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Medical Negligence: Medical Records as Patient’s Weapon?

Hadram Hydara
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By Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu & Daniel Sackey

 Medical Negligence: Medical Records as Patient’s Weapon?

In a recent news by kasapafmonline.com, the Accra High Court orders the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) and the 37 Military Hospital to release an investigation report conducted on the circumstances leading to the death of a 48-year-old man, Solomon Asare – Kumah to his family within 10 days.

The order culminated from an action of medical negligence which was commenced in 2019 by the family of Solomon Asare-Kumah (the deceased) against the Hospital, a medical doctor- Col/Dr. G. A. O. Appiah, the CDS, and Attorney General. The family is demanding GHc2 million in damages for alleged medical negligence that led to the death of the deceased. Prior to the suit, the family had petitioned the CDS to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding their relative’s death but after the investigation, the report was not made available to them.

After suing the hospital for damages in the sum of GHc2 million and pending the determination of the substantive matter, the family through Emmanuel Asare-Kumah, filed an application for an order for Discovery on October 21, 2022.

In this article, we will examine the legal question as to whether patients have the right to disclosure of their medical records in the case of medical negligence civil litigation and we will also interrogate the legal basis of discovery in medical negligence civil litigation.  We would finally look at the medical records of the patient as a weapon for the plaintiff.

 

 

Medical Records as a Plaintiff’s Weapon

Medical records are used to track events and transactions between patients and healthcare providers. They offer information on diagnoses, procedures, lab tests, and other services. Medical records help us measure and analyze trends in healthcare use, patient characteristics, and quality of care.

Indeed, medical records are patients’ strong weapon in medical negligence litigation. This is because, to be able to get legal advice from the lawyer, the lawyer’s first task is to review the medical records. Also don’t forget that medical negligence and malpractice litigation is built around the medical record, which provides the only objective record of the patient’s condition and the care provided.

For the lawyer, the medical records will help to establish specific acts of negligence and the overall quality of the record.  Good and strong medical litigation lawsuits are cemented on well-documented, specific acts of negligence. In most cases, however, negligence is inferred from documented and undocumented events. If the patient’s case depends at least partially on assuming that certain events were not recorded, the lawyer must be able to cast doubt on the credibility of the record.

Medical records are also the weapon for a physician’s defense. The patient has injuries to show the court; the physician or other medical care practitioner has only the medical records to prove that the injuries were not due to negligence. If the record is incomplete, illegible, or incompetently kept, this is the health care practitioner’s failure. Although courts and juries usually give a defendant the benefit of the doubt on ambiguous matters, this does not extend to ambiguities created by incompetent recordkeeping.

The least credible records are those that are internally inconsistent—for example, the physician’s progress notes report that the patient was doing well and improving steadily, but the nurses’ records indicate that the patient had developed a high fever and appeared to have a major infection. More commonly, the credibility of the records is attacked by demonstrating that it is incomplete. If it is clear that medically important information is missing from the record, then it is easier to convince a jury that the missing information supports the patient’s claims.  They are also the basis of expert opinion that will determine the outcome of the litigation.

Discovery: The Essence in Civil Litigation

In civil litigation, discovery is the process whereby a party to an action is obliged to disclose to the other party the existence of all documents which are or have been in his possession, custody, or power which are material to the issues in the action.

In law, ‘Documents’ is not restricted to paper writings, but extends to anything upon which evidence or information is recorded. Thus, tape recordings (whether audio or video) and computer disks are disclosable. Documents to be disclosed are those which relate to the matters in question in action. However, the scope of discovery is thus very wide.

A case law, Companies Financiere v Peravian Guano Co. (1882) 11 QBD 55, established that documents to be disclosed are those that relate to the subject matter and further went to include those that can indirectly enhance the party (requiring discovery) either to advance his case or to damage that of his opponent.

Hence, in the case of alleged medical negligence, medical records and any other medical information that tend to help the plaintiff requiring discovery to either advance his case or damage the case of the defendant (ie. the hospital) is important to that plaintiff.  Hence, the plaintiff can apply to the court for notice to produce to enable the hospital to disclose those medical-related documents.  Also, these medical-related records are important to the defendant-the hospital. In Ghana for instance, any party may apply at the stage of application of directions for such discovery as is necessary and the court may order the respondent to serve a list of documents in his or her custody or possession on the applicant. The court may order discovery even after the application for direction stage if reasonable cause is shown. Under Order 21 r 6 of the Ghanaian High Court Civil Procedure Rules (CI 47), the court will only order discovery when satisfy that the discovery is necessary to dispose fairly of the cause or matter and will save costs.

Disclosure, not Sacrosant

However, disclosure of these documents is not sacrosanct. This is because some documents are privileged from production and inspection.  For instance, documents protected by legal professional privilege; documents tending to incriminate the person making the disclosure, and documents privileged on the grounds of public policy. For instance, in the Gambia, Section 127(1) (d) of the 1997 Constitution excludes documents from discovery on the grounds of prejudice to National Security.

However, when the court gives such an order for discovery and a party fails to comply with an order for the discovery of documents or to produce any document or record for purposes of inspection or fails to comply with the rules, the court may make such orders as it thinks just, including the following: the action may be dismissed, the defence may be struck out and judgment entered accordingly, where the document is favourable to the defaulting party’s case, the party may not use the document at the trial, except with the leave of court or where the document is not favourable to the party’s case, the party may be committed for contempt.

Disclosure:  Right to obtain

The court may order any party to the suit to make a discovery on oath of the documents, which are or have been in his possession or power, relating to any matter in question in the suit per the rules of the court.  The party is also permitted to inspect these medical documents.

In the notice to produce, in the Gambia for instance, there is no time stated to produce. However, case law, Dwyer v Collins (1852) Exch 639, explained that a reasonable time should be given. In this case, the Accra High Court orders the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) and the 37 Military Hospital to release the documents within 10 days.

The Plaintiff’s Case for Disclosure

In this case, the plaintiff sought; “an order directed at the 2nd Defendant (CDS) to furnish plaintiff with the final Report of the Board of Inquiry held in respect of the death of Solomon Asare-Kumah and allegations of extortion against the 4th Defendant.”

Secondly, “an order directed at the 3rd Defendant to furnish Plaintiff with the full and complete medical record of Solomon Asare-Kumah (deceased)”.

 The Defendants relied on Privileged

But responding to the application in an affidavit to the request deposed to by Justice Oteng, a Legal Officer at the Department of Legal Services, Ghana Armed Forces, General Headquarters, on the authority of the 1st to 3rd Defendants/Respondents opposed to the request and said the report is exclusively for internal use.

“..The 2nd Respondent is vehemently opposed to the request by the Applicant for the Report/Record of the Board of inquiry,” the affidavit in opposition stated.

It contends that “the Report of the Board of Inquiry is a restricted document meant for the exclusive internal use of the Ghana Armed Forces.”

The defense further contended that the said report is exclusively for internal use. It further stated that “the Report of the Board of Inquiry conducted under the auspices of the Ghana Armed Forces is privileged and same cannot be disclosed to the Public even in legal proceedings.

“That per with the Armed Forces Regulations [Administration] Volume 1 (AFR Vol. 1) (C.I 12), applications for the release of record or report of a Board of an Inquiry requires the express instructions of the 2nd Defendant herein.

“That pursuant to the AFR. Vol 1, the 2nd Defendant stated that the Report of the Board of Inquiry as requested by the Applicant is confidential and same cannot be released.

It further contended that “that the discovery of the Report of the Board of Inquiry as prayed is not necessary for a fair and effectual disposal of the instant action and will rather prejudice the trial.”

It stated further that, “the Applicant has not shown any reasonable cause for the discovery of the report of the Board of Inquiry,” and “that the 3rd Respondent is however not opposed to Plaintiff/Applicant’s request for the disclosure of the medical records of the deceased in its custody.”

The Judge thinks the Patient’s Fundamental Human Right is Paramount

For a comprehensive analysis, we will at this point reproduce excerpts of the ruling of the discovery application which forms the crux of this article.

