Covid-19 has caused the death of eight people, the Ministry of Health has said in its latest situation report on the disease.
According to the health ministry, the death of the eight people has now taken the number of people who have died from the virus in the country to 271.
The ministry also said 122 new cases of Covid-19 has been registered. The country has now registered over 9,100 cases of the diseases.
Opposition GDC has issued a statement to condole with the family of Fakebba Colley amid the Kiang West MP’s demise on Saturday.
GDC in a statement signed by spokesman Omar Ceesay said: “The Gambia Democratic Congress under the leadership of Hon. Mamma Kandeh wishes to extend heartfelt sympathy and condolence to the family of the late Honourable National Assembly Member Fakebba Colley through the leadership of United Democratic Party Hon. Ousinaou Darboe.
“This is a great loss not only for the family, the National Assembly, and the UDP but a loss for the whole Nation.
“The late Hon. Member is known to be an exceptional leader and role model to the people of Kiang West, UDP, and The Gambia at large. He was a man who has The Gambia at heart and participated immensely to brought change during the impasse.
“While we mourn with the family of the late Honourable Member for the loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, we pray that Allah SWT grant the departed soul the highest Jannah. May he equally grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
Zambian President Edgar Lungu has declared Thursday’s presidential and parliamentary election “not free and fair” after incidents of violence in three provinces.
Lungu is trailing his main contender Hakainde Hichilema in early results from the electoral commission.
Lungu says the Patriotic Front party that he leads is consulting on its next course of action. However, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA, says it has not noted any irregularities in Zambia’s presidential election.
The regional bloc sent an observer mission for the polls. 20 percent of constituencies have been processed so far.
The mission commended the efforts made by the Electoral Commission of Zambia to plan and organise the 2021 elections amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It says it appreciated the transparency identification process, however it lengthened the voting process.
Despite the generally peaceful environment during the voting, the mission noted that there were isolated cases of violence.
COMESA officials also called for the allowance of equal opportunity in public media for all candidates and parties to engage with the public for future elections. (CGTN Africa)
President Adama Barrow vowed Sunday to put an end to all political meetings requiring police permit after the December presidential election.
Speaking to Gambians at State House, the president said: “Since I took over in 2017 you have people who are still doing politics. The politics cannot end. Every day they are beating drums, they are blocking roads. Every day they are on the social media, every day they are insulting people.
“That will end on December 4 after the victory. We will give instruction to the Inspector General of Police and anyone who applies for a permit will not get a permit. Because we want to continue working. The meeting you’re having, blocking roads does not benefit the country in any way.”
Police have confirmed retrieving the dead body of Sheriff Hydara who was allegedly beaten to death in Farafenni. Hydara was allegedly beaten to death on Friday night.
Police spokesman Lamin Njie said: “We can confirm the suspected murder of a 17 year old boy by the name Sheriff Who was found dead in Alagie Bambo’s compound at Farafenni Mouritani.
“The body has been moved to Farafenni General Hospital for further examination.
“Investigations are on going as some supects are arrested helping with investigations.”
Three people were placed under police custody on Saturday for allegedly beating a 17-year-old to death in Farafenni.
The victim, Sheriff Hydara allegedly entered a burglar-proof home on Friday night where he was caught and beaten to death, one person familiar with the issue told The Fatu Network.
The incident happened at Farafenni Mauritanie, the person said, adding the body of the victim was being transported to Banjul for examination.
The National Assembly Member for Kiang West Fakebba Colley has died, sources close to the lawmaker have confirmed to The Fatu Network.
Mr Colley died less than an hour ago, one person who was on his way to the lawmaker’s house said.
Mr Colley was a prominent member of the UDP who got arrested and jailed in 2016.
He is the second MP of the Barrow era to have died following the death last year of Demba Sowe.
Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta on Friday began sending back some 800 unaccompanied migrant minors to Morocco three months after they arrived en mass, an official said.
