The nation’s former vice president Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang has spoken for the first time on her failed bid to become the deputy chairperson of the AU commission.

Tambajang Jallow was supposed to battle it out with four other African women for the top role but Nigeria’s interest in another job led to the withdrawal of her candidature. Some believed Nigeria strong-armed its compatriot ECOWAS nations.

But she wrote on her official Facebook page on Saturday: “On February 2nd, ECOWAS Heads of States had an extraordinary summit via videoconference and decided to have Ghana and The Gambia step down their Candidates for Deputy Chairperson of the AU. This means that I am no longer in the running for deputy chairperson of the AUC. Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Gambia all also withdrew their commissioner candidates as well, in order to allow Nigeria to run as a sole regional candidate as commissioner of peace.

“Since my nomination by The Gambia government in September 2020, I have been busy campaigning but like the saying goes, man proposes but God disposes. Today as the voting process of the new AU commission kicks off, I would like to thank all those who have supported my campaign; I will continue to support the reform and growth of the AU and wish the incoming commission the best of luck.”

The role went to Rwanda’s Dr Nsanzabaganwa Monique on Saturday after 33 delegates voted for her.

President Adama Barrow on Saturday addressed the 38th ordinary session of the African Union heads of state and government where he warned strong leadership is required over COVID-19.

“I am confident that working collectively, Africa will successfully generate the resources to address the challenges before us.

“Therefore, The Gambia supports the comprehensive strategy designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and revitalise our economies; but, this requires strong leadership and redoubling our efforts collectively,” the president said.

According to the president, the COVID-19 pandemic poses immense challenges in various ways.

“We regret the loss of lives, and pray for the recovery of those infected. May the departed souls rest in peace,” the president said in a statement he delivered over video.

MFDC rebels in Casamance have accused Guinea Bissau of entering into an agreement with the government of Senegal after two of their bases fell.

The Senegalese army shelled two rebel bases near the border with Guinea Bissau causing the rebels to abandon the two bases.

But according to a statement by MFDC, there is an agreement between the Senegalese government and Guinea Bissau which allows the Senegalese Army to use Bissau-Guinean territory to attack their bases.

Two new COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded bringing the total number of deaths since March of last year when the virus was first seen in the country to 134.

Both newly deceased cases were males aged 70 and 91 – and had their samples collected and processed posthumously, the health ministry said on Friday.

It comes as the ministry said 53 new cases have been registered bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 4,237.

Those who tested newly for the virus include 14 women and 39 men.

A taxi driver whose vehicle number plate circulated online over an alleged theft involving goats and sheep has been arrested.

“The suspect is currently helping the Police in their investigations,” police said in a statement on Thursday.

The man was suspected of stealing sheep and goats around Tujereng.

“The Inspector General’s Office commends the public for timely sharing of the information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

“Together we can fight crime and therefore the cooperation and partnership of the public is highly solicited,” police said.

Cabinet discussed and adopted a paper presented by the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure on the revised scope of the Banjul rehabilitation project of roads, drains and sewerage systems, according to State House.

President Adama Barrow and his ministers held a meeting on Thursday where a paper of the new infrastructure plan was discussed and adopted.

The proposed scope of work will cover a total of 17 streets in the older parts of the city and four additional streets in the Tobacco Road area, State House said. These works will be attended by an equal refurbishments of drainage and sidewalks, State House added.

A book on how telling truth force many journalists across Africa flee their homeland written by Gambian journalist Sainey Marenah and 15 otheer African journalists has finally been published.

The book ‘Hounded: African Journalists in Exile’, documents accounts of how the unrelenting conviction to tell the truth forced many journalists to flee our homelands. The book has finally been published.

According to Marenah, he is proud to tell his story and the difficult experience of Gambian journalists under a repressive and cruel dictatorship through “this international publication, which further inspires my commitment to journalism and freedom of expression in Gambia and Africa at large”.

“Some of the contributors – editors, journalists and bloggers who hail from West, Central, East and Southern Africa – remain in exile for telling the truth. “Power hates scrutiny,” Hounded editor Joseph Odindo writes and rightfully so,” Marenah said while reacting to the publishing of the book.

