Coast needed and that no one office can do everything alone.

GDC Admin SG 1 says Agric minister did not leave GDC for reasons he stated

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By: Dawda Baldeh


Ebrima Nyang, the Administrative Secretary (1) of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), has refuted the Agriculture Minister, Dr. Demba Sabally’s claim that he left GDC for the ruling National People’s Party due to its association with the opposition United Democratic Party, (UDP).

Minister Sabally had last week said he left the GDC for NPP due to their association with the main opposition party, UDP.

However, Ebrima Nyang denied his claims, saying Sabally has an agenda of forming his own political party well before joining the GDC.

Accordingly, Nyang revealed the conflict began when the 3-years ‘Jotna’, a pressure group that was demanding President Barrow to step down and honour his promise to the coalition, led a protest that turned violent.

“Demba Sabally wrote on his Facebook wall after the protesters had confrontations with the security forces ‘We need more tear gas’, a move according to the GDC administrative SG 1, was not in line with the party.

“Hon. Mamma Kandeh asked him (Dr. Demba Sabally) to bring down his post on Facebook else he will be suspended from the party,” he claimed.

He added that Kandeh’s statement didn’t go well with Demba, and he was strictly warned that such posts are against the party’s constitution.

“Kandeh told him that he cannot openly post asking the police to bring more tear gas on the Gambians.”

“If one Gambian is affected is like the entire Gambia is affected.
Even though no GDC member was among the 3-year Jotna executives, but the party has zero tolerance for any kind of violence,” he said.

Nyang added that Mr. Sabally intended to form a political party but at that time he did not know how and where to start, so when GDC was formed with all the structures in place, he joined.

“His agenda after joining the party was to rise beyond anyone so that he can belittle anyone except the party leader…”

Nyang admitted that Mr. Sabally was the one who initiated the idea of having a party national chairman when it was not in the party constitution.

He added that the party constitution was amended, and the position of national chairman was made.

“He later showed interest in vying for the position, and it was given to him, but he never recognized the importance of anyone else.

“His (Demba Sabally) intention was to divide GDC… but he never succeeded. When he knew he will not maintain his position if he goes to Congress, he resigned.

“He met the president who convinced him to join his party but there is no active GDC member he convinced to leave the party,” he noted.

Nyang also attributed ongoing internal conflicts within the National People’s Party to Mr. Sabally’s hunger for a position.

“We all know that there is a lot of internal conflict within the NPP, and all is because of Demba Sabally because he started that at GDC.

“His intention is always to get close to any of the party leadership and belittle everyone else besides President Barrow. I am urging NPP to be very careful and Demba Sabally wants to replace Barrow,” he said.

However, efforts to reach out to Dr. Demba Sabally for his comments remain futile.

Gambia stiffens up drug import regulations for India after cough syrup deaths

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By: Hadram Hydara

All pharmaceutical products from India will be subjected to mandatory inspections and testing starting from July 1, 2023, before being imported to the Gambia, the country’s Medicines Control Agency says.

MCA’s move came as a reaction to the tragic deaths of over 70 children linked to the Indian-made cough syrups.

The new regulations seek to “address issues related to substandard and falsified (counterfeit) medicines imported from India to The Gambia” and “for conformity to quality standards”, MCA indicates.

Following the death of the Gambian children linked to the Indian-made cough syrups, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a report indicating the drugs had been contaminated with toxic chemicals found in car brake fluids and other industrial products.

A parliamentary committee in the Gambia also held Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the Indian company that made the contaminated cough syrups, responsible for the death of over 70 Gambian children.

Parents of the victims have been demanding justice and the country has since hired a US law firm for a possible legal action.

MOTIE facilitates 50% reduction in ferry crossing fee for livestock dealers, waives fee & tax

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By: Dawda Baldeh

In responding to the hiking price of livestock as Muslims in The Gambia prepare to celebrate Tobaski, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE) has announced a 50% reduction on Ferry crossing fees for livestock dealers and waived fee and tax as well during for the time being.

The announcement came after a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders in the livestock sector held on 20th June 2023 as livestock dealers and prospective buyers complained of price hike in the buildup to this year’s Tobaski. The meeting was convened to facilitate the importation and sales of livestock in preparation for the Tobaski feast.

According to a press release from the Ministry, the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) will waive all import duties and domestic taxes on livestock during the period while the GPA Ferry Services is to reduce the fees for ferry crossing by 50%. “All livestock dealers with more than five (5) animals are required to transport their animals in a vehicle during the ferry crossing,” the release says.