The minors were among up to 10,000 migrants who flooded across the land border into Ceuta over several days in May as Moroccan border guards stood aside.
This was widely seen as retaliation over Spain’s decision to host Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front, a movement demanding Western Sahara be independent from Morocco, for medical treatment.
Local daily El Faro de Ceuta published images of minors being escorted by police to the Moroccan border on Friday.
Contacted by AFP, a source at the central government’s representative office in Ceuta, who refused to be named, confirmed the evictions had started.
Police have announced they have arrested 11 people and recovered suspected stolen properties.
In a statement, police said: “West Coast Region combined security task-force, during routine patrols within WCR recovered several suspected stolen properties including solar panels, generators, motorcycles, flat screen TVs, water pumping machine, mobile phones amongst others.
“The mobile phones were recovered from Farato Village while four solar panels, a flat screen TV and water pumping machine were recovered from Ba Nyaka Village.
“Three motorcycles without registration numbers are equally recovered from Kampassa Village in Foni and one motorcycle from Tubakuta Village. Solar panels and a generator were also recovered from Jambur Village. Eleven suspects were arrested and are currently helping the Police in their investigations.
“Residents of the areas mentioned above whose properties were stolen can visit the New Yundum Station to help in identification and establishing ownership. Members of the public are encouraged to volunteer information about criminal activities within their communities.”
President Adama Barrow has for the first time spoken about the 35 million dalasis money that landed into the First Lady’s foundation’s account in 2017 only for the money to disappear from the account.
Chinese electromechanical manufacturer TBEA paid 700,000 dollars into the account of the First Lady’s foundation in December 2017 but mystery has since surrounded the money and Gambians have been relentless in knowing what happened to the money.
While speaking to NPP reporters at State House, President Barrow explained: “We tried to travel to China. We asked for plane cost but the cheapest was one company in Portugal which was 700,000 dollars. Where would Gambia government get that money? And that was a very important trip. It was in that trip we signed the all these bridges and the Basse roads. We got that money from that China trip.
“We were searching all of us including the secretary regarding where we could get a plane. I travelled to China twice. It was the Qatar government that gave me a plane in one of the trips. We had searched everywhere.
“So this one too we searched everywhere and one day I was in a meeting when the secretary general knocked the door. He came in and told me the China issue had been solved. I asked him is it solved, he said it is solved, that there is someone who will finance it.
“In the afternoon, he came to me and said those people said they will send the money in cash form. He said it cannot be paid into the consolidated fund account and the money needs to be paid in that weekend and asked what we are going to do. We brainstormed as to which personal account we could use or which businessman’s account we could use. I told him let’s see if we could use the First Lady’s foundation’s account. Dawda Fadera coordinated it.
“He spoke with the First Lady’s foundation and they transferrred the money there. When the money landed into that account, it was a bank transfer that was made directly to Portugal. And the purpose was there… To hire a plane for the president and the delegation. All of us where in that delegation. Ousainou Darboe was in that delegation, Amadou Sanneh was in that delegation and all these people were in that delegation and all of us knew about it.”
TBEA has since won a bid from the Gambia government through NAWEC for a transmission infrastructure project worth over one billion dalasis.
Imam Bakawsu Fofana has said he would advise President Adama Barrow not to seek re-election in December if the president consulted him.
Imam Fofana stated this during an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network.
The imam said: “If he asks me, I will tell him not to stand. He would not want to hear that but that will augur well for him.
“A political leader always expects a lot of talk but Adama enjoyed a lot respect and trust. It would have been best if he had stopped at three years. He would not be disrespected and he would not have experienced as these acts of disrespect and people disobeying him.
“A lot of things are now being said about him. You have a president who speaks and his statement gets disregarded. And even when you sleep, they put it out and ridicule you.”
UDP administrative secretary has clarified his comments people who do not join UDP now risked being left out when change comes.