He added: “Why else are there journalists in Africa and other parts of the world threatened for doing their job? Facing murder, “disappearances and Kidnaps; journalists have “slipped away to continue the struggle at great personal risk,” writes exiled Cameroonian journalist Mimi Mefo Takambou who now plies her trade in a newsroom in Germany.

“As Odindo observes, this book is both a tribute of record and history. History rhymes eerily for African journalists who continue to be hounded to this day.

“Special Thanks to Ebrima Jatta, Managing Editor of GRTS for his support and guidance during the process, Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow, TRRC Executive Secetary and my friend, Saikou Jammeh, Secetary General, Gambia Press Union.

“The Book is published by The Media Programmme Africa of The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German Think Thank based in South Africa

“Crucial insights into the tough world of journalism and travails of african journalists under repressive regimes, these stories underscore challenges faced by members of the press in fulfilling their fundamental duty to inform.”

See internet link of the book; https://www.kas.de/en/web/medien-afrika/einzeltitel/detail/-/content/hounded-african-journalists-in-exile

Cabinet has agreed to a plea by minister of health Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh for an increment in allowance to doctors and PhD holders who work at the ministry of health central level.

The president and his ministers on Thursday discussed and adopted a paper presented by the Hon Minister of Health for the increment of allowances to medical hierarchy, Doctors and PhD holders within the Ministry of Health, according to State House.

Cabinet was informed that over the past years, the Ministry of Health has been finding it difficult to attract highly qualified medical doctors from hospitals to work at the central mainstream ministry because of the sharp difference in salary and take home between medical doctors at the central Ministry of Health and those of their counterparts in the hospitals, State House said in a statement after the meeting.

The difference in incentive packages offered by the different arms of the same Ministry is a source of disincentive to strike the right balance in terms of moving the relevant high caliber staff around to serve where they are considered needed from time to time, State House said.

As part of efforts to bring in efficiency and synergy in the incentive packages within the Health sector, Cabinet approved the proposal to increase the allowances payable to medical doctors and PhD holders at the central level of the Ministry of Health to be comparable to their colleagues in the hospitals and other government agencies, State House’s statement added.

President Adama Barrow and his ministers on Thursday met over the Elections Bill and asked the attorney general Dawda Jallow to table it at the National Assembly.

The Gambia will hold a presidential election in December this year and there have been efforts to replace the country’s current electoral law.

And according to State House on Thursday, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice presented a paper on the Elections Bill at a meeting of cabinet. The paper was discussed and approved by Cabinet.

“The paper details the general conduct of elections in The Gambia to engender and enhance an electoral process which is free, fair and credible.

“The Elections Bill will regulate the conduct of future elections in The Gambia. Following an exhaustive discussion, Cabinet directed the Attorney General to present the Elections Bill to the National Assembly for enactment into law,” State House said in a statement.

The ministry of health has urged members of the public to call 1025 and report to health authorities those who appeared on a list of coronavirus patients who have refused to respect treatment protocols.

The ministry on Thursday published the names of over 100 people who have all gone into hiding even as they tested positive for COVID-19.

The ministry in calling on Gambians to report them said: “We remind the public that the country is facing an alarming upsurge in positive cases, coupled with the growing false sense of security and laxity. We urge each individual to remain vigilant and ensure that social distancing measures are observed at all times as much as possible. It is imperative to remember that in fighting disease threats, only a deep commitment to collective responsibility can yield a decisive difference.

“We advise the general public to call 1025 should they know the whereabouts of any individual on this list, as in collaboration with The Ministry of Justice, charges would be proffered against those apprehended. Anyone mentioned in this missive should call 1025 and follow subsequent instructions in order to avoid conviction.”

President Adama Barrow and his ministers of Thursday met over a report by a taskforce on 38 women who returned to the country from Lebanon last year.

Cabinet met on Thursday as part of its weekly convergence with the president presiding.

According to a statement by statement, a report of the taskforce established by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice into the circumstances surrounding the trafficking of 38 Gambian women returnees from Lebanon was also discussed.

