The government of The Gambia has reacted to what they believe were mere allegations by Foni National Assembly Members (NAMs), barely a week after the 5 National Assembly Members convened what they called a “high-level press conference”.

The 4th of December presser focused on “current burning issues and the injustices against Foni citizens in the Region.” However, it appears that some of the content of the press conference did not go down well with the government.

Among the issues discussed during the press conference, the 5 NAMs alleged the unfair termination and dismissal of Foni citizens from key civil and public service positions as well as the targeting of people from Foni by the various Commissions of Inquiry.

“The Gambia government registers its total disappointment with the false allegations of unfair targeting of people from the Foni Region by the various Commissions of Inquiry as well as the unfair termination or dismissal of public officials and civil servants.

“That notwithstanding, Government cautions that it will not hesitate to take all available lawful action against any individual or group of individuals with sympathies towards the principal perpetrators of gross human rights violations and atrocities committed in The Gambia,” government responds in a press release dated 11th December 2022.

The five parliamentarians have also raised concerns over the presence of the ECOMIG forces in the Foni Region. They believe the presence of these forces is a threat to the natives.

“The presence of the ECOMIG forces across the country, the Foni Region inclusive, is necessitated by genuine security concerns exacerbated by a porous southern border. The ECOMIG has been instrumental in maintaining peace and security as The Gambia navigates its very sensitive transition,” disagrees government in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Ebrima G. Sankareh.

Meanwhile, the government has confirmed in the same release the deaths of Demba Colley, 23, Alagie Kolley, 23 and Ebrima Colley, 20 last night. All the three were non-Gambians but had registered with the UNHCR, Banjul Office as refugees in The Gambia it says.

“A fourth victim, Sulayman Kolley was injured and is currently being hospitalized at a health facility. The Gambia Government wishes to clarify that all three men died in the Senegalese Region of Cassamance and not within Gambian territory as is being erroneously alleged.”

The Government has also confirmed that Yankuba Badjie died across the border in the Casamance Region of Senegal.

“The late Mr Badjie was non-Gambian, a registered refugee with UNHCR and had resided at Gifanga village. Meanwhile, the Gambian authorities are closely working with their Senegalese counterparts regarding this case,” Government said in a press release.

By: Modou Touray

The President of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency Adama Barrow has given two weeks ultimatum to local authorities in Brikama to tackle the issue of negotiating for a piece of land for the construction of the proposed modern hospital for the community of Brikama, saying all lands belong to the state.

President Barrow gave the order while addressing a meeting in Brikama on Thursday as part of the second leg of his Meet the People’s Tour.

“I hereby order the Alkalo, Chief, Governor in consultation with the Minister of Lands to tackle the issue of land for a modern market. I understand the identified piece of land belongs to Touray Kunda in Brikama. We have been negotiating to get it to construct a hospital, but the final approval is yet to be given by the custodians of the land.

“All lands belong to the state and accordingly the government has the prerogative to demand any piece of land for infrastructural development,” President Barrow said.

The modern hospital, if successfully constructed, will provide treatments for complicated sicknesses and other health conditions which are not currently available in the country.

The President also stated that Brikama is rapidly growing in population which makes it justifiable to build a hospital to cater for the demand for health services.

“My government has been anticipating developing Brikama and other settlements but the availability of space for infrastructural [development] is a major obstacle. If the required land is not available, it will be difficult to carry out development projects for citizens,” he stressed.

He called on the local authorities to factor in future infrastructural developments in their communities by reserving pieces of land.

President Barrow also hinted at his government developing projects for Brikama and other satellite villages in the coming years such as the provision of roads and electricity.

“Our target is for every settlement in the Gambia to have access to electricity by 2025.”

The government’s road project according to the president will benefit many settlements within Kombo Central, Kombo South and other places in the West Coast Region.

The second leg of the president’s Meet the People’s Tour continues in other parts of the Kombos after conducting similar meetings in the rural Gambia

By: Dawda Baldeh

Women vendors at Bakoteh fish market have urged the government to reduce the prices of basic commodities so that they can make sales to reduce financial losses.