Mr Darboe had earlier this week said in Badibu the time for one to join UDP was now or a person risked being left out when the time for enjoyment comes. His comments caused a blowback.
But he clarified on Saturday: “You must do for your country and your country does for you. You must join the struggle and accepts anything that befalls you. You must do for your party and the party does for you. You must join your party in the struggle and if your party attains change, you can be part of anything that happens next.
“But you cannot say it is people who should do the sacrifice for you and when change comes, you come and be part of anything that comes next. I am not referring to Gambians, I am referring to people called political opportunists, political prostitutes. I am saying the door has been slammed shut on their that system. The door has been closed on how political prostitutes go about penetrating people.”
By Famara Fofana
In the evening of Sunday, August 8, 2021, one of Istanbul’s football academy grounds Küçükçekmece (pronounced as chukuk-check-meje) stadium could be mistaken by anyone for Box Bar mini stadium or Sere-kunda East Park. It was the opening game of the Istanbul-Gambia ‘noran’ tournament – an all-Gambian affair that attracts the participation of over ten teams and five non-Gambian players per team.
Before the opening two matches of the night, Gambian youth in their droves could be seen doing high fives and bumping fists in anticipation of an event that serves as perfect reminder of how things used to unfold back home during the Zonals most especially and the seasonal summer games ‘nawettan’.
Habib Ceesay, the president of the tournament’s organizing committee says their intent is to create a platform that would allow Gambians of different backgrounds to interact and socialize with a view to promoting understanding amongst themselves.
Aside from the socio-cultural benefits of the tournament, the organizers believe it could also allow for the scouting of raw talents from the Gambia, considering the healthy number of students that are playing for the different teams. That particular goal may not be any wishful thinking in view of the dazzling displays of lads like Samba Njie, who plays for Teranga Cargo but still nurses the ambition of playing professional football at a higher level.
Beyond the sporting aspect, the ongoing Istanbul-Gambia ‘noran’ games themselves provide an escape route for the hundreds of Gambian youth who are working in the Turkish megalopolis, mostly in the textile industries locally called fabrica. After a grinding week of ‘çabuk çabuk’, the Turkish version of ‘fat-fat’ in our local parlance but which for the Gambian hustler in Turkey translates laborious and painful work.
His Excellency Serigne Modou Njie is the Gambia’s Ambassador to Turkey. The tournament, he says, makes their work very easy in the organizers’ quest to enhance relationships between Gambians whilst at the same time promote friendship and cooperation with the larger Turkish community.
On the football committee’s plans to use the tournament as a vehicle to highlight some of the pressing issues confronting the swelling number of Gambians in Turkey, particularly those related to residence permit acquisition, ambassador Njie states: “The issue of resident permit (Kimlik) is top on my agenda and was one of the key things I discussed with the Turkish authorities upon the presentation of my credentials. In fact, after that, there was a communication from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking for more information about Gambians that are now living in Turkey.”
That information, Ambassador Njie discloses, has been delivered to the President of the Gambian Association in Turkey and that a list in that regard is being compiled. after which, he as ambassador, is expected to meet with the Interior Ministry and the Director General of Migration Management in Turkey (Göç İdaresi). It is hoped that the outcome of those scheduled engagements will help normalize the residency status of many Gambians.
Turkey is increasingly playing home to a relatively decent number of Gambians, especially young people in pursuit of higher education or pastures new. Over 300 students are officially registered with the Association of Gambian Students in Turkey (AGAST). The Gambian population in Istanbul alone (excluding students) is said to be in the region of 2000 people although it is 760 that are reportedly registered with the Gambian Association in Turkey.
We are not yet on the other side of the pandemic despite vaccination drives around the world by local governments. The IMF estimates that the global economy shrunk by 4.4% in 2020. Most world economies are struggling with rising unemployment. However, one industry, is holding steady. The latest Direct Selling Report, published by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA), shows global direct sales increased by 2.3% year-on-year, from US$175.3 billion in 2019 to US$179.3 billion in 2020.