It is also agreed that the Banjul City Council and the Brikama Area Council will waive all fees and taxes for livestock dealers, while the Kanifing Municipal Council will also waive fees and taxes for the livestock dealers except for the cleaning fees.

On security and border crossing, the Ministry says: “The Gambia Police Force will reinforce security during the period, especially at the designated sales points. The Gambia Immigration Department will facilitate entry of the dealers into the country and where necessary will issue laissez passe free of charge to anyone from the ECOWAS Region.”

The Ministry calls on all national and regional livestock dealers to take advantage of the measures being implemented by the government to facilitate the entrance and sale of livestock in The Gambia.

 

Prof. Nyarkotey delivers expert lecture on Traditional and Alternative Medicine Legislation

By: Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu

A renowned Ghanaian Naturopathic Professor, medical and science writer, author, and columnist, Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, a Bar student at the Gambia Law School, Banjul, will deliver an expert lecture on the need for National legislation on Traditional and Alternative Medicine in the Gambia. The event is scheduled for the 1st July 2023, at the Gambia College, Brikama, at Noon.

The programme is sponsored and under the auspices of the National Traditional Healers Association of The Gambia (TRAHASS).  Prof. Nyarkotey has been championing the national legislation on traditional and alternative medicine in the Gambia since he arrived from Ghana to pursue his legal education at the Gambia Law School in 2022. He has succeeded in raising huge awareness of scientific natural remedies with his prolific writings in the national dailies.

He also petitioned the Minister of Health this year to take action on traditional medicine. His advocacy has paved the way for action to be taken on the development of national action on traditional medicine legislation.

The theme for the event is “Legislative Regulation of Traditional and Alternative Complementary Medicine Practitioners in the Gambia: A Tool for Recognition in the Healthcare System”.

For decades, traditional healers in the Gambia have been fighting for national recognition in the healthcare system but all their efforts proved futile.  However, the emergence of Prof. Nyarkotey, a very renowned Naturopathic Professor and president of Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine in Ghana, in the Gambia, to pursue his legal education at the Gambia Law School has resurrected the hope of traditional and alternative healers.

The conference will attract over 500 healers over the country and abroad to deliberate on the need for the importance of legislation in the Gambia.

Prof. Nyarkotey at the Gambia Law School, Banjul.

Professor Nyarkotey, who is an aspiring Legal Practitioner in training as well at the Gambia Law School, believes that there is a huge potential for natural medicine in the Gambia if legislation is Fas tracked. He believes that his legal training at the Gambia Law School will open more opportunities for natural medicine across the continent of Africa and the world.

He avers that medicine is not competition. Hence, there is no need for conventional and natural healers to be at loggerheads. He calls for collaboration in the healthcare system.

Also, he explains that legislation will go a long way to enhance standardization. He cited how countries such as India, China, Ghana, South Africa, and many others are benefiting from Natural Healthcare.

Prof. Nyarkotey said natural healthcare tends to improve the economy with legislation.  The Gambian Law School student, who has created a global niche for himself in the profession of Naturopathy and Holistic Healthcare, is engaging traditional healers in the Gambia, to see how to improve their services.

Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, who is also a well-known medical and science writer in Ghana, the Gambia, and the international level has created a niche for himself in the Ghanaian and global medical and science writing space with his prolific articles on natural medicines. He has produced some blockbuster scientific articles on the Gambian natural remedies which have generated public interest in recent times. He has also authored three books and seven academic papers  as a student of the law in the Gambia.

“As a Professor of Naturopathic Healthcare and a researcher with interest in the legal aspect of Traditional and Complementary Medicines in the African sub-region, I aim to support the regulation of naturopathy and to assist in any way that I can”.

The key to his achievement is setting up a University College to train Practitioners in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine. Grandaunts of the college are eligible to sit for the Traditional Medicine Practice Council, Ministry of Health Professional Qualifying Examination in Ghana. The College is also an educational member of the World Naturopathic Federation (WNF).

With the support of his team in Ghana, developed Ghana’s first ever National Occupational Standard in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine at the Higher National Diploma(HND) and Bachelors level under the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET)”.

Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, is the President of Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine & Technology, Ashaiman, Ghana’s first Natural Medicine university college dedicated to the promotion and advocacy of natural remedies.

He has won many awards in Ghana and on the international front such as the 40under40 Achievers Award in education(2019) and was inducted into the West African Nobles Forum as a young Noble at age 34.

He was conferred Professorship at age 34 becoming one of the youngest Professors in Ghana in recent times.  In 2022, he was honored by the India Medical Association, JDN, Odisha, chapter with the title “ Father of Modern Naturopathy in Ghana” for shaping the science of modern naturopathy.