Justice Charles Ekow Baiden in his ruling stated as follows:

“I take judicial notice and it is so proven that on or around January 2023 a summary report of the Board of Inquiry into the alleged missing baby at the 3rd Defendant/Respondent hospital maternity unit, which the Board of Inquiry was convened by the 3rd Defendant/Respondent was disclosed to an aggrieved couple in that matter. In so doing, I am minded that judicial notice can be taken of facts that are so capable of accurate and ready determination by resorting to sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned, as provided for pursuant to Section 9(1) of NRCD 323. According to Brobbey JSC., (as he then was), the learned author of ESSENTIALS OF THE GHANA LAW OF EVIDENCE, “I…J judicial notice is not just a form of evidence. It is a form of proof.” (Emphasis added).

After lengthy experiments with military regimes, we the people of Ghana began a new path towards constitutional supremacy in 1992.

The 1992 Constitution we adopted for ourselves embodied principles of accountability and the protection and preservation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

To achieve these solemn goals, the 1992 Constitution vested final judicial power in the Judiciary. Article 125(3) of the 1992
Constitution provides that: “The judicial power of Ghana shall be vested in the Judiciary, accordingly, neither the President nor Parliament nor any organ or agency of the President or Parliament shall have or be given final judicial power.” (Emphasis added).

In furtherance of this, Article 140(1) of the 1992 Constitution vested the High Court with jurisdiction in all matters and in particular, in civil and criminal matters and such
original, appellate, and other jurisdiction as conferred by the Constitution or any other law. The combined effect of Articles 33(1) and 140(2) of the 1992 Constitution is that
this Court has the responsibility to protect and preserve the natural and inalienable rights fundamental to the well-being of all persons.

Article 12(1) of the 1992 Constitution provides that: ”The fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in this Chapter shall be respected and upheld by the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary and all other organs of government and its agencies and, where applicable by all natural and legal persons in Ghana, and shall be enforceable by the Courts as provided for in this Constitution.” (Emphasis added).

He further reasoned that the principles of accountability enshrined in the Preamble, Articles 23 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution frowns upon the unbridled exercise of such wide discretionary power contained in Article 21.17.1 of AFR (Volume 1) C.I 12 which purports to oust the jurisdiction of the court.

Even if, the 1st to 3rd Defendants/Respondents have the discretion to not disclose a Board of Inquiry Report to the Plaintiff/ Applicant, such discretion must be exercised fairly, reasonably, and not arbitrarily or in a biased manner.

He also referred to Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution that which abhors discrimination against persons such as the Plaintiff/Applicant herein. Article 17(3) provides that: “For the purposes of this article, “discriminate” means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, gender, occupation, religion or creed, whereby persons of one description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another description are not made subject or are granted privileges or disadvantages which are not granted to persons of another description.”

It has not been demonstrated to this Court that there is reasonable justification for treating the Plaintiff/Applicant differently from the manner the couple in Exhibit “D’ and “E” has been treated.

I find that the Plaintiff/Applicant alleges negligence in tort, breach of contract, misrepresentation, and undue influence.

The Defendants/Respondents have denied the existence of a contract. If so, the Defendants/Respondents must be made to subiect this dispute to the ordinary rules of negligence in tort, contract, and the remedies available to a party who alleges violation.

In so far as the Defendants/Respondents engage in commercial transactions, they must necessarily abide by the rules of engagement including good faith obligations and the duty of care, among others.

The 1st to 3rd Defendants/Respondents ought not to be allowed to seek refuge elsewhere.

For all the above reasons, “I am of the firm view that the Plaintiff/Applicant has shown reasonable cause for this Court to grant the order prayed for as the report relating to the death of the Deceased is necessary to fairly dispose of the matter, pursuant to the overriding objective of Order 1 rule 2 of C.I. 47.

The report or record of proceedings of the Board of Inquiry relating to the admission, treatment and death of the Deceased, howsoever described by the Is to 3rd Defendant/Respondents, together with the medical records of the Deceased shall be furnished to the Plaintiff/Applicant within ten (10) days hereof”.

With the subject matter, the family contends that “the hospital and its employees fail to exercise due care when they wrongly inserted Solomon’s breathing tube under his skin thereby denying oxygen for a considerable amount of time and as such causing stain on his heart and other organs and thus causing his death.”

Previous Rulings on Patient Medical Records as Human Rights

In Elizabeth Vaah v Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre, HRCM 69/10 [2010], a client who was under the care of the defendant hospital sued the hospital, relying on the right to information guaranteed under Article 21(1)(f) of 1992 Constitution of Ghana (the Constitution), when she sought to recover her medical record to clarify the cause of death of her stillborn baby. The applicant’s case is that her fundamental human rights have been violated by the respondent when the latter refused to release her medical records to her.

The respondent argued that it was justified in refusing the applicant’s request for medical records because by speaking to the press about the circumstances in which she gave birth at the respondent’s hospital, she had evinced an intention to abuse the records. It was held that the plaintiff was entitled to a copy of her medical record from Lister Hospital. The legal principle found, in this case, is that a medical facility cannot violate or prevent a patient from accessing their records.

Finally, in Jehu Appiah v Nyaho Healthcare Limited [2021], where the plaintiff accused the facility of allegedly damaging her fallopian tube, which nearly led to her death. According to the case, the plaintiff, upon conception utilized antenatal care services at the respondent hospital. But at a point, she claimed she had to undergo life-saving surgery at a different health facility due to the “actions and inactions” of the Nyaho hospital. After the life-saving surgery, she made a formal complaint to Nyaho Healthcare Limited, after which she was promised investigations into the matter and the results communicated to her. The plaintiff noted that all efforts to compel the respondent hospital to release her medical documents (including scans, tests, diagnosis, and treatment) proved futile. The court held that the complete medical records be released to the patient.

Conclusion

A party alleging medical negligence has the right to obtain disclosure from the defendant’s hospital.  Though, some documents are privileged from disclosure on public policy grounds. It is also prudent to know that the fundamental purpose of disclosure is to further the overriding objective by ensuring parties to litigation are on an equal footing. The court will exercise its discretion in favour of the plaintiff if the disclosure aids the court in dispensing justice and a fair trial.

Also, the meaning of ‘documents’ is not restricted to paper or writing but extends to any form of record-keeping. This includes computer databases, microfilms used to keep records, video and audio tapes, and discs. Hence, in today’s medical care industry, where hospitals have adopted electronic record systems, discovery extends to them.

Thus, in clinical negligence claims, the most important category of the document to be disclosed is likely to be the claimant’s medical records. They will provide the most contemporaneous record of the treatment given to a patient and will, in almost all cases, be the basis of expert opinion that will determine the outcome of the litigation. Early and objective scrutiny of medical records can save a lot of time and expense and is necessary to assess the merits, strengths, and weaknesses of any proposed claim from the outset. For the defendant, case laws proved that patients have rights to the medical records, and it is also your source of defense in medical negligence civil litigation.                             

Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu is a (BL) candidate at the Gambia Law School, Banjul, The Gambia, and Daniel Sackey is a Part Two student of the Ghana School of Law, Accra, Ghana. E-mail: [email protected].  The authors have an interest in medico-legal issues and patient rights. The legal article is for academic awareness only.  

Over 3rd-term bid: MC Cham Jr urges Barrow to focus on developing the country

Amara Thoronka
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Over 3rd-term bid: MC Cham Jr urges Barrow to focus on developing the country

By: Dawda Baldeh

Momodou MC Cham Jr, former opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) campaign manager, has called on President Adama Barrow to put aside politics and focus on developing the country in his second term rather than announcing a bid for the 2026 presidential election.

Last week, President Barrow announced that he will contest the 2026 presidential election during a meeting with locals in the Sami Constituency.

For MC Cham Jr, the recent announcement by President Barrow will further drag the country to a continuous campaign by political actors.

“Now that the President has announced that he will contest the next election is like there will be a continuous campaign for the next three years. Barrow should focus on developing the country by addressing the challenges of the people rather than announcing a third term bid,” MC Cham Jr said.

The young politician added that President Barrow should now prioritize uplifting people from abject poverty and make the country a promised land for its citizens.

“If he delivers well people will vote him for another term but that is not happening. Barrow’s announcement means he will continue campaigning for the next three years. There is nowhere in the world where people announce they will contest elections three years before,” Cham claimed.

According to MC Cham Jr, Barrow won the 2021 presidential election because of “inundating people’s mindset with tribal politics against UDP.”

“Nothing more or less. he should now focus on creating a legacy for himself so that he will be remembered for that,” Cham added.

He said no matter how people hate former president Yahya Jammeh they can still point out some of the developments he brought to the Gambian people.