The report shows that the 3-year Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is rising despite the devastation caused by Covid-19. From 2017 through 2020, the Direct Selling industry saw a CAGR of 3.0% (excluding China), demonstrating resilience where most commercial sectors are experiencing a downward trend due to the pandemic.
So what is direct selling?
It is a sales channel used by companies to promote their products away from a physical retail location, directly to the end consumer primarily relying on word-of-mouth promotion from existing users. In some ways, direct selling is an evolution of the traveling salesmen from the early 1900s. The direct selling business was the original gig economy business before tech companies made this form of flexible employment opportunities popular in recent years.
Many businesses around the world use the direct selling business model to promote unique products and services in categories such as wellness and nutrition, personal and beauty care, home care products etc.
For many people, direct selling offers them a great platform to become micro entrepreneurs and build a sales business promoting such products when they sign up as distributors of direct selling companies.
The direct selling industry’s continued growth is not surprising. Historically, this industry has always experienced growth during economic recessions. During shaky economic times, people have a renewed awareness of the need to establish more income streams and for those who are looking to start a business, direct selling offers an attractive opportunity to start one that does not require a lot of capital or the need to deal with operational and logistics hassles.
The Pandemic Effect
The foundation of the direct selling business is the relationship and personal touch that distributors build with their customers, and their own team members. With the lockdown forcing social distancing and long periods of isolation, the direct selling industry did take a hit in the initial days of the pandemic. However, most companies made a recovery soon after as they quickly adapted to the new normal with a shift to digital engagement tools and virtual events and training programmes.
The pandemic forced many businesses to expedite their digital adoption. For the direct selling industry which has traditionally relied on in-personal interactions this was particularly critical. Those who made the shift quickly and were able to engage with and support their customers and distributors, didn’t just survive, but thrived!
For example, at QNET, we saw record-breaking growth of up to 65% in some African markets. The increased demand for online shopping and the transition to digital played to our strengths: high-quality personal relationships and a high-performing e-commerce platform. Our European business even won a Digital Business award for their swift implementation of digital solutions to support the network of distributors. These included online business presentations to social media workshops to training in virtual communication tools among others.
Africa and Asia: two markets to look out for
Africa has been projected to be the new frontier of direct selling. The region has one of the highest 3-year CAGR at 6%. The World Bank’s economic analysis highlights how African countries were quick to recover from the Covid-19 crisis. Locals are adopting digital technologies exponentially, boosting productivity and employment opportunities as e-commerce opens up new prospects for businesses. The road to strengthening Africa’s economy will lie in remote work and gig opportunities. How well digitisation is integrated into the current economy, allowing businesses to leverage their digital commerce infrastructure and local know-how to provide new gainful income opportunities, will be key to this process. The attractiveness of Direct Selling is in the numbers: in 2020, the WFDSA report saw a 17.3% year-on-year increase in the number of individuals involved in this industry in Africa, bringing the total to 6.3 million distributors.
Asia is the most significant contributor in global sales for 2020 at a whopping US$76.5 billion, constituting 43% of overall sales. Despite the drop in year-on-year sales by 3.6%, Asia maintains its position as the biggest market for Direct Selling. India, Malaysia, and Vietnam saw the highest percentage change in sales for 2020 in the region, with each country recording over 15% in year-on-year sales growth.
Asian Development Bank (ADP) estimates Asia’s economic outlook to rebound, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hitting 5.3% by 2022. This indicates that Direct Selling in Asia will see growth trends in the coming year as movement restrictions ease and traditional retail regains momentum. E-commerce will likely continue to grow due to the shift in consumption behaviour accelerated during the Pandemic. Southeast Asia’s online sector alone is expected to reach US$300 billion by 2025.
Direct Selling: the future of regular and gainful income?