The market accommodates hundreds of vendors who are selling different food products and it is also used by many for their daily shopping.

However, the vendors are also facing numerous challenges due to the continuous escalation of prices of commodities.

Penda Camara, a vegetable vendor who has been in the business for two decades, said the recent prices of basic commodities are beyond imagination and against their will.

“The business is very slow, and we are losing customers while our vegetables are getting spoiled.

It is very difficult, but we can’t sit at home. We use the income generated to feed our families and pay school fees for our children. The government should find ways to cut the price of the commodities,” she explained.

She called on the government to support women in their businesses, saying they are suffering.

“We are not comfortable with the price of the commodities. But if you buy something at D50 you cannot sell it for less than that. We are feeling the pain of our customers,” she added.

Bakoteh fish market is predominantly occupied by women, most of whom are the breadwinners of their families.

They travelled from different places every morning to sell their products before midday.

“Business is no longer as usual. We are losing a lot because commodities are very expensive, we are paying tax daily and we are not making a profit,” Mariama Camara said.

She equally lamented the numerous challenges they are facing which include a lack of storage facilities for their vegetables, and transportation costs among others.

The women mostly sell perishable food that cannot last long without proper cold storage facilities.

Several other women highlighted similar challenges that are affecting their businesses in the market.

President Adama Barrow has urged newly sworn judges to timely dispense justice and earn the trust and confidence of the public.

The President was making a statement at the swearing-in ceremony of two appeals court judges and one high court judge on Thursday 8^th December 2022 at State House.

“As custodians of the Law, or Justices of the Superior Courts, earning public trust and timely dispensation of justice are of paramount importance and should always be uppermost on your minds as you perform your functions,” President Barrow urged the judges.

Justice Veronic Wright and Justice Sainabou Wadda Ceesay were sworn in as justices of the Court of Appeal while Justice Isatou Jallow Sey as Justice of the High Court, all-female judges of the superior courts.

The President noted that he was reassured by Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow that, as customary, the three judges went through a ‘rigorous selection process’ before their recommendation by the Judicial Service Commission for appointment, attributing the said appointments to their hard work, qualifications, competence, and experience.

He praised the leadership of Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow, pointing out that the Judiciary has recorded ‘significant achievements’ in administrating justice and enhancing access to justice for all Gambian citizens and residents of the country.

The President pledged his government’s continued support to the judiciary in realizing the objectives contained in the Judiciary Strategic Plan 2021-2025.

“My government is currently working on a Bill to improve the conditions of service for the Judiciary and make the Sector a model within the region.”

He underscored the importance of the judiciary in enhancing human rights, punishing lawbreakers and addressing conflicting issues.

“The Judiciary undoubtedly plays a very important role as a strong pillar of the State in promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, enforcing the penal code, and resolving disputes. Linked to our situation, a well-functioning independent and transparent Judiciary is indispensable for our growing democracy,” he explained.

President Barrow expressed delight to learn that the three judges are all women.

“That all three of them are Gambian ladies, compels me to express satisfaction and pride for the huge strides taken to make the Judiciary truly Gambian without compromising on efficiency and ethical considerations.”

He continued that under his leadership and that of Chief Justice Jallow at the judiciary, the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court have been ‘successfully staffed’ with competent and qualified Gambians. This, the President said has been his vision and strong conviction since he assumed leadership “to wean the Judiciary from its heavy dependence on foreign judges to discharge its mandate.”

“It is always a source of joy and pride, therefore, for me to preside over the swearing of Gambian judges, because I consider it a progressive realization of my government’s vision,” he reiterated.

The President congratulated the judges on their new appointments and urged them to perform in accordance with their oaths and the laws of the land.

The World Bank has approved twenty million dollars ($20M) as grant for The Gambia to foster development and openness in government operations.

“World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved Supplemental Financing for The Gambia Second Fiscal Management, Energy and Telecom Reform Development Policy Financing (DPF). The $20 million grant will support the government’s efforts to improve debt and public investment management; strengthen financial viability and service delivery in the energy and telecommunications sectors; and enhance the transparency and governance framework of state-owned enterprises (SOEs),” a World Bank press release disclosed.