Prof Nyarkotey & Dr. Pandit: The science behind Yoga; benefits to immunity and quality of life

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Group Yoga exercise training

Yoga has evolved to become one of the most commonly used complementary and alternative health practices in the world. Today, Yoga is even more popular than chiropractic adjustments, osteopathic manipulations, meditation, herbal treatments and massage therapy.

A 2012 article in the New York Times authored by William J. Broad, created a controversy on Yoga suggesting that some people get seriously injured, or even die, on their Yoga mats.  How true is this? Our extensive review of literature revealed that the article by William Broad, adapted from the book The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards, which suggested that Yoga caused widespread harm to its practitioners; from ruptured disks to stroke to brain injury, was largely based on selected anecdotes.  That same year, it was also reported that more than 20 million Americans practiced Yoga, making it one of the most popular forms of exercise. It has also been reported by Neil MacFarquhar (2015) in the New York Times that Vladimir Putin, a devotee of “macho sports,” added downward dog to his repertoire. The question here is whether Yoga affects our health as compared to other exercises such as tai chi and meditation.  In this article, we explore what Yoga is, together with its scientific underpinning from a purely objective standpoint on the International Day of Yoga.

First ever Yoga study

Patel and North, (1975) conducted the first randomized trial on Yoga in which was published in The Lancet. The study found that Yoga was more effective than relaxation for reducing high blood pressure. That trial was however a retrospective study. Further, all the participants already had high blood pressure and the study only involved 34 people, making it difficult to know the effect of Yoga on a larger prospective trial of healthy people. We examine this in this article.

Yoga, Origin

Yoga is derived from the root yuj

 The Sanskrit word Yoga is derived from the root “yuj”, which means ‘to attach, join, harness, yoke’. In the 4th Century BCE, there was a very renowned Sanskrit philologist, grammarian, and revered scholar in ancient India named Pāṇini. He wrote that the term Yoga could be derived from either of two roots: yujir Yoga (to yoke) or yuj samādhau (to concentrate).  In the context of the Yoga Sutras, the root yuj samādhau (to concentrate) is considered the correct etymology by traditional commentators.

Yoga, Definition

According to the Vaiśeṣika Sūtra which was authored by the Hindu sage Kanada, also known as Kashyapa, Yoga is ‘pleasure and suffering arising as a result of the drawing together of the sense organs, the mind and objects. When that does not happen because the mind is in the self, there is no pleasure or suffering for one who is embodied’.

Katha Upanishad also defines Yoga as “when the five senses, along with the mind, remain still and the intellect is not active, that is known as the highest state. They consider Yoga to be firm restraint of the senses. Then one becomes un-distracted for Yoga is the arising and the passing away“.

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata and is considered to be one of the holy scriptures for Hinduism. It captures Yoga as “Be equal minded in both success and failure. Such equanimity is called Yoga” (2.48).

To a lay man’s understanding, Yoga means union’ or ‘connection’. Yoga is a state of connection and a body of techniques that allow us to connect to anything. The practice aims to create union between body, mind and spirit, as well as between the individual self and universal consciousness. Such a union tends to neutralize ego-driven thoughts and behaviors, creating a sense of spiritual awakening. Yoga combines physical exercises, mental meditation and breathing techniques to strengthen the muscles and relieve stress. The secret of Yoga is awareness and consciousness of wellbeing.

Patañjali, also called Gonardiya, or Gonikaputra, was a sage in Ancient India who outlined an eightfold path of Yoga which offers a guide to individuals who are dedicated to creating a union between body, mind and spirit.

Yoga: Practices

Yamas – Five universal, ethical and moral observances to live by (nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-covetousness)

Niyamas – Five spiritual and self-discipline observances (cleanliness, contentment, spiritual austerities, study of scriptures and surrender to God)

Asana – physical posture, originally intended only for seated meditation, but more recently adapted to encompass all physical Yoga practices

Pranayama – breathing exercises to control the flow of prana (vital life force)

Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the senses

Dharana – Single pointed concentration

Dhyana – Meditation

Samadhi – Liberation or blissful union with the Divine

Yoga: Types

Types of Yoga

 Hatha Yoga

Hatha is the Sanskrit word meaning force, which works on the harmony between the chakras and energy points. Hatha Yoga comprises many physical postures and positions that balance the body and mind. Hatha Yoga purifies and heals our mental system. Regular practice of Hatha leads to weight loss and toned muscles.