The increasing demand in the market for flexible work opportunities is not exclusive to Africa. Globally, people are actively exploring alternate sources of income as traditional forms of employment and entrepreneurship continue to be challenged causing a rise in unemployment rates.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) reported the loss of 114 million jobs in 2020 caused by workplace closures in countries with Covid-19 related restrictions. This is especially true for young people and women. As the numbers indicate, Direct Selling is proving to be a viable opportunity to build economic stability due to its low entry barrier. It provides an attractive and flexible income opportunity for those who are looking to make a supplemental income during challenging times by offering them a chance to become micro-entrepreneurs and active gig economy participants.
In addition to enabling people to become entrepreneurs and build their own business, direct selling companies also support a number of small and local businesses. Many direct selling companies develop their own products and set up manufacturing units in various places, especially emerging economies, which provides local employment. Several direct selling companies, including QNET, work with small businesses in different countries to develop exclusive products that can then be sold through our e-commerce platform around the world.
What is next for the industry?
Companies with health and wellness products experienced a significant boost in their sales thanks to increased awareness and personal health concerns brought on by the pandemic. These products took the lead in global direct sales at US$64.8 billion. This trend will likely persist in the following years.
In 2020, Direct Selling became more agile in response to consumers’ behavioural changes. The industry had to reinvent itself to adapt to the fast changing global situation. While things such as social commerce, integrated lifestyle solutions through product offerings, and sophisticated technology driven tools are all good things for companies to adopt, I think it is important for the industry to go back to the origins of its concept and their efforts, focusing on community sharing of valuable economic goals and offering the opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Innovation is all around us, in the way people and companies generate revenue. Micro-entrepreneurship is on the rise. E-commerce is booming. As long as Direct Selling companies have adapted to the change and accept the paradigm shifts that will shape the future, there has never been a better time to join Direct Selling than now.
About the Writer
Malou T. Caluza is the CEO of QNET, a leading Asian direct selling company with an Asian heritage. She has the distinction of being named the first female CEO of the company who rose through the ranks over a span of 20 years. Malou started with QNET as the one of the company’s earliest employees as a customer service officer and went on to lead the function and grow it into a global team spanning three continents. She is the recipient of numerous awards for customer service and is presently a CRE Community Leader, Speaker, and Panellist in several APCSC events.
Malou Caluza is also a cancer survivor and an outspoken advocate for women in leadership. She has been featured in “Asia’s 15 Over 50” – a publication that recognises the most successful women in Asia.
The office of the secretary general and head of the civil service has said those taking part in the WASSCE Grade 12 Exams are excused from Monday’s public holiday.
State House said in a statement: “Following President Barrow’s declaration of Monday August 16, 2021 as Public Holiday in observance of the Feast of Assumption of Mary (Sang Marie), the Office of The Secretary General, as a result of this, informs the public that all those who will take part in the scheduled WASSCE Grade 12 Exams starting Monday, 16th August 2021, are exempted from the Public Holiday. Your cooperation and understanding is highly solicited.”
President Barrow had earlier this weekend declared next Monday and next Thursday public holidays in the country in observance of Sang Marie and Yawmul Ashura.
Gambia track queen Gina Bass has said it is a ‘great thing’ for her to represent her nation twice at the Olympics.
Speaking shortly after arriving in the country from Tokyo, Japan, Ms Bass said: “It’s my second time competing in the Olympics, so it’s a great thing to me. My target was to be in the final but I couldn’t make it. But I really thank God for it because I have broken my record.”
Gina Bass met President Adama Barrow on Thursday evening at State House where she was given a car.
The Gambia Police Force also rolled out a huge welcome for Gina who is also a cop.
A 14-year-old girl has been arrested in Senegal on allegations she sexually abused a six-year-old girl.
According to Senegalese daily The Sun, the girl was last Wednesday detained for rape, pedophilia and lesbianism.
The girl is accused of dragging the six-year-old girl into a room, undressing her and ordering her to perform an act of oral sex on her.