The release added that the Supplemental Financing responds to the spillover effects of the war in Ukraine on The Gambia’s economy compounding an already challenging situation due the COVID-19 pandemic. It noted that the war in Ukraine disrupted agricultural supply chains and food trade, impacting food, feed, fertilizer, and fuel prices and driving inflation up to double digits for the first time in three decades.

“The war in Ukraine has led to a slowdown in economic activities in The Gambia and as a result impacted the country’s economic growth. This has reduced domestic revenues; at the same time, the country has to meet pressing basic social and productive sector needs exacerbated by rising inflation,” said Wilfried Kouame, World Bank Country Economist and Task Team Leader of the project.

According to World Bank, the grant will support efforts to improve the country’s economic resilience and recovery by mitigating revenue losses, boosting forex reserves, cushioning the impact of rising prices of essential products on the most vulnerable, and ensuring that the government’s reform program remains on track.

“The Government of The Gambia adopted several measures to mitigate the spillover effects of the war in Ukraine on the population, including foregoing part of the revenues from petroleum products, partially offsetting the rising costs of fertilizers and food products through subsidies, and a continuation of the removal of taxes on bread and rice,” said Feyi Boroffice, World Bank Resident Representative.

The World Bank noted that these measures, while reducing the impact of the crisis on the people, have generated significant fiscal costs and the additional support is part of a coordinated effort to fill the resulting financing gap.

By: Modou Touray

Hon. Seedy S.K Njie, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly who doubles as chairperson of the standing committee on defense and security has said effective parliamentary oversight averts political threats and other challenges in the security sector.

He was delivering a statement at a forum in Senegalese capital Dakar held on 6^th-7^th December 2022 on the theme: “Prevention and security: the challenges of neighborhood and community security in Africa.”

“Parliamentarians can play an important role in averting political threats by promoting good governance through effective oversight and ensuring effective functioning of democratic institutions.

Achieving good governance requires the existence of a strong, effective and efficient parliament. This is so because parliament plays a crucial role in gauging, collating and presenting the views and needs of the people, articulating their expectations and aspirations in determining the national development agenda. As an oversight body, parliament helps to identify problems and policy challenges that require attention,” he stated.

Hon. Seedy S.K Njie emphasized that Parliamentarians are key actors in promoting good neighbourhood security hence they are involved in creating and overseeing the legal framework within which the security sector operates. Good security, he added requires that the security sector is subordinate to democratic civilian control, and that a sound legal framework for security provision, management and oversight is an important basis for allocating roles and responsibilities in a democracy while placing limits on the use of force and political power by the government.

“Strong legislative bodies are a bedrock of representational democracies. As elected representatives, parliamentarians play an indispensable role in shaping both public policy and the way states exercise power and authority.

Parliamentarians while approving the national budgets should cater for the needs and welfare of the poor and marginalized in society. As we all know, poverty is a challenge and indeed a security threat. Parliamentarians should allocate adequate resources to ensure food self-sufficiency and access to clean and portable water,” he stressed.

He also stated that Parliamentarians should ensure that the rights of the minorities are protected and enact laws to fight drug-trafficking, illegal trade and other activities that pose threat to peace and security while underlining that parliament and government have different roles in security matters.

“They share the responsibility for keeping a well-functioning security sector. This idea of shared responsibilities also applies to the relation between political and military leaders. These two parties should not be regarded as adversaries with opposing goals. On the contrary, they need each other in order to achieve an effective, comprehensive and people-centered security policy,” he said.

By: Sarjo Brito

Former National Assembly Member for Niamina East Honourable Omar Ceesay has registered his disappointment with the current NAM representing his constituency for what he describes as his lack of participation and representation in parliament, especially in the just concluded budget process.

The former parliamentarian said it is disappointing to see a NAM elected to represent his people not utter a single word about issues of national development.