Ashtanga Yoga

Of the many Yoga forms, Ashtanga is one of the most athletic forms of Yoga. Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic, set sequence of poses, breathing, and focal points. Ashtanga Yoga has eight pillars: Principles, personal discipline, asana and postures, pranayama, withdrawal, concentration, meditation and salvation.

 Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga is a good choice for people who like high-intensity exercises. In addition, Vinyasa Yoga is ideal for anxiety, depression, blood pressure and sleep. Meditation is a part of advanced vinyasa Yoga practices, making the form more mindful. Vinyasa Yoga is a good choice for people who like high-intensity exercises.

 

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga is known as Yoga of Awareness. The term “Kundalini” comes from the Sanskrit word “kundal”, which means “circular”. Kundalini Yoga is a form of Yoga that involves chanting, singing, breathing exercises, and repetitive poses. Compared with other forms of Yoga, Kundalini Yoga is a more spiritual practice.

Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar is a form of hatha Yoga that focuses on proper alignment and precise technique. Iyengar Yoga has effectively treated musculoskeletal disorders and disabilities of the spine. Iyengar Yoga helps in the management of gynecological and gastroenterological diseases.

The Science behind Yoga

 Yoga, Flexibility support

Studies demonstrate that Yoga aids flexibility

Two leading organizations; Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance (2016) conducted a global survey examining a variety of statistics about Yoga in an attempt to quantify its value amid ever-increasing popularity.  They found that, the reason people opted for Yoga was to make them flexible.

Additionally, two studies (Amin and Goodman, 2013; Polsgrove et al., 2016) also found that being flexible is a significant aspect of physical health.  The study was of the view that, though many Yoga types exist, the lowest intensity styles have been found to increase flexibility.

A recent study on flexibility by Sivaramakrishnan et al., (2019) found that Yoga appears to be good in improving flexibility in adults aged 65 and older.

Yoga and Stress

Yoga aids in stress management, according to studies

High levels of stress have become a major issue in Ghana and the world at large.  The science suggests that people battling stress can benefit from Yoga. This has been supported by Shohani et al., (2018) which found that Yoga, especially asana, is excellent in reducing stress.  Apart from the physical aspect, meditation, breath work, and auditory rituals, like chanting and sound baths, have all also been shown to significantly lessen tension and relieve stress (Goldsby et al.,2017).

 Yoga, Mental Health

Movement-based Yoga therapies and breathing-based practices were found to significantly improve depressive symptoms.

Bridges & Sharma (2017) meta-analysis of 23 interventions looking at the effects of Yoga-based treatments on depressive symptoms overwhelmingly concluded that Yoga can now be considered an effective alternative treatment for MDD. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world. Another study by Streeter et al., (2017) also revealed that both movement-based Yoga therapies and breathing-based practices were found to significantly improve depressive symptoms.

 Yoga and Inflammation

Studies demonstrate linkage between Yoga and cardiovascular health

 According to Pahwa et al., (2021), there is a link between cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases to chronic inflammation. However, the good news is that, one review which examined 15 studies by Djalilova et al., (2018) found a common result: Yoga; of various styles, intensities, and durations; reduced the biochemical markers of inflammation across several chronic conditions.

 Yoga and Strength

Yoga Study found improves strength in breast cancer, older adults, and children.

Apart from stretching and flexibility, some types of Yoga classes can also be considered strength-building.  The review by Divya et al., (2019) found Yoga asana as a multimodal form of exercise. Other studies by Yagli et al., (2015) and Pereira et al., (2016) also found improved strength in breast cancer patients, older adults, and children. Additionally, another study by Harder et al., (2015) on air force personnel found Yoga to be an effective strength-building practice across many age groups of healthy participants.

Yoga and Anxiety

Yoga asana may be effective as an alternative treatment for anxiety disorders

Two studies (Duan-Porter et al., 2016; Shohani et al., 2018) held the view that Yoga asana may be effective as an alternative treatment for anxiety disorders, though all of the researchers requested additional replicated studies before conclusively stating as much. Additionally, one study by Ferreira-Vorkapic et al., (2018) found that Yoga nidra, which is a body scan/guided meditation, reduces symptoms of anxiety.

Yoga and Quality of Life

Yoga improves QOL

A study by  Ediebah et al., (2018) found that Quality of Life is significant predictor of people’s longevity and patients’ likelihood of improvement when treated for a chronic illness or injury. A 2019 meta-analysis showed promising potential for Yoga to improve QOL in people with chronic pain.