She is also accused of putting her finger into the private part of the young girl leading to her hymen tearing.
President Adama Barrow has presented a brand new car to Gina Bass as the sport icon met him at State House Thursday evening following her return to the country from the Tokyo Olympics.
According to the sport ministry, the president presented a Nissan Kicks to Gina Bass and an amount of D500,000 to the entire Tokyo team, at a ceremony held at State House on Thursday evening.
The President said this presentation is done by his government to show appreciation to Gina and the entire team for the success registered at the games – something that raised the Gambia’s name higher at the 2020 Olympic, the sport ministry said.
Sub Inspector Gina Bass was received at the Police Headquarters on Wednesday 2021 by Deputy Inspector General of Police Momodou Sowe and the Police High Command.
Bass and Ebrima Camara returned to the country on Wednesday from Japan where they represented The Gambia at the Tokyo Olympics.
Police in a statement said: “DIGP Sowe on behalf of the IGP welcomed SI Gina to the GPF HQ, noting that the entire GPF and the nation as a whole are proud of the terrific performance she did at the Tokyo Olympics.
“DIG Sowe concluded by announcing that a piece of land has been purchased for Gina to be built to completion and handed over to her in honor of her accomplishment. He said this gesture is necessitated by Gina’s excellent representation of the country.”
Nobel Peace Prize nominee and founder of Gunjur Marlborough link, Nick Maurice, has excoriated European double standards over the treatment of African immigrants.
In a letter to a conservative lawmaker in the British parliament, Nick said: “I am provoked to write to you recognising that today is UN International Migrants Day, and having recently read an extremely disturbing report from ‘Migrants Support’, to ask why the Government seems incapable of taking a more caring attitude to the awful problems facing so many refugees from conflicts particularly in Africa.
“The Horn of Africa is once again in turmoil, and families who have been settled in the Tigray area are being forced to leave and reach desperately poor refugee camps in Sudan. And the route to safety is even more arduous – a ‘direct’ journey to the Mediterranean through Libya is fraught with hazards and risks of being trafficked or sold into slavery. The refugee camps are equally fraught with danger. The journey out of Africa now often involves long and hazardous journeys with traffickers offering journeys from Dakar in Senegal on dangerous waters and in flimsy boats to the Canary Islands – many hundreds of lives are lost in this journey as well as those who attempt the equally dangerous journey from Libya to Lampedusa. Our world in turmoil has one main outcome – the flight to safety and sanctuary for millions of displaced people”.
Nick Maurice who has worked with migrants in Calais said it must be understood that migrants must have been impelled by compelling reasons to leave the safety of their homes to seek refuge in Europe.
“In 2016 I worked as a doctor with refugees in the so-called “Jungle” in Calais (now demolished) and listened to the awful stories these fellow human beings had to tell about the conflicts that forced them to leave everything they knew and loved in their countries of origin, the perilous journeys they had to undertake to reach Calais and the ghastly conditions they were now living under (which I witnessed for myself) in the camp.
“The treatment of refugees in France, not least by the gendarmes is horrifying. They are often clubbed, gassed, their phones are seized and they are often evicted from the site in which they are currently living. And of course if they admit to being of the Islamic faith they are immediately considered to be terrorists.”
He concluded: “The UK Government is now applying double standards. On the one hand the Prime Minister has said that at least, and to start with, 600,000 people may emigrate from Hong Kong to UK as it becomes a less democratic society, and yet genuine refugees are not welcome.It appears that claims by refugees to come to UK and claim asylum take months to be processed and this has worsened during the pandemic.
“The accommodation provided on arrival here is grim, either in the cheapest of hotels or in disused barracks where the conditions are so awful that the Red Cross itself is demanding an end to their use.Why is it so difficult for the Government to set a humane strategy for real support for these desperate people?I find myself feeling ashamed of the country of my birth and in which I live because of the appallingly inhumane attitudes of our leaders.”