He said many development projects which the incumbent is taking credit for can be attributed to ex-president Yahya Jammeh, noting that Barrow should also initiate developments that his successor will continue with.

The former GDC campaign manager claimed that there is lot of internal conflict in President Barrow’s NPP.

MC Cham attributed the recent conflict in the NPP to the announcement of Barrow at a meeting he had with elders at the State House where he revealed he will soon leave the presidency.

Mr Cham said the President has however made what he referred to as a U-turn after announcing his bid for the 2026 presidential election.

“This should not surprise anyone. Now, there are lots of internal fighting in the NPP. The party has different camps now.

Fafa Ceesay, who is part of the founding members of the party, left the party after a conflict with the National Women Mobilizer, Ajaratou Maimuna Baldeh.

If you look at the conflict audios between Demba Sabally and Maimuna Ceesay Darboe, it is another internal fight. This is why he made the U-turn to announce that he will contest the next presidential election so that the party will be steady,” Cham claimed.

Champions League-bound Newcastle sign precocious Gambian talent

Hadram Hydara
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Champions League-bound Newcastle sign precocious Gambian talent

By: Hadram Hydara

English Premier League side Newcastle United have signed precocious 18-year-old Gambian forward Yankuba Minteh from Danish side Odense Boldklub for €7 million (D447,020,000), subject to approval.

The Bakoteh-born speedy winger will become an official Magpie on 1st July and then he will immediately be shipped out on loan to Dutch Champions and Champions League-bound Feyenoord on a season-long loan.

Minteh, whose parents originated from Keneba in the Lower River Region of The Gambia, has already made 17 senior appearances for OB in the Danish Superliga, scoring four goals and registering six assists.

Speaking on the highly coveted prospect, Newcastle sporting director, Dan Ashworth said: “We are very pleased to be bringing a player with Yankuba’s high potential to Newcastle United.

“He has done extremely well in his first full season in Denmark, and he has a promising career ahead of him. We look forward to working with him in this exciting phase of his development, and we’re excited to see how he performs at Feyenoord, a club that also has a strong development record of its own.

“As well as supporting the first team with players for the here and now, we have a clear philosophy to invest in emerging talent and we want to provide a player pathway that will help to build and sustain long-term success.”

Fans on social media could not contain their excitement over the Gambian’s signing.

@Mobinta10, a Gambian fan, tweeted: “From now on Newcastle for life”.

@TobyCoxonSports tweeted: “Never seen the lad kick a ball but seems like an exciting signing.

Good numbers and only 18. Going to the Eredivisie champions on loan at his age is also very exciting”.

“He sounds mint,” @hayrr tweeted while @Jayb190NUFC believes Minteh’s signing signals the brightness of Newcastle’s future, tweeting: “And so it begins! The future is bright…”

Minteh is set to feature for Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League next season.

The Bonds That Bind

Hadram Hydara
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The Bonds That Bind

REFLECTION

By Cherno Baba Jallow

Ousman “Ous” Kamara and I aren’t blood relatives, but the bonds between us, pardon the cliche, are as old as the hills. They have endured.

Ous Kamara (he is the only one in his family who spells his last name with a K), and I were once roommates in the US city of Detroit and then close neighbours in nearby Southfield, both in the state of Michigan. Our neighbourhoods were a walking distance from each other. But since we are talking about Michigan, where folks just love to drive for any distance, Ous and I often drove to each other’s homes, crossing the Telegraph Road off West 12 Mile.

We would link up during the weekends. We would watch sports, grill some lamb, snack up on fruits and peanuts, and turn ourselves into castaways of the maudlin past. We would go on long recollections about our upbringing, the soccer games in our childhood neighbourhood, the good, old stories, the episodes and personalities that have left lasting impressions on us.

Ous and I grew up in the same neighbourhood in Basse. We are the grandsons of the Jallows and the Camaras, two families that have lived next-door to each other for several decades —- a century isn’t far off.

How and when the two families came to live in close proximity with each other is still something for me to look into —- I haven’t asked about or researched, it yet. All I know is that the two families came from two different shores: mine, (maternal side), came from Dalein, several miles outside of Labe in north-central Guinea. And Ous’s came from Wuli Bantun-N’ding in the northeastern part of The Gambia.

They all resettled in Basse. Both of my maternal grannies arrived in the late 1920s. Probably they found the Camaras already there. Or probably their would-be neighbours were the ones who came sometime later, joining them in residency, in the present-day location once known for its thick bushes, and hyenas often heard howling their way from the nearby riverbanks to the hills of the contiguous areas of Sare Koba and Manneh Kunda.

These Jallow and Camara families are the perfect examples of close-knit neighbours — neighbours, who are each other’s support unit, who love and care for each other, who represent the best of neighbourly outreach and shared humanity.

Our grandmothers Adama Oury Diallo and Koday Camara were the best of chums. Granny, born in the exclusively Pulaar-speaking part of Guinea, spoke no Mandinka, the dialect of the Camara household. But Ma Koday spoke fluent Pulaar. They visited each other, had long chats, exchanged pleasantries and laughed out loud, the bonhomie of two elderly women partaking off some leisurely time together in rural Africa.

Both women loved to cook lots of food. Granny would cook “To-rie” and “Fut-ti,” two popular dishes in her rural part of Guinea. And she would ask me to carry some next-door to her friend. When Granny fell sick with the flu, Ma Koday would prepare her some soup, usually some fish sautéed in spices, lemon juice and thin tomato sauce. Sometimes she would bring it to Granny, walking over through the gate that separated the two homes. Other times she would send Ous or the other grandkids — Balaba or Wassa or Ba Juldeh.

During family crisis, the two friends were each other’s consoler-in-chief. Almost any distress could send Granny into an emotional tailspin. She was wont to be comprehensively anguished over family deaths in her native Guinea. She would wail intermittently throughout the day. Ma Koday would be by her side, consoling her and imploring her to let it go, to reconcile herself to the inevitability of death and to the vicissitudes of life.

Ma Koday and Ma Oury (how the Camaras called Granny) were like the head-representatives of the two families. Their warmth for each other was emblematic of the harmonious co-existence between the two families. From the grannies down on, we all interacted on a daily basis, attended each other’s functions and ran into each other doing errands on the opposite ends of the family homes.

It’s remarkable how these two families, hailed from two different cultures and origins, could get along so well. But then again this is Upper River, eastern Gambia, the land of the Ko’nyaji, the Fulbe, the Mandinka and the Serehule, the land where diversity is a cherished way of life.

As I occasionally traipse around the halcyon days of my upbringing, I am constantly reminded of a childhood steeped in fun and fanfare, enriched by an unshrinking love from my family and from the one next-door: the Camaras. Having good neighbours like them takes pure luck. Or an act of providence. G. K. Chesterton, the English writer and philosopher, told us: “We make our friends, we make our enemies, but God makes our next-door neighbour.”

Fire guts Brikama Market, woman loses 300k in goods

Hadram Hydara
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By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Fifty-year-old breadwinner Mariama Bojang has lost properties worth over D300k in the Sunday morning blaze which swept through the Brikama market around 3 a.m., destroying almost ten shops and unquantifiable valuables.

In the early hours of Sunday at around 3 a.m., smoke began engulfing a canteen opposite the Gambia Revenue Authority office before turning into a full-blown fire outbreak, damaging properties in almost ten canteens.

Among the canteens/shops that the blaze ravaged, is a canteen owned by Mariama Bojang, a fifty-year-old woman who does stationery business as well as printing and photocopying with machines.

The devastated businesswoman narrated to The Fatu Network that she was informed about the fire incident around 3 a.m. by her husband before rushing to the ground.

“When I arrived, I found the shop in the fire. No chance for me to get in to rescue my machines from the fire,” the distressed woman explained.

“I have properties worth over three hundred thousand. My life has gone back to square one. I have nothing else, and I am basically taking care of my family with this business because my husband is old,” she narrated.

She explained that she uses whatever she earned from the canteen to take care of her family and relatives. With Tobaski almost around, the downhearted Mariama said difficult times await her.

Musa Drammeh is a middle age young man who has a tailoring shop. According to Musa, he arrived at the ground shortly before the smoke turned out into a fire outbreak.

With five tailoring machines and piles of sewed clothes, Musa damaged his canteen door when the fire and rescue service failed to douse the fire in their first attempt.