 Yoga, Immunity

Yoga boost immune health

One study by Natalie et al., (2019) found that Yoga fights inflammation and improves cell-mediated immunity.

 Yoga, Balance

Constant Yoga practice may balance people (Jeter et al., 2014)

A review of the research conducted By Jeter et al., (2014) on healthy populations found that constant Yoga practice may balance people.  Osth et al., (2019) research suggests Yoga can improve balance in older populations. However, more studies with large sample sizes are needed before a general conclusion can be drawn. Kristine et al., (2019) also found that Yoga asana can also be helpful at improving balance in people with brain injuries. Others such as, Adaptive Yoga or chair Yoga also support older people.

Yoga and Cardio Support

Yoga aids heart health

 Pranayama, another aspect of Yoga normally term “yogic breathing,” plays significant role in heart health. Saoji et al., (2019) review of 1,400 studies examined the impact of pranayama.  The review found that yogic breathing can improve the functioning of several systems in the body.  The study additionally found that the cardiovascular system is one aspect which Yoga breathing supports.  The study finally asserted that yogic breathing may actually influence the brain’s cardiorespiratory center to improve functioning.

 Yoga and Sleep

Yoga improves sleep

 In measured sleep, scientists examine a person’s ability to both fall asleep and stay asleep.  This is because these are the two ways by which insomnia can affect people. Two studies (Dolezal et al., 2017; Wang et al. 2020) demonstrated that Yoga improves one’s ability to fall asleep and how deeply they stay asleep.  The reason being that, Yoga has aftereffects of exercise together with mental calming and stress relief.

Two other studies (Datta et al., 2017; Moszeik et al., 2020) also found that, apart from Yoga improving anxiety, there are many studies that demonstrate that Yoga nidra purposely helps in improving sleep.

 Yoga and Self Esteem

Yoga enhances self esteem

For those battling low self-esteem; it appears Yoga is your friend.  Two studies (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2018; Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2018) demonstrated positive results in improving one’s self-esteem and perceived body image with the help of Yoga. One recent study, Rizzuto et al., (2021) demonstrates promising evidence that Yoga could help with the accompanying symptoms of obsession, anxiety, and depression in patients with anorexia nervosa.

 Yoga and Osteoporosis

Ezrin (2021) article explains that, in Plank Pose, which is an upper pushup position, the arms, trunk, and legs are all engaged, without shortening or lengthening as they would if you were moving through a pushup. Florio et al., (2017) study also found that, in Warrior II, one holds a position with the lead leg bent at both the hip and knee. In these Isometric exercises, especially when performed with the joints in flexion, the study found yoga to increase bone density.

Yoga asana may also help reverse bone loss associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis.  This was demonstrated in a study by Lu et al., (2016) which found that just 12 minutes of Yoga per day can significantly improve bone health.  Despite the proven positive impacts of Yoga on bone density, there some studies which also revealed mixed results (some not so positive) (Lein et al., 2018).

 Yoga, posture and body awareness

A recent review by Aalst et al., (2020) of 34 empirical studies found an emerging pattern; Yoga improved brain functioning in the centers responsible for interoception (recognizing the sensations within your body) and posture. A previous study by Grabara & Szopa (2015) also found that Yoga’s focus on mobility and flexibility can contribute to better alignment by releasing muscles that are often tight, such as the hamstrings, and improving mobility of the spine.

Yoga, and Brain Health

Yoga improves Brain Health

As a mind-body exercise, one review by Aalst et al., (2020) found that practicing Yoga activated areas of the brain responsible for motivation, executive functioning, attention, and neuroplasticity.

 Yoga and burn out

Yoga aids in the management of burn out

 Heeter et al., (2021) study examined burnout among hospice workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that Yoga-based meditation interventions helped significantly reduce the effects of burnout by improving interoceptive awareness.

Market size of Yoga

According to the Economic Times, although Yoga originated from India, the US continues to be the biggest market for Yoga wear with estimated revenues of about $27 billion a year, growing at 20% annually.

The Expert Market research also reported that in 2020, the global Yoga market attained a value of nearly USD 41.05 billion. India is one of the leading exporters of mats and Yoga accessories. The Yoga accessory industry is worth about Rs 500-700 crore.

The training of Yogi is another big market. The Economic Times (2015) reports that, in towns such as Rishikesh and the adjoining village of Tapovan, almost every hotel and resort doubles up as a residential Yoga school.  They package Yoga into 200 or 500-hour certificate courses with fees that range from $3,000 to $5,000 (Rs 1.8 lakh-Rs 3 lakh). Local farmers have turned landlords, renting houses to students or rooms for practice and setting up hotels and resorts. In Mysuru for instance, the city boasts of connections with two Yoga greats -Pattabhi Jois and BKS Iyengar. There are 65 Yoga institutes here, the most renowned being Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. During Yoga season, around 1,000 to 3,000 foreigners visit the city.