“Honourable Jeng is someone who has never uttered a word since he was sworn in. I would encourage the electorate of the said constituency to recall him for his style of representation in the House. For one to perform an oversight, one must speak.

“For one to make a comprehensive report regarding your scrutiny of the executive, one must speak and contribute and participate in that National Assembly. Most importantly, for one to spell out the grievances of your people, you must request the floor of the National Assembly to speak. This is why MPs are allocated fifteen minutes at the end of every session to raise the concerns of their electorates before the executive,’’ Ceesay said.

The former parliamentarian said National Assembly Members must be assertive in their roles, especially at a time when the country is at a crossroads. Honourable Ceesay added that the National Assembly must refuse to be a rubberstamp assembly amid the controversial 2023 budget which aims to increase the pay and allowances of National Assembly Members.

“The budget is the second most important document apart from the constitution. It is the very document that will address the need of the Gambian people. With all the hardships people are going through, especially the people of Niamina East in terms of agriculture, unemployment, health, and education, you want to tell me that this person who is the mouthpiece of Niamina East has nothing to say? It is unbelievable. I will encourage him to stand and speak up for the people of Niamina.’’

By: Ousman Saidykhan

A High Court Judge has rejected for lack of merit the “no case to answer” submission filed by the defense counsel last month, seeking acquittal of their clients; Sainabou Mbye, Cherno Mbye and Kibily Dambally in their manslaughter trial.

Justice Jaiteh ruled that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses have adduced evidence before the court, linking the defendants to the case.

“Therefore, and in my view, a prima facie case has been made against the accused persons and the arguments on the no case to answer lacks merit and is hereby dismissed,” Jaiteh ruled.

The State has called seven (7) witnesses since the opening their case, four (4) of whom were police officers; a doctor at Africmed; a neighbor of the accused persons and the mother of the deceased, Baby Muhammed.

The judge said evidence before the Court that links the accused persons to the case requires explanation with regards what really happened in the vehicle with registration Number Plate BJL 9392Q.

“There is ample evidence that the deceased was removed from the vehicle unconscious and was rushed to Africmed International Hospital in critical condition as he was in severe respiratory distress,” he said.

“The admission in the evidence, the cautionary statements of the accused persons without objection from the defense means they are credible before the court,” Justice Jaiteh added.

Justice Jaiteh called on the defense counsels to open their defense.”

The case is adjourned to 9th December 2022 for the defense to open their case.

By: Modou Touray 

In his regular sermon on Huda TV, renowned international Muslim cleric, Dr Muhammad Salah warned Muslims against swearing by “Allah” to prove that they are good people, saying it carries implications hence broken oaths is sinful.

“Unfortunately, there is now a new norm across the Muslim World. A norm which has been taken lightly, yet carries serious implications, that is swearing by Allah. Nowadays, trust has been lost. The credibility of people is now doubtful. Many Muslims seem more in need to swear by Allah to give credence to their words, saying in Arabic ‘Wallahi, Wallahi, Wallahi’ (I swear by God).

It has become a shortcut to prove their integrity and good intentions. But sadly, most Muslims have failed to understand and grasp the seriousness of this issue. Not only is constant swearing a bad habit, but it may come with some major consequences,” Dr Salah explained.

He asserted that Muslims who become accustomed to swearing at any time and for whatever reason may fall into swearing to an oath which they may not fulfill. Like saying, “I swear to God I won’t talk to her anymore; I swear to God I won’t eat from his food; I swear to God I won’t go to so and so place, etc).

“This matter should not pass by lightly. Using Allah’s name is no joke. It’s not as easy as asking for forgiveness and moving on. But a broken oath will require expiation.”

The cleric quoted the Quran to support his statement:

“Allah will not call you to account for your thoughtless oaths, but He will hold you accountable for deliberate oaths. The penalty for a broken oath is to feed ten poor people from what you normally feed your own family, or to clothe them, or to free a slave. But if none of this is affordable, then you must fast three days. This is the penalty for breaking your oaths. So be mindful of your oaths. This is how Allah makes things clear to you, perhaps you will be grateful.” [Al-Maa’idah 5:89]

Dr Salah stated that many Muslims have misunderstood the ruling of the said Quaranic verse and are taking the easy way out and expiating their sins by fasting three days (last option), whereas, fasting is only an expiation for those who are unable to apply any of the former three options, saying Allah knows the true capacity of each one of us, so we should never opt for the last option if we are capable of doing any of the other three.