“I have clothes for my customers and pieces that I can pay for. When the fire and rescue services came with small water, I knew it was going to be devastating. So, I broke my door and took out my machines and some clothes before the fire reached my canteen,” he narrated.

However, despite his efforts to take out some of his material, the fire reached his canteen and burned it beyond recognition.

About nine canteens, including five tailoring shops, were all burned into ashes. All the tailors are busy sewing Tobaski clothes for customers. Ousman Janneh, who could only recognize his burnt seat in his tailoring shop, said only the Almighty knows what will happen to him after today.

Speaking to The Fatu Network, Ousman Bojang, the Governor of West Coast, who visited the venue to see firsthand what happened, said that it is sad that such a thing happened to shop owners.

He remarked that he will wait for the report from the Brikama Fire and Rescue Services and the Brikama Area Council Market Committee to establish the cause of the fire outbreak before taking any steps.
He called on the shop and canteen owners to be wary of electricity cables and their potential damage in fire incidents.

Most of the shops that were affected are makeshift canteens, which made it difficult to prevent the fire from reaching other canteens.

These canteens are around the Brikama Area Council office.
The Fatu Network could not reach out to The Brikama Area Council chairman Yankuba Darboe who is not in town.

Prof. Nyarkotey – Book Review: ‘Her Virginity’; thinking she was loved by the best!  

Hadram Hydara
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She believed she had found the perfect man, the one she had always dreamed of. She loved him passionately and was completely infatuated with him. Her heart raced uncontrollably during their courtship, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit crazy when he wasn’t around. He consumed her thoughts, grounding her and making her feel alive. She lived in the moment whenever he was near, and she couldn’t deny the power he had over her.

But sadly, her fairy tale took an unexpected turn. Instead of living happily ever after, she found herself trapped with a monstrous being. It seemed like the story should have ended there, but fate had a different plan. Wherever she sought solace, she faced unimaginable horrors—men who would violate her, taking away her dignity and innocence.

It’s a devastating reality that she never anticipated. The dreams of a blissful future shattered, leaving her with scars that run deep. She thought she had chosen a companion who would protect and cherish her, but instead, she was left to face unimaginable torment.

But I think that God has a purpose for her to share her experiences to save so many Gambian ladies.  Sometimes, our bad experiences are orchestrated by God to accomplish his mission.

Indeed, Kenny Rogers could be right when he said: If you want to find love, go looking at home.  If you wanna find gold, go looking in the mountains. If you want to find silver, go digging in stones and if you wanna find heaven, go reading the Bible.

With my reading culture, I first heard about this book; ‘Her virginity’ through the Gambian newspapers. I was eager to get a copy to digest the motives behind it as someone interested in the affairs of the Gambia. Finally, a colleague gave me a copy.  Scanning through the book, one thing that caught my attention was how as humans, we turn to be blindfolded and marry people we presumed that they were good people by their show of affection, love, and kindness.

In the case of women, they are most moved when men show them love, and affection, showers them with gifts in the course of the courtship, and forget to pay much attention to studying the true character of the man before accepting to marry them.

The fact that a man showers you with so many gifts, and care does not mean such a man is a good material or a good man by all standards to marry him.  Besides, men also know the tricks of women and we turn to play along to get what we want.

But every man is like a politician, we campaign well to get the women we want, and after we win the election, no more campaign. It only takes a God-fearing man to still treat a woman right after the election to buy her a rose, call her from work, open the door for her, and know they are both on a journey together.

So sometimes, because we want women badly, we turn to show them all the fake attributes we do not possess. So, if you are not smart enough as a woman, you end up with such men in marriage and that is where the true character of the man manifests. This was the case of Fatou Camara, she had thought she married a good man, but the man was more than the devil himself.

I also learned that in life, when you pray to God to give you a good man or woman to marry, also pray to enter into a good family.

This is because it is not enough to marry only a good man or woman. In our part of the world, we cement the extended family system, and you cannot do away with them. Hence, the idea of marrying only the man or woman and not the family is untrue. The family of the man and woman can either make or break your married. This was the advice I picked from the book I once read: The Mafia Manager. The author said that; every family has one enemy, and we must do everything possible to make peace with them.

Fatuo Camara ended up in a family where the man adores the mother more than the wife. The husband’s family is a lion’s den, and she didn’t know until she entered. Sometimes, during the courtship, we turn to overlook so many things in the name of love forgetting that love is not enough in married. We finally became like the boiled frog in a pot of boiling water.

The family you marry into plays a key role in the success of the marriage and we must be sensitive about this.  Had the family of the man been sensitive to the plights of Fatou Camara, they would have solved their issue amicably.  The unfortunate thing is that they had no interest in the affairs of Fatou Camara and that even worsened the situation and led to the collapse of the married.

Some families too can pretend during the courtship as if they were angels until you enter before you know they are more than the devil itself. So, this thing called marriage needs God’s guidance and spiritual revelation.

The true test of a character is when the relationship is in crisis; how you both manage it determines the strength of the relationship.  You will know whether to continue with the marriage or not when the relationship hits a strong wind. The true character of both parties will surely manifest during this period of crisis.

I believe that any relationship before marriage that has not suffered any misunderstanding is a recipe for disaster. Also, any relationship that is too fine and appears both couples are angels is a recipe for disaster.  You can’t say we don’t fight in the course of our relationship; how is that possible as a human institution?

And then in the case of the Gambia, the challenge is the pressure to marry as a virgin, but society forgets that the virginity of a woman can be broken in diverse ways and not necessarily through sexual intercourse.

I think this issue has to be re-echoed and awareness created in this area. The public needs awareness so that women who broke their virginity without sexual intercourse with a man should not be subjected to the torture that Fatou Camara went through in her marriage. Even those who lost it do not deserve such inhume treatment. Nobody is without fault.

In her case, her virginity was broken when her sister accidentally pushed her to the floor. I also believe that when a lady in the Gambia breaks her virginity, due to the sensitive aspect of the situation, the lady should open up to tell the family.

Also, the lady should open up and tell the man about the situation at hand before marrying the man. The fact that you marry as a virgin is also not a catalyst for a successful marriage. However, it is chaste to marry as a virgin, especially for women. Though, Fatou Camara had a different view and believe that men should also marry as virgins.

Fatou Camara should know that we are men, and we make proposals to buy and not the other way. So once, we have our monies; we decide what to buy.  Even the devil wants the saint to destroy. So, the standard for women is high and cannot be compared to men- that fact should be established. We are working hard to look for good women to marry; the onus is also on the women to know that they live a chaste life for a man to spend his money on. This is just by the way.

My concern is that the notion that the hymen is what differentiates between being a virgin and not a virgin is archaic. The question is does “losing your virginity” the same as “losing” your hymen? And how do you lose your virginity anyway? I think Fatou Camara’s next assignment as an advocate is to write another book to explain to the Gambian community how women can lose their virginity apart from sexual intercourse. There is a lot of misinformation and many myths about the hymen.

Many people wrongly believe that the vaginal corona is a thick membrane that entirely covers the vaginal opening and ruptures the first time a person has intercourse or any kind of insertive vaginal sex. One myth goes like this: If a bride doesn’t bleed from a ruptured hymen on her wedding night, this means that she has had sex and isn’t a “virgin.” This is not true. And this ignorance was seen in her book as the family of the man was waiting patiently at her door to examine their bed after their marriage and they felt disappointed when no blood was seen on the white bed sheet.  This led to the man calling her so many names. Friends, families, and many others called her names as well; they assumed she was a prostitute.

Most women don’t know what the hymens look or looked like, how varied their appearance and dimensions are, and how little they comply with their cultural myths. Because of our lack of knowledge, we rely on stories that suggest hymen and virginity are some of the most important things about women.

In male-controlled societies, hymens have huge cultural significance and I noticed this from her husband’s attitude. He feels betrayed and lied to by his wife, but he should have known better. Sometimes those you assumed are educated are rather the problem because of wrong socialization.

They were told that a hymen that is intact until marriage, and bleeds on the wedding night, is thought to demonstrate the woman’s sexual and moral “purity.”  But in reality, many women don’t bleed during first intercourse, either because their hymen has already been stretched or torn through other activities, or because it was very thin or flexible, to begin with.

Learning about our hymens, and our bodies in general, can help us to feel more comfortable and in control in sexual situations. Unlearning the misinformation that we’ve been taught can help us better protect ourselves from STIs, as well as increase our sexual pleasure. Though Fatou Camara’s hymen was broken; she was ready to give her man some wild sexual experience and the husband was very myopic.