Rents in the area have gone up by around 50% in the last couple of years, and single bedroom units can fetch rents between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000.

Take Home: Key studies:

Yoga improves general wellness according to studies

In conclusion, two key aspects of Yoga exist: physical activity and meditation techniques which one can focus on.  At the end of our extensive review of existing literature, we found the following major studies:

Patel and  North (1975): Lancet — “Randomized controlled trial of Yoga and bio feedback in management of hypertension.” This is the first-ever randomized trial on Yoga, and it found that Yoga was more effective than relaxation in reducing high blood pressure.

1985: British Medical Journal — “Yoga for bronchial asthma: a controlled study”. This is the first randomized trial on Yoga for asthma, and it was one of the first to show the effects of Yoga on the inner organs.

1998: JAMA — “Yoga-based intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome.” This was a well-regarded randomized trial that showed the benefits of Yoga for carpal tunnel syndrome compared with wrist splinting and no intervention.

Sherman et al., (2005): Annals of Internal Medicine — “Comparing Yoga, exercise, and a self-care book for chronic low back pain.” This is the most important trial on Yoga for lower back pain and the first really high-quality trial on Yoga. Based on this trial, Yoga has become increasingly recognized as an effective treatment for chronic lower back pain.

Lakkireddy et al., (2013): Journal of the American College of Cardiology — “Effect of Yoga on arrhythmia burden, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.” One of the first trials to show that Yoga may have an impact on life-threatening diseases such as atrial fibrillation.

Tracy and Hart (2013): Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research — “Bikram Yoga Training and Physical Fitness in Healthy Young Adults.” This trial found Bikram Yoga can improve strength and flexibility but not aerobic capacity.

2014: Journal of Clinical Oncology — “Randomized, controlled trial of Yoga in women with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy.” This high-quality trial demonstrated Yoga can have benefits for women being treated for breast cancer.

Bower and Irwin (2015): Brain, Behavior, and Immunity — “Mind-body therapies and control of inflammatory biology.” A review of the evidence on Yoga and other mind-body activities, and their relationship to reducing inflammation.

Prof Raphael Nyarkotey Obu is a Professor of Naturopathic Healthcare and President of the Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine & Technology (NUCHMT)/African Naturopathic Foundation. Dr. Mayukh Pandit is Board Certified Dental Surgeon/ Researcher in Anatomy and faculty member, India. E-mail: [email protected]. 

          

The Authors

2023 Hajj: Only 12 agencies licensed to take pilgrims, Land & Religious Affairs Ministry says

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By: Dawda Baldeh

Amidst reports of different travelling agencies collecting money from Gambians who intend to go to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj without processing their visas, the Ministry of Land, Regional Government and Religious Affairs and the National Hajj Commission have said only 12 agencies have been licensed to take pilgrims for the 2023 Hajj.

In a press release, the ministry said the 2000 pilgrims for Gambia’s 2023 Hajj quota have all obtained their Hajj visas and have successfully travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

However, the Ministry added that an agency identified as ‘HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ Gambia’, which claimed to be a Hajj and Umrah operator, has taken a significant amount of money from what was described as “innocent Gambians” with a promise of securing them Hajj visa as well transforming them to Hajj this year.

“The Ministry and Hajj Commission wishes to make it clear to the general public that HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ (Gambia) is not an official licensed operator for this year’s Hajj with the National Hajj Commission and is not operating within the Gambia’s 2023 Hajj quota of 2000 pilgrims,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the Ministry, there are 12 agencies officially licensed as operators for this year’s Hajj.

Namely: CROSSBREED HOLDING COMPANY, ALHUDA TRAVEL,
CONTINENTAL TRAVEL, ALGASIMOU TRAVEL AGENCY, AMANA TRAVEL, BANJUL TRAVEL AGENCY, TIVAOUANE TRAVEL AND TOURS, ORBIT TRAVEL AGENCY, MAYA GLOBAL TRAVEL, TRAVEL EXPRESS AGENCY, ALFAZ TRAVEL AGENCY, and GAMBIA
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE (G.I.A.)

The ministry added: “Anyone who has effected payment for this year’s hajj to any agency other than the 12 agencies listed herein is simply not within the 2000 official pilgrim’s quota allocated to The Gambia by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the supervision of the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious
Affairs and the National Hajj Commission.”