“Swearing should not be used except when it is absolutely necessary. Today, Muslims are now making it a custom to swear in their everyday conversation. Swearing by Allah was once held in high regards and only used for serious matters. People have now abused it so much that Allah’s name is not given due respect.

Although swearing is to prove the truthfulness of the speaker, when constantly being used for every little matter, it starts to create suspicion and mistrust among the people which then defeats its real purpose. Their words become less worthy and that is unfortunate,” he concluded.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Presiding over the opening of the African Ulama Conference organized by World Muslims League on Tuesday 6th December 2022, President Adama Barrow urged religious leaders to promote peace and unity in the region and beyond.

He underscored the significance of the theme of the conference: “Promotion of Peace, Understanding and Unity among Communities and Nations,” saying there couldn’t be a better theme than that considering ongoing conflicts in some parts of the region.

“I urge African ‘ulama’ to collaborate more closely with their counterparts in other parts of the world to be part of the global community yet protect the basic principles of Islam. African Muslims should serve as agents of peace and unity to further strengthen Islam,” Barrow said.

He expressed Gambia’s appreciation to the organizers for choosing the country to host the all-important conference, saying it means a lot to the people of The Gambia.

“I urge all of us, especially the Ulama, to exploit the good and best practices learned and linkages created here as a means of fostering religious tolerance in Africa and the world at large. It is impractical to divorce religious beliefs from culture and social settings.

We must blend and balance the two sides of life harmoniously to succeed both ways. Muslims continue to be divided into different sects and even fight each other like enemies. Islam invites us to the path of peace, grounded in self-submission,” he noted.

President Barrow said Islam provides a package for a complete lifestyle which propagates tolerance and compassion and teaches people how to relate to families, neighbours and people of different faiths or beliefs.

“Despite all fears and challenges, there are lots of opportunities to reverse these trends by strengthening Islamic knowledge to preserve the main teachings of Islam. Muslims, especially the youths and elites, also have many options to build their capacity, balance their worldview and values and resist adopting non-Islamic ways of life,” he stated.

The President also spoke on the importance of the media in propagating the true teachings of Islam.

“Let us harness the media to prevent attacks waged against Islam, while educating and creating better awareness of the beauty and good things the great religion brings to humankind. We should accept and accommodate the reality of our similarities and differences. Such characteristics should remind us to acknowledge each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Our beliefs and differences should not translate into undue hostility or be used against innocent people.

We should promote peace and unity, it is a precondition to promote love and respect, fight hate, quell conflicts, and recognize the dignity and honour of every human being. The Ulama have a huge role to play in all of these,” he explained.

According to President Barrow, the Ulamas are entrusted with interpreting the teachings of Islam, handling emerging issues, enhancing inter-faith dialogue, and settling hostilities, noting that most religious conflicts emanate from intolerance and the pursuit of worldly interests.

He described the Ulamas as the mouthpiece and trustees of the ‘Umma’ while urging them to address issues facing Islam.

Pa Momodou Jeng, who said he is a friend of the accused Kumba Sinyan, has on Monday 5th December 2022 testified in court that the accused had informed him of killing her boyfriend, Lamarana Jallow, on the very night of the incident at around 11 p.m onwards.

“After few minutes, I called her. This was when she told me she killed her boyfriend. I didn’t believe what she said. I didn’t take it seriously,” said the second prosecution witness in the murder trial.

The witness testified that he received the first call from the accused at around 11 p.m. onwards when he was at Kotu with two of his friends, asking him to pick her up from the stadium or send someone to do so.

He narrated that his question to the accused about what she was doing at the stadium at that time of the night was not answered. Instead, the accused just told him that he needed to go pick her up and that he should go through the back gate.