Ah! This man paa. Yes, as a noblewoman. Besides, nobody marries the enemy. Well, some men can also marry you just to punish and end your dreams. She wanted to do anything.

for him thinking she was loved by the best. Why should she settle for less? Why bother about the rest?

She packed her wardrobes with some wild see-through lingerie.  But the husband made her sexual experience also complicated with frequent marital rape. She is just not fortunate.  But one thing I noticed was that as an obedient lady, during her honeymoon she was still cooking for the family. She displayed good cooking skills.

But don’t be surprised to see a virgin who knows more about sex than a non-virgin because people read and watch things in this modern age.  I end with this: No medical exam on earth can tell if a woman or girl is a virgin. That is the reality. Grab a copy of this important book to read. We are in this together and I stand by Fatou Camara.

The reviewer is a Professor, science and medical journalist, columnist, author, and BL Candidate at the Gambia Law School, Banjul, Gambia. E-mail: [email protected].

Rural dwellers narrate COVID-19 vaccine success stories

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By: Dawda Baldeh


As the ongoing nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign continues, residents in rural communities and urban areas have narrated their success stories after taking the vaccine.

Mama Sawo and Fatoumata Dampha, residents of Badibou Minteh Kunda, Jabang Tamba, a resident of Kalagi village, and Kebba Bojang, a resident of Jambur village respectively, said their health has improved after taking the vaccinations.

“I took the vaccine twice and all I see is improvement in my health conditions. Before, I kept having health issues such as constant headaches, fever, stomach aches, common cold, and general body pain, but all that stopped after I took the vaccine.

“Now the vaccine has saved me from visiting the hospital frequently and spending money every time.

“All my two children have also taken the vaccine and the other one is an asthmatic patient but after taking the vaccine she never experienced any issues,” Mama Sawo told The Fatu Network.

Fatoumata Dampha, also a Badibou Minteh Kunda resident, confirmed health improvement after taking the jab.

She mentioned that she was having misconceptions about the effectiveness of the vaccine but for her, it came as a surprise after accepting the injection.

“I was very sceptical about the vaccine but after taking it, all I see was a success because now I don’t go to the hospital like before,” she testified.

As the nationwide vaccination campaign to vaccinate at least 70% of the nation’s population continues, the vaccinators visited Kalagi village where Jabang Tamba, a village resident, also narrated how the vaccination helped improve his health condition.

Mr. Tamba, who is part of the Kalagi School Management Committee, said it is important for people to be vaccinated, adding that the country is known for accepting vaccines.

“When the vaccination started in the country the rumours and misinformation were very high, preventing most of the people from taking the vaccine.

After taking my first doze it came as a surprise because all the health complications I was having such as body pain, chest pain, headaches, and fatigue disappeared and this is why I’m convinced that the vaccines are safe and effective,” he narrated.

According to him, he is now healthy as he described the vaccination as lifesaving. For him, the vaccine can cure a lot of other diseases apart from the virus.

“Vaccination is not something new in the Gambia because a lot of other diseases were here such as chickenpox, polio but now they disappeared because of the vaccine people are taking,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kebba Bojang a resident of Jambur village in Kombo south, also outlined the benefits he gained after accepting the vaccine.

He called on the people who are yet to take the vaccine for any reason to rush and get vaccinated, saying prevention is better than cure.

These rural dwellers have not seen any negative effects of the vaccines contrary to what is being spread around that anyone who takes the jabs will die or have health problems.

Regional Health Director: ‘48.8% of NBR East population is fully vaccinated’

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By: Dawda Baldeh


The Ministry of Health in partnership with the United Nations International Child Emergency Fund (UNICEF), is conducting nationwide coronavirus voluntary vaccination to ensure people are vaccinated to be protected against the virus.

Ebrima F. Colley, the Regional Health Promotion North Bank Region East, said the vaccination campaign has not been easy due to the misconceptions people have about the vaccines.

However, he said their continuous engagement and sensitization have yielded dividends.

“It was challenging to make sure that people who should get the vaccines accepted the vaccines. But from round 1-9 we have vaccinated 48.8% of the population in the North Bank East,” he explained.

According to Mr. Colley, they are faced with challenges where people claimed to have taken the vaccines which they are unable to verify sometimes.

“If you tell me that you have taken the vaccines, I will ask you to show your card but if I go further probably an elderly person might say that I think he is lying,” he added.

Mr. Colley commended the people of North Bank East for accepting and cooperating with the vaccinators in the region without any resistance.

He added that the ministry through their partnership with UNICEF is making everything possible to ensure people are fully immunized against the deadly virus.

He revealed that over fifty people have been deployed in the NBR East to help vaccinate people between the ages of 12 and above.

“We go house to house, schools, and public gatherings to sensitive people and get them vaccinated. Without vaccinations we cannot eradicate the coronavirus,” he noted.

Mr. Colley told journalists that round tenth has marked a significant improvement in their drive to get at least 70% of the population vaccinated.

“Nearly fifty thousand people plus out of one hundred and thirty-two thousand seven hundred and forty-eight (132,748) of the total population in North Bank East have taken the vaccines. Now we are very close to getting half of the population in NBR East vaccinated,” Colley revealed.

The Pfizer vaccine is administered for children between the ages of 12 and above according to health officials which is said to be effective and have fewer complications for children while other foxes like Johnson &. Johnson and Sinopharm are given to the elderly.

‘Deeply honoured’ Heroes Award Person of the Year salutes TFN

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‘Deeply honoured’ Heroes Award Person of the Year salutes TFN

By: Hadram Hydara

The Heroes Award Person of the Year 2023 winner, president of the ECOWAS Commission Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, has written to the Heroes Award Committee of The Fatu Network expressing delight and gratitude for being honoured with the top award while saluting The Fatu Network for creating a platform that recognises outstanding and inspiring Gambians across different fields.

“I am deeply honoured that the committee and voters have found me worthy of the award.

“I salute the other deserving nominees for their inspirational qualities and leadership in their field,” Mr Touray said.

Expressing acceptance of the award, Touray highlighted that the award is in recognition of not only his personal achievements but also his team at the ECOWAS Commission.

“I accept this award not only as a recognition of my modest personal achievements but also as a recognition of the work my colleagues and I are doing at the helm of the ECOWAS Commission.”

Mr. Touray backed the Person of the Year Award for being the first Gambian to have been elected as president of the ECOWAS Commission and for the good work he has been doing at the Commission since he took office.

On not showing up at the award ceremony, Touray said: “I regret that I could not attend the awards ceremony on Saturday 13th May 2023 to collect the award in person.

“I would, nonetheless, wish to congratulate The Fatu Network for creating such a platform to showcase and celebrate Gambians in leadership roles. I trust the initiative will inspire many young Gambians to excel in their various fields of work”.

SoNA speech: President Barrow vows to serve Gambia with realistic development plans

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SoNA speech: President Barrow vows to serve Gambia with realistic development plans

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The president of the Republic of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, has pledged to serve the Gambia with a clear vision, realistic development plans and goals in the best interest of the country, noting that his government will prioritize the issues of unemployment, food security, energy, youths, and trade.

The president made these remarks while delivering his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) speech at the National Assembly building in Banjul earlier today.

After delivering his government’s works and accomplishments of the past year, he renewed his willingness and commitment to serving the Gambian people with a clear vision and attainable programmes.

“I promise to serve this nation with a clear conscience, a clear vision and clear articulated and realistic development plans and programs. Let us work in harmony to implement them together in our best interest,” the president told the country’s lawmakers in the parliament.

Despite the country being faced with a variety of challenges from high cost of livings to the development prospects of the country, Barrow highlighted that his government did well with the implementation of an unplanned but pragmatic crisis alongside a determined and successful execution of impactful national initiatives. According to him, his government has successfully risen in registering remarkable achievements despite challenges.

“Grave as the situation may be, my government has successfully risen both national and international challenges to register remarkable achievements in various aspects of nation-building,” he asserted.

He further told the lawmakers that social services, employment, trade, and food security will be his government’s top priority to provide solutions to those challenges.

“Infrastructure development, social services, digitization, production, vulnerable groups (particularly women, the youth and the physically challenged), employment, trade, food security, and energy are among the many issues that my administration gives sustained attention and priority. All of them feature vividly in my address. Our focus will strategically be on the people in order to build on our achievements,” Barrow said.