They assured the public that they will liaise with relevant stakeholders to investigate this matter and take appropriate actions against anyone found wanting.

‘I didn’t deliberately or intentionally refuse…’: Jonga belies Darboe’s memo

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By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh


The Chief Executive Officer of the Brikama Area Council, Modou Jonga, has refuted Chairman Yankuba Darboe’s claim that he deliberately failed to submit information that he had requested, noting that information was provided to him before June 16.

He said he didn’t intentionally or deliberately refuse to submit the requested information to Mr. Darboe.

“I didn’t deliberately or intentionally refuse to fail to make the documents available to him. These are information that is required for the due performance of his work,” he said.

Mr. Jonga told The Fatu Network that he provided the requested information to the office of the chairman on the 13th and 14th of June and contacted the chairman to provide him with the bank statement of the council on the 16th of June before he received the memo on the same day.

“Information or records that he requested for have been provided to him prior to the date on the leaked memo on the 13th and 14th of June in the presence of the deputy chairperson. Comprehensive information and the projects that the council undertaken [sic] over the period and bank balances were provided to the chairman,” he told The Fatu Network.

He went further to explain when and how he received the memo, which is dated the 16th of June and published by this medium.

“Now, on Friday, while we worked to get the bank statements, I did call the chairman to ask if he was available in his office to give him the bank statement, he asked me to give him 20 minutes because he was having visitors at his office. So, while I was waiting for the 20 minutes, I got this memo from his office,” he said.

Jonga emphasized that it was not deliberate, as opposed to the leaked memo. In the memo, Yankuba Darboe expressed his disappointment and dissatisfaction over the CEO’s inability to provide him with the information he requested.

“I have requested your office to furnish me with all the information I require about the BAC in order to be able to effectively perform my duties as the chairman of BAC, but disappointedly, you have either deliberately or unintentionally refused or failed to provide my office with the requested information,” said chairman Darboe a memo dated June 16.

However, the BAC CEO refuted that it was deliberate on his side. He said that he knew the chairman needed adequate information and the current status of the council to do his work. He asked for a collaborative effort between the two offices to make sure the expectations of the people on the West Coast are met.

GPU Secures $154,000 UNDEF Grant to Strengthen Public Access to Information and Media Professionalism in The Gambia

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The Gambia Press Union (GPU), the umbrella body for journalists and media workers in the Gambia, has secured a project grant from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) to the tune of USD 154,000.

The project, “Strengthening Public Access to Information and Media Professionalism in The Gambia”, is a two-year initiative which seeks to strengthen public awareness and understanding of the Access to Information (ATI) Act, which was adopted in August 2021, thanks to the previous UNDEF project UDF-15-642-GAM, and support by other partners.

This new project (UDF-21-912-GAM) seeks to maximize the benefits of this law by promoting information requests from journalists and members of the public, information provision from the government, and the potential benefits derived from the application of the law.

It also seeks to improve media professionalism by raising awareness about the role of the Media Council of The Gambia (MCG) and by promoting journalists’ compliance with the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists (the media code of ethics) reflecting the new ATI Act’s spirit and practices.

“It is our goal that this project would address barriers to access to information in the Gambia, and improve knowledge and the use of the ATI legislation by journalists and members of the public,” GPU Secretary General, Modou S. Joof said.

“Journalists and members of the public are better equipped to exercise their rights under the law, and demand the fulfilment of obligations found within the law to hold the government accountable and to promote transparency, when they are aware of the law and know how to utilise it.”

In August 2021, an Access to Information (ATI) Act was passed for the first time in Gambia’s history, thanks to the fervent advocacy by the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and a host of local and international partners.

However, the law is written in legal language not easily understood by lay members of the public and has not been fully implemented. Therefore, this present project aims to strengthen public access to information and improve media professionalism in The Gambia and has three expected outcomes:

1) awareness raised about the ATI Act 2021 within the government and amongst the general public – through the production and dissemination of the simplified versions and the translation into non-legal language and into several widely accessible local dialects – including the Gambian Sign Language, town hall meetings and workshops, radio and TV programmes, and social media.

2) implementation of the ATI Act promoted via enhancing the capacity of both the government and journalist stakeholders – by conducting training for journalists, small grants to support investigative journalism and the practice of information requests, and engagement meetings with government officials.

3) media professionalism strengthened, including the application of the ATI Act and the Media Council of The Gambia (MCG) – via the popularisation of the existing Cherno Jallwo Charter of Ethics for Journalists among media workers and journalists, as well as sensitising the public, and affording them with the requisite knowledge on how to access the MCG to report breaches of the code of ethics by media workers and media houses.