“I told her that I need to know before I would come over. I insist for her to tell me the reason I should pick her up. She eventually hung up,” the witness narrated.

The witness told the court that after telling him that she killed her boyfriend, the accused later told him she needed favour because someone saw her when she was leaving the scene.

“I asked her what kind of favour did she need. She then informed me that the police would come in search of her, and I should tell them [the police] she was with me. I told her I would not do that,” the witness said.

He continued that he only got to know what the accused told him was true the following morning when a friend of his texted him about the incident.

The witness was asked during the cross-examination by defence counsel, S Twum whether he was feeling emotional. He replied in the negative, saying he was just not feeling well.

He was also asked about how long he has been friends with the accused. He replied that they have been friends for a little while, but their friendship has not been that consistent.

He further said they grew up in the same neighbourhood, Fajara South, Bakau.

The case has been adjourned to 6th December 2022 for the continuation of the cross-examination of the second witness.

Kumba is charged with the murder of one Lamarana Jallow at Friendship Hotel in Bakau on the 14th of September 2022.

By: Sarjo Brito

Economist and former Janneh Commission Secretary, Alhaji Mamadi Kurang, said the government’s refusal to publish the names of individuals who bought Jammeh’s assets signals a lack of transparency in Barrow’s government, adding that the refusal of full disclosure of the buyers is not in line with the principles of the right to information.

The Minister of Justice Dawda A. Jallow told lawmakers that full disclosure of the buyers of the former President’s assets could infringe on their privacy. The sale of some of Jammeh’s assets has been shrouded in mystery following rumours that some of the assets were acquired at cheap prices by some ministers and private individuals.

Mamadi Kurang, who made headlines in 2018 following his 7-page petition accusing the lead Counsel of the Janneh Commission Amie Bensouda of dodgy attempts to negotiate the sale of Jammeh’s lands and luxurious cars and demanding her resignation, said he has been vindicated on his assertion that the commission that was tasked to investigate and sell Jammeh’s assets was conflicted from the get-go.

‘’I feel the government is probably more worried about the prevalence of conflicts of interest in the Asset deals than protecting privacy. It is highly likely that persons connected to the investigations and top officials bought assets without due process. The Commission was advocating for open auctions to sell Jammeh’s assets. In an open auction, the buyers are in public; so why not make the list available? Did some buyers emerge behind the scenes? We know the Janneh commission had conflicts of interest issues even while it was active, and I will not rule out the fact that these conflicts of interest issues spilled over onto the implementation stage and during the sale of the assets,’’ Kurang said

Meanwhile, over 1 billion dalasis has been realized from the sale of 44 assets belonging to former President Jammeh and his close associates, according to Justice Minister Dawda Jallow.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ousainou Darboe Esq, leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has said Senegalese nationals alleged to have obtained Gambian voters’ identification cards will not vote in the local government election scheduled for April and May 2023.

The UDP leader made these remarks yesterday in an interview with Camaraba Official.

“We will make sure that none of those Senegalese with Gambian voters’ cards vote in the coming local government election,” Darboe said while reacting to a claim made by a Senegalese lawmaker that his people in the border are in possession of Gambian national documents.

The UDP leader added that the claims of the Senegalese lawmaker are not opinions but facts. “The gentleman did not express an opinion. He stated facts. He mentioned the names of villages.”

According to Darboe, the revelations made by the Senegalese lawmaker are evidence of UDP’s rejection of the 2021 presidential election results.

“The Gambian government headed by Adama Barrow is illegitimate. The Senegalese National Assembly Member confirmed the fraud that Ebrima Sillah debunked in an interview with a group of journalists.

What they have done is now gradually being unearthed and known to the people. And this is why we don’t recognize Barrow as the president,” he noted.

The Senegalese lawmaker, Hon. Sisse in a viral video last week told the Senegalese President Macky Sall that he lives around the border where a lot of people in his constituency obtained Gambian voter ID Cards.

“What can be a better proof of electoral malpractice? If the Supreme Court had allowed us to present our evidence, all these would have come out.