Expelled GDC spokesperson Jallow reinstated after mediation

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Expelled GDC spokesperson Jallow reinstated after mediation

By: Dawda Baldeh


Former Gambia Democratic Party (GDC) National Spokesperson Hon. Abdoulie Jallow has had his expulsion rescinded by the party and given back all his previous responsibilities, following mediation spearheaded by the Council of Elders Committee. 

It could be recalled that on the 22nd of April this year, GDC expelled Jallow over what was described as a breach of party constitution and betrayal.

In a press release seen by The Fatu Network, the party said it has rescinded the decision and Jallow has returned to the party.

“I write to inform members of the party and the public that the Council of Elders Committee has mediated between the Central Executive Committee and Abdoulie Jallow for a dialogue over his sacking,” the party said in a statement yesterday.

The statement added that the intervention of the Council of Elders has resulted in the return of Abdoulie Jallow to the GDC, and he has assumed back all his previous responsibilities as the party National Spokesperson and Desk Office of North Bank Region.

“This we believe has paved the way to reconcile and forge ahead for the interest of the party.

“I, therefore, would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Council of Elders for their tireless efforts on this matter and call the party supporters to join us in welcoming him back,” the party statement added.

Jallow the GDC National Spokesperson and Desk Officer in the North Bank Region was accused of withdrawing his candidature in the Chairmanship election for Kerewan Area Council without consultation with the party’s local structure, central committee, and leadership.

The party then described the act as “utmost disrespect” to the party leadership and structures, saying Abdoulie’s actions were not in line with the aims and objectives of the party.

‘25 League Goals’: Gam veteran historian refutes recent historic goal-scoring record in the league

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By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Veteran Gambian football commentator, journalist and historian, Tijan Masanneh Ceesay, has revealed to The Fatu Network that the most goals scored by a player in a single season in the history of Gambian top-flight football are 25 goals scored by Abdul Boy Corr in the 1981 season, refuting the claim that current Brikama United top man Mustapha Drammeh has scored the most goals in a single season when he netted his 16th league goal for Brikama United this season.

Mustapha Drammeh and Modou Njie Sarr have been recorded to have scored the joint most goals (15) in a single season before this season when Mustapha Drammeh equalled the tally and scored one to make it sixteen league goals, the most reported to have been scored by a player in a league season.

However, veteran Gambian football journalist and commentator, Tijan Masanneh Ceesay, who had actively covered and followed Gambian football from 1975 to 1985 before leaving for the United States, told The Fatu Network that, former Gambia Ports Authority and Starlight striker, Abdul Boy Corr, has the most goals scored (25) in a single season for Starlight.

The veteran commentator added that Abdul Boy Corr scored 20 league goals in two consecutive seasons before the 25 league goals feat. He described Corr as the best striker in Gambian football from 1979 to 1983.

“Abdul Boy Corr was the best striker in Gambian football for four years from 1979 to 1983 when he retired. Now, let me be clear, he was not the most skilful but had a knack for shaking the net every game. In 1979, with Port, he scored 20 goals, in 1980 with Starlight 20 goals and in 81, a season he did not finish, he scored 25 league goals. He was tough and physical, had speed, and used it well in space. In the air, he was lethal. In summary, he was all you wanted in a striker,” he told The Fatu Network.

This revelation has left tongues wagging as to what is the exact record of the most goals scored by a player in a single season. For eight years, the record that many people know of is the 15 goals jointly recorded by Mustapha Drammeh and Modou Njie Sarr, until this season when Drammeh Drammeh netted his 16th league goal to have reportedly reached a milestone that has never been reached by any player.

The Fatu Network reached out to The Gambia Football Federation competition Director, Baboucarr Jobe to inquire if the federation has records of the 1978 to 1981 league seasons, but they said the federation’s competition department does not have such records. This has left many people in wonder as to who now has the most goals scored by a player in a league season in the history of the Gambia Football Federation top division league.

Currently, Mustapha Drammeh has scored 16 league goals for Brikama United with 4 games to play in the league.
Drammeh is a clinical finisher with an excellent knack for goals on both his left and right foot.

The Fatu Network is making efforts to reach out to Abdul Boy Corr, the claimed record holder of such a feat.

Gambia to receive 35 deportees as EU exodus continues

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Gambia to receive 35 deportees as EU exodus continues

By: Hadram Hydara

Another flight carrying thirty-five (35) Gambian deportees from EU countries is expected to land at the Banjul International Airport on June 20, making it the third deportation flight in a row to the Gambia in 2023, with six more to go as the EU plans to send 9 deportation flights to the Gambia this year alone, Germany-based Gambian migration and human rights activist Yahya Sonko tells The Fatu Network.

“The situation of Gambians in Germany and other EU countries is very frustrating. As I am speaking with you, many Gambians are picked from their work, arrested and detained, waiting for their deportation date, which is the 20th of June.

“Also, many Gambians currently, [are] leaving their addresses, running away and not sleeping in their houses just to escape from deportation.

“So, the Gambians in Italy, Germany and other EU countries are very frustrated with regards to the trend of deportation happening right now,” Mr Sonko said.

The last deportation flight sent to The Gambia was on May 24, and the latest from EU countries is set to arrive in Banjul on June 20, carrying thirty-five (35) Gambians.

“So, basically, this is the situation of Gambian migrants currently. We continue to call on the Gambia government to look into this matter [because] the EU is saying that they are relying on the so-called agreement they signed with the Gambia government; that is the good practice document they signed in 2018.

“All these EU states are entirely relying on that document to continue deporting Gambians in large numbers. If the deportation trend continues like this, Adama Barrow’s government will break the record [of receiving more Gambian deportees from EU states than the previous government].

The Germany-based Gambian migration activist said if the current trend of deportation of Gambians continues, and Gambia continues to receive fifty (50) deportees from the EU monthly, the Barrow government will end up receiving the highest number of deportees from the EU since the Second Republic.

“This is not good for our country, and politically it is not even good for President Barrow’s government. It is not good for our economy, [and] it is not good for our people, especially the parents who depend entirely on their sons and daughters living in Italy, Germany and other countries.”

Sonko further expressed sadness and disappointment over how Gambians are treated during the deportation process.

“Most of the deportees complained, and [continue to complain] even now. My last visit to the deportation prison was on Thursday, and Gambians who are currently detained there and those who are already deported and are in the Gambia currently have all complained about how the German police brutalised them during the process of deporting them.

“Most of them go home with injuries because of the way and manner the German police brutalised them during the process of arresting, detaining, and deporting them.

“We are calling on the Gambia Human Rights Commission to investigate this matter, call these victims (deportees) into its office and collaborate with them to investigate this human treatment of Gambians migrants in Europe”.

NBR Farmers Ass. President Dampha: ‘If the minister of agriculture wants to support the farmers, he should engage the farmer’s main association’

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By: Dawda Baldeh


Reacting to the reduction of the prices of fertilizer by the government, Sambou Dampha, the North Bank Region (NBR) Farmers Association has called on the minister of agriculture to engage the National Farmers Association when dealing with issues that are affecting farmers in the country, saying they know the challenges and issues facing farmers.

The National Farmers Association is the general body responsible for protecting, advocating, and promoting the welfare of farmers in the Gambia.

Speaking exclusively to The Fatu Network, Mr. Dampha accused the minister of agriculture of failing to engage the farmer’s national association to address the concerns of farmers.

“If the minister of agriculture wants to support the farmers, he should engage the farmer’s main association because they know the challenges faced by the farmers.

“But this has never happened. The agriculture minister is not engaging the association at all,” Mr Dampha said.

The NBR farmer’s association president said it will make no sense if the Ministry of Agriculture wants to support the farmers without engaging their main association.

For Dampha, engaging the National Farmers Association will pave the way to easily address the problems of farmers.

“If the ministry of agriculture should make sure the Farmers Association is represented when making decisions or plans to support the farmers.

“Sheriffo Bojang is the National Farmers Association president who should be engaged on anything that has to do with farmers welfare,” he suggested.

Reacting further to the recent fertilizer prices, Dampha added that in the Gambia the only people who need fertilizers are the poor farmers.

“The price is still expensive for the farmers. Imagine someone who cannot afford to pay D900 per bag and you are asking them to pay D1,150. Most of the farmers are poor and they depend on farming for survival,” he added.