“It would be recalled that between 2014 and 2020, a number of women were recruited to work in Lebanon under contract terms. Upon arrival in Lebanon, the women were asked to sign contracts which were written in Arabic, a language they could not read or understand and have no idea of the conditions of work. Their passports, identity cards and mobile phones were seized by their employers and some were also abused.

“In September 2020, 38 Gambian women in Lebanon returned to The Gambia through a support from a Swedish based NGO called Action for Humanity. The returnees claimed they were trafficked to Lebanon. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice requested the National Human Rights Commission to lead investigation in…,” the statement said.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday said that nearly 140 migrants had been rescued off Libya’s western coast.

“Nearly 140 persons aboard 2 boats have been intercepted/rescued by Libyan Coast Guard and returned to Tripoli. UNHCR and partner IRC (International Rescue Committee) are providing assistance and medical care to all survivors,” UNHCR tweeted.

It reiterated that Libya is not a safe port for refugees to disembark at.

Thousands of immigrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe, due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation following the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Last year, 323 migrants died and 417 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route, while 11,891 more were rescued and returned to Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). (XINHUA)

More than two hundred (200) Senegalese immigrants living illegally in Tenerife, Spain will be repatriated on February 24.

According to Senego on Thursday, the president of the non-governmental organisation Otra-Africa made the revelation.

According to Souleymane Aliou Diallo, the work must be done in coordination with the Senegalese authorities, Senego said.

Massive 210 Senegalese are set to be deported in a flight that will leave Madrid on February 24.

Police on Thursday said Sierra Leonian national Ousman Camara assaulted a lady which triggered his own assault.

Camara was hit and kicked by a cruel mob with the video of the incident sparking outrage online. Camara said in the video it’s UDP supporters who attacked him.

But according to police on Thursday, Camara assaulted Fatou Badjie ‘which resulted to his attack by Dominic Mendy and Abdourahman Sey’.

“Investigations led to the arrest of one Dominic  Mendy and Abdourahman Sey both Gambian nationals.

“Further investigations into the matter revealed that Ousman Camara assaulted a lady in the name of Fatou Badjie which resulted to his attack by Dominic Mendy and Abdourahman Sey.

“Ousman Camara (James), Abdourahman Sey and Dominic Mendy are all charged accordingly and appropriate actions will follow,” police said.

By Lamin Njie

Businessman Alasan Ceesay has been ruled personally responsible for 19.2 million dalasis owed to food import giant EMKAY Stores.

EMKAY Stores dragged Ceesay and his Rahma Gambia Ltd to court last year over a 19.2 million dalasis debt. Ceesay and his company Rahma Gambia Limited took thousands of drums of oil and thousands of bags of USA and Pakistani broken rice from EM KAY Stores worth 21,210,000 dalasis but failed to pay within two weeks of taking delivery of any consignment, a complaint by lawyers for EM KAY Stores said last year.

The lawsuit was based on an agreement that was struck on June 4, 2020 between Ceesay, his Rahma company and EM KAY Stores which saw an advance payment of two million dalasi by Ceesay and his company referred in the agreement as the ‘Traders’.

Lawyers for EMKAY Stories filed their lawsuit against the businessman and his company in August of last year.

And in a December 8, 2020 ruling and judgment, Ceesay was held personally liable for the 19.2 million dalasis debt.

Ceesay’s lawyers on October 15, 2020 filed a motion before the high court asking the court to strike the case out for want of competence – where Ceesay’s name would be removed from the case because he was not a party to the agreement in his personal capacity. They insisted it’s Rahma Gambia Ltd that is a party.

But in a December 8, 2020 ruling and judgment, Justice Zainab Jawara Alami ruled Ceesay personally liable for the massive debt.

“I believe that the directing mind of the company (Rahma Gambia Ltd) is the 1st defendant (Alasan Ceesay) and he is also liable in this matter, the parties are properly before the court and there is no misjoinder,” Alami ruled. She has earlier held the nature and size of Rahma Gambia Ltd and the manner Ceesay transacted on its behalf is a proper case to ‘disregard’ the separate corporate personality legal principle.

In her judgment, Alami said: “Judgment is entered in the sum of D19,210,000 being the price of goods sold and supplied by the plaintiff to the defendants on credit at the request of the 1st defendant (Alasan Ceesay).