But here we are told by a Senegalese lawmaker that Senegalese are in possession of Gambian national documents. They were acquired during voter registration,” Darboe said.

He added that their election petition was struck out based on technicalities, a decision he said shocked the party at the time.

The UDP leader emphasized that “the election Barrow is claiming to have won was fraudulent.”

He noted that with such revelations, Independent Electoral Commission officials should be thinking of resigning.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Chairman of the Victim Centre, Sheriff Kijera, has said that President Adama Barrow is inconsiderate, insensitive, and does not care or have any interest in the victims of former President Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year brutal rule.

Speaking to The Fatu Network as he assesses President Barrow’s first year into his second term, Kijera told TFN that President Barrow only used the plight of the victims to garner votes but doesn’t care about them.

He added that President Barrow is insensitive and isn’t even concerned about the good of this country since his election in December 2016.

“He has been quite inconsiderate and insensitive to the plight of the many victims that were affected by the Jammeh regimes. The President isn’t concerned with the plight of the victims. The President does not even care about the welfare or good of this nation,” Kijera stressed.

According to Kijera, President Barrow has never visited the Victim Centre since its formation in April 2018 and has never visited a family of any victim. He said the coalition and President Barrow used the plight of the Jammeh victims as propaganda during the campaign but has no interest.

“President Barrow has shown no interest whatsoever to the Victim’s Centre. He has never visited a single victim or talked about us. The TRRC report was out, but have you heard the president making a press conference? We have not heard anything. So, the President has shown no interest in the victims.”

Established in 2018 to serve as a liaison among victims of human rights violations under the former President, the chairman of the Victim Centre said they have tried many times to meet President Barrow, but it never worked. He revealed that they were close to meeting him in March, but since the victims of the human rights violations protested against the nomination of Fabakary Tombong Jatta and Seedy Njie as a speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly, the chances of them meeting the President were brushed off.

He said the nomination of the speaker and deputy speaker was sabotaged to the transitional justice projects launched by President Barrow. Mr Kijera added that the government of The Gambia cannot run away from reparations to the victims through the recommendations from the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) because there are lots of pressure on the government.

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from an insightful documentary focused on President Adama Barrow’s first year in office since winning the 2021 presidential election. The documentary airs on December 5, 2022.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

The inaugural meeting of Stakeholder-Monitoring Committee (SMC) on the implementation of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) was convened at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to discuss the rationale for the establishment of the Committee, strategies for the effective implementation of the Committee’s mandate, amongst others.

“Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations is key. The TRRC was not an event, it is a process; and this process will go on for a long time. We have been mandated to do this [monitoring] and we want to do it very well with your support,” said the NHRC Chair, Mr Emmanuel D Joof said at the opening on Thursday, 1st December 2022.

The TRRC recommended for the NHRC to be given the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of its recommendations and give annual report to the National Assembly on the status of implementation.

The government, in its white paper that accepted almost all the TRRC recommendations, approved that the NHRC is “well placed” not only to monitor the implementation process, but to also make recommendations to the government on better implementation.

“It is important to ensure that the monitoring process is as inclusive as possible and involves a wide range of stakeholders including the victims and their families. We must not underestimate the monitoring phase,” said Ms Seraphine Wakana, the UN Resident Coordinator in the Gambia.

The representative from the Justice Ministry, Mr Kimbeng Tah said: “This Committee will be a very key tool, a resource and a reservoir for obtaining information. But I also urge NHRC to go beyond the committee and go out into the field design innovative framework to obtaining information because the monitoring has to meet three key criteria; it has to be credible; it has to be actionable; and it has to have quality indicators.”

The NHRC is an independent body with the statutory mandate to promote and protect human rights in the Gambia.

The NHRC boss said they have conducted some study tour to South Africa, together with some CSOs to learn what worked for the African country during the implementation of their truth commissions for them to guide themselves.

“In the South African system, there was no one body that was given the mandate to monitor. So, what you have were different stakeholders monitoring different parts,” the Mr Joof said.