Mr. Dampha said their wish is to have a bag of fertilizer at D700 where it was before so that many farmers will buy and get a bumper harvest.

He noted that without fertilizer farmers will not have bumper harvest.

The seasoned rural farmer emphasized that the agriculture ministry should not be responsible for sharing farming materials that are meant for the farmers, but they should be observers.

“The ministry of agriculture should not share the farming materials. They should hand over the materials to the National Farmers Association.

“If the ministry is responsible for sharing, they will make it nepotism and give the fertilizer to people who are not farmers. Those people will also share it with their families and friends and the farmers will not benefit,” he told The Fatu Network.

Mr. Dampha further mentioned that he has heard about tractors brought by the government last year for the farmers but as the farmers association President in the North Bank Region, he has not laid an eye on any tractor.

“The National Farmers Association is aware of the situation of farmers and what they need most but if they are not involved, noting will work well. The government and the Ministry of Agriculture should know that” he emphasized.

Farmers to spend D850 less on 50kg fertilizer bag this year

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Farmers to spend D850 less on 50kg fertilizer bag this year

By: Dawda Baldeh


Following announcement of government subsidies on the price of fertilizer this year, farmers across the country are expected to spend one thousand one hundred and fifty (D1,150) dalasis on a 50kg fertilizer bag, D850 less than in 2022.

In a press release from the National Food Security Processing & Marketing Corporation (NFSPMC), formally known as Gambia Groundnut Corporation (GGC), the delivery of thirty-five thousand metric tons (35, 000 MT) of fertilizer comprising 15,000 MT of Compound Fertilizer 15:15:15; 7,000 MT of Compound Fertilizer 6:20:10; 5,000 MT of Compound Fertilizer 10:20:10 and 8,000 MT of UREA.

“In consultation with the Government of The Gambia, National Food Security Processing & Marketing Corporation is pleased to inform the public, particularly the farming community that the sales price for the newly received fertilizer has been pegged at D1,150 per 50kg bag at the Corporation’s Depots,” the press release explained.

According to the statement, the price reduction is due to government subsidies on fertilizer.

“The Government of The Gambia will pay as subsidy, D1,384.00 for each bag of fertilizer purchased by farmers as its contribution towards making the fertilizer affordable,” the release added.

The press release on the fertilizer sale and distribution informed all stakeholders that are prudent management of the fertilizer sales, NFSPMC has partnered with Bloom Bank (Gambia) to collect the sales proceeds from the farmers through CPMSs and Agricultural Mixed Farming centres.

“Whilst wishing Gambian farmers a successful planting season, the management of National Food Security & Marketing Corporation assures its continued support to farmers to ensure better yields,” the press release ended.

MoH begins round 10 COVID-19 vaccination campaign

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MoH begins round 10 COVID-19 vaccination campaign

By: Dawda Baldeh


The Ministry of Health, in its drive to get about 70% of the country’s population fully vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus, has Tuesday, May 6, kickstarted the tenth (10th) round of its nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign.

Speaking to journalists ahead of the vaccination campaign, Michael Manga Mendy, the Acting Director of the Health Promotion and Education Directorate at the Ministry of Health, revealed that only 21.4% out of the targeted 70% of the population has so far been vaccinated against the virus since March of 2021.

“The vaccines are very good, and they are meant to protect the public from infection. People should get the vaccine so that they can be fully immunized,” he said.

Since March 2021, the Ministry of Health has conducted nine rounds of a nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach the target of 70% of the population. We want to make sure that people are protected from the COVID-19 virus,” he added.

The Acting Director of Health Promotion expressed optimism that round ten of the vaccination campaign will have a larger turnout, saying they will continue to engage people on the significance of taking the jabs.

He added that the coverage is still low and that the ministry will continue to be sensitive to the public about the importance of the vaccine.

“There is a lot of misinformation about the vaccines but what I can tell you is that they are safe, and they are protective.”

Round ten of the vaccination campaign is expected to last for four days, according to officials at the Ministry of Health.

Mr. Mendy further mentioned that rounds seven and eight witnessed a large vaccination turnout compared to other rounds when the misconceptions were high.

Mbye Njie, Deputy Program Manager of the Expanded Program on Immunization, also emphasized the importance of the vaccines and why people should take them even though the coronavirus regulations have been relaxed.

“Vaccines are to prevent and protect people from getting infections. The measures have been relaxed but the virus is still with us and is like any other disease, but we still need to be vaccinated,” he explained.

Mr. Njie added that health officials will be in health facilities while others will be moving from house to house to vaccinate people across the country.

He noted that they have mobilizers who will be canvassing people to go and get the vaccine.

“The vaccination teams will try everything possible to get closer to the people who need the vaccine.

They will be at health facilities, ‘bantabas’, crossing points, schools, and other public gathering places,” he added.

According to the Ministry of Health officials, they will be rolling out vaccines such as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Sinopharm respectively.

Mr. Njie emphasized that the vaccine’s durability last between 6-9 months and that people should take the jabs after it expires.

He also called on the people who are fully vaccinated to get the boosters so that they can be fully protected from the coronavirus.

Round ten of the vaccine campaign target people from 12 years old and above according to the ministry.

Famara Fofana: ‘I am confident and prepared for my new job’

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Famara Fofana: ‘I am confident and prepared for my new job’

By: Dawda Baldeh

Famara Fofana, a seasoned journalist and former Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) news editor, who has just been appointed Senior Corporate Affairs Manager at the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), has expressed self-assurance and excitement over his appointment, saying he is well-prepared for the job.

Mr. Fofana, who is a communications specialist, said he is excited about the new job and that he will work with colleagues to help in the advancement of the institution.

“I am very excited to join the team at SSHFC which is one of the leading parastatals in The Gambia. It’s a massive honour for me, to be honest,” he told The Fatu Network in an interview.

The former Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) news editor described the Senior Corporate Affairs Manager role as a very crucial one.

“It’s early days, but I am confident that with my background in communications and public relations and with the support of my new colleagues, we will collectively play our part towards the realisation of SSHFC’s strategic corporate goals.

“As a team player, I consider myself prepared for the role,” he said.

Famara Fofana has a Master of Arts in Media and Communications Studies from the Graduate School of Social Sciences, Ankara University, Turkey and he has occupied several top positions including Child Fund International The Gambia as a communications specialist among others.

Long visa process denies Adama Bojang, Mustapha Drammeh Scorpions call-up

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Long visa process denies Adama Bojang, Mustapha Drammeh Scorpions call-up

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Gambia under 20 striker Adama Bojang, and Mustapha Drammeh, the current top scorer in the domestic league, both narrowly missed out on the chance to be included as replacements in coach Tom Sainfeit’s June 14 AFCON qualifiers squad, which is set to face South Sudan, due to expected long visa process, following late withdrawal of strikers Yusupha Njie and Alie Sowe, Tom Sainfeit tells The Fatu Network.

Speaking to The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview after releasing his final list of players for the crucial game against South Sudan, Tom revealed that he had Adama Bojang and Mustapha Drammeh in mind after the late withdrawal of Yusupha Njie and Alie Sowe, but pointed out that it is not possible to call up the duo after the withdrawal of certain players because there is no visa to go to Egypt from The Gambia.

“I followed all the local-based players. We had Ali Sowe and Yusupha Njje, with other strikers. Now calling a local-based striker after the withdrawal of Ali Sowe and Yusupha is not possible. We don’t have a visa to come to Egypt and there is a concern. I have been following Mustapha,” he explained to The Fatu Network.

Mustapha Drammeh has been on terrific form for Brikama United this season. He has just equalled the record of scoring 15 league goals, the most scored by a player in a single season in the Gambia Football Federation Division One League.

Another striker that Coach Tom Sainfeit had in mind was Adama Bojang, the 19-year-old prolific goalscorer who has now established himself as a reliable striker and one of the most sought-after youngsters on the continent.

The youngster was someone the Belgian wanted to turn to after the late withdrawal of two senior strikers. However, according to Tom, he didn’t exactly know how far the Gambia would go into the U20 World Cup and that the withdrawal of Ali Sowe and Yusupha Njie came too late to invite the youngster who just returned from Argentina.

“We thought of inviting him (Bojang), but we didn’t know when the U20 will come back. If we had known they would have returned earlier, we would have arranged this,” he explained after the late withdrawal of Yusupha Njie and Ali Sowe from the team due to reported injury concerns.