“This project comes at a very crucial time to support the operationalisation of the ATI law, and it is important to empower decision -makers in government including permanent secretaries, managers of government agencies, information and record officers on their roles and responsibilities of proactively and reactively disclosing information,” GPU President Muhammed S. Bah said.

“It will also contribute to the promotion of responsible journalism and improve professionalism among media workers and journalists in the Gambia by training journalists on media ethics and creating awareness amongst members of the public to be able to hold journalists to account via our self-regulatory mechanism, the MCG.”

The project will be implemented nationally by the GPU in collaboration with various stakeholders including the Civil Society Coalition on Access to Information, the Gambia Government through the Ministry of Information, and the MCG.

Chairperson of the CSO Coalition on ATI, John Charles Njie, said: “The numerous trainings and sensitizations on the ATI law to be conducted under this project across the country will no doubt enhance public interest in access to information and the enjoyment of the right to information.”

“We are optimistic that all stakeholders will work closely for the successful implementation of this project and to ensure the full operationalisation of the ATI law. Apart from the training, this provides for more engagements with the public in the form of nationwide townhall meetings, radio and TV shows.”

Beneficiaries of the project include a range of diverse groups including journalists, government officials, women, youths, and people living with disabilities.

We commend UNDEF for the partnership and the support to this worthwhile initiative.

– Ends

For inquiries,

Contact GPU Secretary General

Tel: +220 348 0043

Email: [email protected]

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‘I Can Do the Job Better Than Most Men’: Gambian Female Auto Mechanic Reacts to Critics

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By: Dawda Baldeh

Reacting to perceptions on how society sees women in male-dominated industries, Fatoumata Jammeh, a 31-year-old Gambian female auto mechanic and a mother of four, said she can do the job better than most men in the Gambia.

Jammeh, who is also married to an experienced auto mechanic, said she is a woman of difference and resilience.

“I am someone who always likes to challenge men in whatever field they are into. I choose auto mechanic because I can do it better than most men,” she revealed.

The 31-year-old female auto mechanic said the belief that auto mechanic is for only men is a myth, saying women can do it.

She started her apprenticeship at Ridas for Health in 2009 at Bansang.

“When I started people laughed and mocked me, but I didn’t care because I knew what I wanted,” she mentioned.

She argued that being a female auto mechanic is not easy because some customers don’t have the understanding that women can do the job well.

According to her, some customers believe they know everything, and if you tell them anything beyond what they know they won’t agree.

Fatoumata told The Fatu Network that she created The Gambia Female Automotive Services to support females who want to become auto mechanics.

“I have seen how females suffer when they work under men. Sometimes they are sexually abused or even given tough times, and some will eventually quit the field…,” she explained.

Madam Jammed wasted no time saying she is a different mechanic with unique abilities.

“All my apprentices are going to school and sometimes I pay town trips for them because I don’t want them to miss any lectures.

I will be selfish if I don’t allow them to learn like I did when I was given the opportunity.

“We are not expensive like others, and we give quality services and assistance to our customers.

“I am a qualified female auto mechanic and I have learned the skill very well, both in class and in the field,” she added.

Fatoumata has been in the field for fourteen years and has won several awards in recognition of her work.

She encouraged women who want to become auto mechanics or any job to believe in their abilities but ignore negative stereotypes to achieve their goals.

She continued: “You cannot change society and how people see you, but you can always prove them wrong.”

Fatoumata added that women are talented and all they need is an enabling environment to explore.

She is hopeful that she will bring more females into the male-dominated auto repair industry.

Ebrima Sanyang, whose car got fixed by the female mechanic said: “I have been going to different mechanics, but my car continues having the same problems.

“When I saw the Gambia Female Automotive Services on Facebook, I contacted them and explained the problems with my car.

“I was asked to bring the car for a diagnosis, and I was thinking the price will be very high.

“But to my surprise, when they diagnosed the car and find the problems and tell me the price I was surprised because for me that price was very small compared to others.”

Mr. Sanyang added that when the female mechanic was done with his car all the problems disappeared.

“The car was not having speed but all that is solved [and] now the car is back to normal,” he narrated.

He added that when he arrived at the female mechanic’s garage, he found a lot of cars that have been in different mechanics’ garages that are run by men, but their problems got fixed at the female mechanic’s garage.

Fatoumata is appealing to the government, NGOs, philanthropists and individuals to support her to renovate her mechanic garage as the rainy season has just begun.

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