By: Sarjo Brito

Economist Momodou Sabally has said top government officials, including the minister in charge of the digital economy, should either resign or be fired following what he describes as a major breach of economic and financial security amid the central bank cyberattack.

While the government has not issued any statement over the massive overpayment of salaries, observers like Sabally believe it is linked to the November hacking incident.

“I think this government should come out clean and admit that the central bank was hacked, the extent was pervasive, and that government cannot fully control the situation. I believe some top government officials including the minister in charge of the digital economy should either resign or be fired because this is a major breach of economic and financial security. Its implications will be pervasive,’’ he said.

Momodou Sabally said the unprecedented cyberattack did not come as a surprise, accusing top government officials of using free email services to conduct official government business. He further stated that the data hack and overpayment of salaries must not be brushed aside, adding that government must come out and tell Gambians the full extent of what has happened.

“The government is still mute about how far the system is affected. All they are talking about is the overpayment of salaries of public servants. But my question is, were vendors and other suppliers to the government paid? I believe they have been paid but there is no statement to that effect. Have these monies been recovered? We don’t know,’’ Sabally added.

In early November, reports of hackers infiltrating the Central Bank of The Gambia surfaced online. The hackers claimed to have stolen two terabytes of sensitive data. The Gambia government quickly issued a press release asking Gambians not to panic.

By: Modou Touray

Dozens of commercial drivers who ply the Banjul-Soma, Bansang, and Basse-Farafenni have justified that they over-speed on the highway due to pressure from some passengers onboard.

The drivers, who use special vans locally called “sprinters”, said most of the provincial travellers who board their vehicles are always in a hurry to reach early.

“Our sprinter vans don’t waste time on the road. Travellers feel they cannot patiently wait for the buses that frequently stop on the way. They want to get home as soon as possible,” said Ello Bah, a Basse sprinter van driver.

Lamin Jobe, another driver who plies Brikama to Soma added:

“Nobody drives, with the intention to commit an accident but driving at a chameleon pace, consumes more fuel and it affects our daily income.”

Sprinter vans plying from Soma to Brikama normally make many trips daily. Businessmen and women who transport their goods to the Greater Banjul areas from the provinces prefer hiring the sprinter van so that they could sell on time.

“Some vendors will buy fish and use our vehicle to transport it from Brikama to Jarra Soma. They put the fish in a simple bucket with a few blocks of ice. They want to reach early because otherwise, their fish might be spoiled,” Omar Koteh said.

Yusupha Bojang said: “We know the risks, but we are also careful because they pay to arrive early for their interest, and we are also concerned about the life of people.”

Dembo Njie is a sprinter van driver from Jarra Soma. He transports women vendors to the Brikama market from Jarra Soma daily. He departs as early as 3 a.m. and reaches Brikama in less than 2 hours.

From Kiang Tankular to Brikama, Jarra Soma to Basse, and Farafenni to Barra, Sprinter vans are the most popular commercial commuting vehicles. They are often used by business travellers with goods and passengers on emergency trips.

“Sometimes if you slow down, the passengers will shout at you to drive fast. We are under pressure but some of them when they complained that we are over-speeding, we reduce our speed too,”
Sulayman Jah explained.

It’s a choice between reaching their destinations on schedule and the risk of being a victim of a serious accident. Over-speeding drivers struggle a lot to avoid animals and people crossing the highway. If they do not concentrate fully, they are likely to cause incidents. Lamin Manjang is a retired driver who told The Fatu Network that passengers forcing drivers to add speed is risky and drivers must not accept that.

The president of the Gambia transport union, Omar
Ceesay advised to carefully observe the authorised traffic signs on the road and drive according to ethics.

“Driving is a professional job, you as a driver, are responsible for driving your vehicle. No passenger should pressure you to over-speed, driving is a professional job. If you cause an accident, that is your fault,” he stated.

The Police Public Relations Officer ASP Binta Njie pointed out that if drivers over-speed, they are not only endangering the lives of passengers on board but other road users as well.

“If you have the right as a passenger to arrive early, the driver equally has the responsibility of driving safely to protect lives.