“Interest is awarded at the statutory rate of 4% from the date of judgment until date of payment.”

The judge awarded legal cost of D500,000 to be paid to EMKAY Stories.

The Fatu Network has gathered EMKAY Stories has still not been paid back its money nearly two months of the judgment.

By Ousman Jatta

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on nearly all sectors of the Gambian economy. Small industries such as the beauty industry continue to be affected.

Sohna Janha tells The Fatu Network the industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, from the closure of non-essential businesses to fear to people’s pockets becoming lighter.

“I have two shops one is at Lamin. I first started work in the hotel industry, after some time I said, I can no more for people that was when I decided to open my own beauty shop,” Sohna sitting in her other shop in Senegambia tells The Fatu Network.

With most businesses struggling as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has a story to tell.

‘I open this shop during the COVID period but since then businesses have not been moving for us as expected. We just come and sit for the whole day, sometimes we receive few, at times we go home empty handed,” she says.

Some believe that the pandemic did not come alone, it came with its lessons. Sohna has learnt a few things out of it.

“I think as far as covid-19 is concern their many lessons one could learn, if you used to depend on someone for money, when you no more receive money from that person it will seriously affect you,”  Sohna says.

The nation’s one-time top spy official Momodou Hydara has said killed Daba Marenah told them then-President Yahya Jammeh was accompanied by Mauritanian special forces amid the 2006 Ndure Cham coup.

Ndure Cham, the nation’s army chief, in March 2006 attempted to overthrow Jammeh while he was on a visit to Mauritania.

Testifying before the TRRC on Thursday, Momodou Hydara who is a former deputy director general of the NIA said the director general at the time Daba Marenah told them the president and his entourage returned to the country prepared.

Hydara said: “We later heard that the president is coming back home with the entourage. By then they said the safest place we can all meet is at the counter-terrorism unit because it was based in Bijilo.

“When we went there, we had a brief meeting to strategise issues since the president is coming and then this thing is going on. The president came, Daba came with him and we had a brief meeting at the counter-terrorism unit. We briefed him and he also briefed us that the soldiers will take care of everything.

“In fact in that meeting he made known to us that they were also prepared when they were coming. Because the Mauritanian special forces were onboard but they didn’t disembark.”

The Senegalese military has reportedly sacked three rebel bases in Casamance following an operation since January 26.

According to Senego, relying on RFI, the Senegalese army has for the past ten days been carrying out military security operations against the separatists of Casamance who have been fighting since 1982 for the independence of the southern region of Senegal.

Since the start of operations on January 26, there has been total silence, but according to Senego, RFI on Wednesday reported the army of Senegal stormed three independence bases after several hours of shelling.

The rebels reportedly fled their bases.

The military has commenced two critical fitness exercises for troops, Combat Fitness Test and Basic Fitness Test. The exercises began on Wednesday February 2.

The military said in a statement: “The Defence Headquarters Camp and the 1 Infantry Battalion Yundum Barracks on Wednesday 02 February 2021 commence CFT and BFT respectively.

“CFT is a form of test/examination each individual officer/soldier must undergo annually after crossing his/her Basic Fitness Test (BFT).

“This annual mandatory test is conducted in accordance with the Chief of Defence Staff’s Training Directives. It is done to assess the physical strength, agility, endurance and combat fitness of every serving member of GAF in the Khaki uniform. Passing this test shows the individual’s preparedness to shoulder any military activities he/she may be tasked to do.

“However, a precursor to this is a Basic Fitness Test (BFT) which involves running without carrying any gears for a total distance of 5km; 2.5km out & 2.5km back to start point. The 2.5km run back to the start point is timed within 10minutes for personnel from below 25 years of age. The timings allowed for passing the fitness test however varies in terms of age and gender. The running is one aspect of the BFT; Push-ups, Squats, Chin-ups and other physical exercises are also tested to assess the physical fitness of the Officer/Soldier of GAF.

“Unlike BFT, CFT is a 12km run (6km out/6km back) carrying individual rifles and a haversack weighing up to 15kg on the individual’s back. The Participating troops in Full Combat Order would run and route-march for the 12km with timings ranging from 1-1½hr depending on the unit conducting the Exercise.”