Tom remarked that Adama Bojang would have been the best replacement for both Yusupha Njie and Alie Sowe in the team.

“But it is what it is. His chance will come. I have followed all their (U20) games. They have a quality team and hope they will all have a chance to play in Europe”, he said.

PLAYERS TO HAVE WITHDRAWN

Coach Tom Sainfiet didn’t hide his feelings and disappointments regarding the withdrawal of players. He said Yusupha Njie and his club medical team contacted them to tell them that he has been injured, and Ali Sowe informed them two weeks ago that he was going for surgery.

The withdrawal of Yusupha Njie and Alie Sowe left Tom Sainfeit with only two recognized strikers, Muhammed Badamosi and Assan Ceesay to rely on.

Tom defends club-less Buba Sanneh call-up for AFCON qualifiers

Hadram Hydara
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Tom defends club-less Buba Sanneh call-up for AFCON qualifiers

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Gambia national team head coach Tom Sainfeit has defended his decision of calling up Buba Sanneh (Timber), who is without a club, for June 14 AFCON qualifiers against South Sudan, saying he invites players and judge them based on their qualities and what they can deliver for the country regardless of being club-less.

The Belgian tactician came under criticism for inviting Buba Sanneh, who is not playing for any club, and Ibou Adams, who has been injured throughout the season, to be part of the Scorpion’s crucial game against South Sudan on June 14.

The Belgian justified that Buba Sanneh, though not playing active football, has had a good performance against Mali in the last two matches. He explained that the team needs players who deliver in circumstances.

“I don’t know if you saw his game against Mali. But Buba Sanneh played two superb games against Mali where he came and helped the team. So, we judge players on what they deliver for our team and Buba has been doing well for the national team.

“We have discussed this in the team. We need players who can deliver on circumstances,” Tom Sainfeit told The Fatu Network.

Buba Sanneh has been an integral member of Tom Sainfeit’s set-up ever since he became the head coach of the Scorpions. He confirmed to The Fatu Network that Sanneh’s invitation also has a connection to the style of play he wants his team to execute against opponents.

He further revealed that numerous players withdrew and there is no player with similar qualities and experience with those players than Buba Sanneh and Ibou Adams.

On the reason he invited midfielder Ibou Adams, who has not played for Cardiff’s first team throughout this season due to injury, Tom said the player has communicated to him that he is okay and can play for the Scorpions. He mentioned that he played several games for the Cardiff second team despite being out of game time for the first team.

“Ibou Adams played with the second team of Cardiff for several games. Weekly and daily, I have been in contact with this player to know exactly what he can do. Ibou Adams had been injured for the whole season, but he played in the last weeks for the second team, and he is cleared fit, so we are very happy that he will join the team,” he told TFN.

The Gambia will face South Sudan in a very crucial game to secure qualification for AFCON in the Ivory Coast. Tom Saintfeit, earlier this morning, released the 23-man squad set to face Sudan in Egypt.

James Gomez, a defender who played most games in the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, is back after missing the last two qualifiers against Mali. Tom now has James Gomez, Omar Colley, Buba Sanneh, Dawda Ngum, Muhammed Sanneh, Ibou TOURAY and Jacob Mendy as available defenders.

He Was The Best Uncle

Hadram Hydara
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0
He Was The Best Uncle

APPRECIATION

By: Cherno Baba Jallow

My uncle Alhaji Yaya Jallow, who died early Saturday morning in Old Yundum, after a long battle with hypertension, was everything that uncles are known for: supportive, caring, inspirational and amiable.

Uncles, it’s often said, are like junior fathers, and particularly in the absence of the paternal parent. But unlike fathers, who could be stern and authoritative, uncles tend to be genial and broad-minded. They have soft spots for their nieces and nephews. They give you avenues for self-expression, the kind you don’t usually get from your father.

Uncle Yaya was, by nature, mild-mannered. He was generally quiet and easy-going. He made me feel comfortable talking to him and expressing myself. He would say to me: ‘so what do you think?’ ‘Ok, it’s up to you.’

He was born in Basse Santa-su on February 9, 1949, two years after the nationalist leader Edward Francis Small won his first direct election to the colonial legislative council. He was the third and youngest child in a small family household. My late mum Mariama Jallow preceded him in birth. And Uncle Mamadou Naphew Jallow, a veterinarian by profession, was the firstborn. Just as in birth, the three siblings died in successive order. Uncle Naphew was the first to go, then Mummy and now Uncle Yaya. Of the three of them, he lived the longest. He was 74.

Uncle Yaya attended St. George’s Primary School in Basse Mansajang Kunda. He later attended Armitage High School in Georgetown, now called Jangjangbureh. When he left school, Uncle worked in government, beginning as a junior clerk. He was once stationed in Jenoi, Mansakonko, in the Lower River Region. He also worked as an auditor with the Internal Audit department and as an accountant in various ministries in Banjul. He became a principal accountant, his last stint in government before going on an early retirement. He also did occasional collaborative work with the African Development Bank.

Uncle Yaya was an embodiment of honesty and integrity in public service as well as in his daily dealings with the people. At both professional and personal levels, he demonstrated impeccable character, and you couldn’t help but be awed by a man with a deep sense of right and wrong, and with an unwavering commitment to his conscience and to ethical standards. High-minded public servants, like him, were an oceanic supply in The Gambia Civil Service in the days of old. They don’t mint them anymore in today’s Gambia.

After my parents, Uncle Yaya was the most instrumental in my formative years. He was the one who paid my way throughout high school. He allocated me a monthly allowance during my high school days in Banjul. He made sure I had everything I needed or wanted for school.

A voracious reader himself, Uncle Yaya helped firm up my reading appetites and curiosities during the years I stayed with him in Serekunda. He was a regular reader of the-long defunct Africa Now magazine, a London-based pioneering publication on African news and commentary and on Africa’s place in global affairs between the 1960s and 80s. When I joined him from Basse, I found piles of old copies of the magazine stashed inside the house. I burrowed through them all, introducing myself to the writings of the magazine’s legendary Nigerian editor Peter Enahoro and his colleagues, the Ghanaian Cameroun Doudou, the Kenyan Phillip Ochieng and the Tanzanian Abdourahman Babu, a former economic planning minister under Julius Nyerere. Those were seasoned writers and analysts on post-colonial Africa.

One of the domestic chores Uncle Yaya assigned me during my student days with him was to, once in a while, prepare for him a summary of the African news from the BBC’s flagship Focus on Africa program in the evenings. He would read through my summaries, or he would ask me to recall the news on that day’s events around Africa.

On one afternoon in 1995, agents of the then National Intelligence Agency (NIA) picked up several staffers of The Daily Observer. I was among them. The managing director, too. The BBC’s Focus on Africa announced something like this…. “almost the entire staff at the Gambian Daily Observer was today taken to the country’s national intelligence headquarters for questioning.’’ I knew Uncle Yaya would know about it because he religiously listened to the BBC. When I got home, he had been eagerly waiting for me. He sounded very worried. ‘’So, what happened?,’’ he asked. “Were you among those picked up?’’

Uncle Yaya was always worried for me, but he was understanding. He knew I wanted to be a reporter. When I told him in late 1994 that I was quitting my government job at the Agriculture Ministry for a reporting offer at The Observer, he didn’t raise any objections. He and his late childhood friend and namesake, Alhaji Yaya Jallow, the then Permanent Secretary at Agriculture and formerly deputy leader of the United Democratic Party, had helped me secure that job at the ministry. But I wasn’t happy there. The job wasn’t challenging enough.

As a regular reader of my writings, Uncle Yaya was an occasional critic. ‘’Cherno, you know, you like to use a lot of big words,’’ he would scold me, and he would occasionally consult a copy of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary in the house.

In December 2016, and during the height of the Gambian political impasse following the electoral defeat of the former dictator Yahya Jammeh, Uncle Yaya led the family to the Senegalese border town of Manda Diouane, west of Madina Gounass and a 30-minute bicycle ride to the Gambian border. I had been waiting for them, having arrived from Conakry, the capital of Guinea.

It was the first time in 20 years that I had seen my family. My parents weren’t on the trip. They had died during my exile years in America.

It was the happiest of family reunions. But Uncle Yaya wasn’t satisfied. “I am very happy to see you Cherno,” he said, barely able to contain his emotions. “But I would be happier if we met inside The Gambia one fine day,’’ he added.

We did in 2019.

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