The ministry of health has revealed compliance over face mask is dwindling amid the country’s fight against the coronavirus.
The ministry in its latest report on the situation of the virus in the country said there is “dwindling compliance with mask-wearing requirements”.
According to the health ministry, there is need for “enforcement of the mandatory mask-wearing regulation”.
The ministry of health said today the country’s coronavirus fatalities have risen to 105 following the death of two people.
Two new COVID-19 related deaths have been registered bringing the total deaths to 105, the ministry said adding, while one of the deceased cases (male, aged 86) was a known COVID-19 patient admitted at the Sanatorium, the other (female, aged 70) was a patient in MRC’s suspected bay but died prior to the release of her COVID-19 test result.
Barring their advanced ages, both had no known comorbid condition, the ministry said.
The National Assembly’s decision to bar a great section of the media from covering the most awaited first reading of the “Constitution of The Republic of The Gambia 2020 Bill” is unwarranted, ill-advised and unreasonably justified, according to Dr Ismaila Ceesay.
Members of the media were on Monday stopped from covering proceedings at the national assembly.
Dr Ceesay said in a statement: “This move violates a core value of our democracy: press freedom. The media must be allowed to operate freely without fear or favor. Any decision to restrict its freedom is a threat to our new found democracy.
“The ability of journalists to report freely on matters of public interest is sacrosanct and a crucial indicator of our democracy. Any attempt to curtail media freedom in The Gambia will be met with the toughest resistance.
“We, in no uncertain terms, condemn this decision and strongly urge the Speaker of the House to reverse her stance and allow members of the press to cover the next sitting.”
I only hope the propagated and disturbing rumor in town that the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) has been compelled by our hopeless Security-Sector Reformers to forge a list of 1200 “undesirable soldiers”, predominantly from the Jola tribe-80% precisely-for dismissal is fake news.
It is evident that the strict condition laid by the 15-member ECOWAS regional block to the Gambia government for another extension of the mandate of ECOMIG in the country during their 57th extraordinary session at Niger on September 7 to 9, 2020, was the urgent need to speed-up the long-overdue Security Security Reform (SSR) dragging for almost four years now. Of course we all know that the SSR is an unachievable objective because of the falsehood on which it was conceived.
But that said, instead of explaining to the block that the process was stalled by the unexpected effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic that prematurely forced the hired “Toubab experts” solely relied upon for solution to go back home, they turned to the brain-dead Gambian specialists for rapid answers, no matter how dumb.
Yes, ECOWAS urgently needs something tangible as soon as possible irrespective of the absence of the “superior Toubabs” believed to only have the answers whereas our low IQ national security pundits have nothing to offer but to resort to shameless casteism on Jolas in uniform.
A similar unfair expulsion of Generals Modou Sowe ( GAF operation commander), M.A. Bah (interior minister), Musa Savage ( GAF state guard commander) and Sillah Kujabi (GAF navy commander) by the Barrow government in early 2017 based on no palpable criteria still remains a mystery especially when Generals Masaneh Kinteh (ambassador to Cuba and former GAF CDS), Yankuba Drammeh ( GAF Deputy CDS) and Mamat Cham (dismissed captain for 22 years, reinstated and promoted to general) were retained in the system.
Anyway for providing no reason at for those baffling firing and hiring, leaves me the only option of calling it partisanship.
But let’s say that that was then, when one would have assumed that irrational emotions dictated numerous stupid decisions from the new unschooled government; however, given the subsequent, discriminatory tendency of the TRRC against members of the Jola tribe, demonized for three consecutive years because former President Jammeh was a member, I could see the absurdity of weeding the Jola soldiers inherently influenced by such stigmatization. Because in my view what the Essa Faals have achieved in “prosecuting” the defenseless Jolas in particular at the TRRC implies a tribe that was during the APRC regime bent on no good intentions or activities towards the nation other than to support the systematic persecution, rape and execution of innocent Gambians on the orders and participation of the “Chief Jola”, former President Yahya Jammeh.
Essa could shed hypocritical tears in sympathy with a confessed serial murderer like Sana Sabally, immunized Alagie Kanyi and apologized to a confirmed torturer and murderer like Edward Singhateh who were left to go free with their gross-human rights violations and crimes only because of their Non-Jola heritage but any other Jola that could help in justifying the TRRC’s ill-conceived scheme of demonizing the Foni and Cassa-Based tribe had to be subjected to humiliation, harassment and possible punishment.
But the question is, where is this leading us as a nation in search of the truth for reconciliation when a 1000 soldiers, simple breadwinners are thrown in the streets in this global economic fallout from COVID-19 that has caused a recession last known in history during World-War Two? If this is not heartlessness on steroid, I don’t know what is.
It has also been rumored that Staff Sergeant Lamin Jarju the soldier who had asked at the TRRC the reason why the foreign-orchestrated-armed attacks on Farafenni and Kartong Barracks in 1996 and 1997 respectively where nine GAF soldiers were cold-bloodedly murdered was not part of the TRRC investigation is earmarked for dismissal. Again, I only wish it is a mere rumor and nothing factual about it. Yet still I believe he asked an honest question that was ridiculously answered; but if this fellow is fired for only asking that legitimate question then it will be fair to once again attribute such verdict to another quintessential victimization of another poor Jola young man.
If these rumored decisions of the government are true, I wish to appeal to both Presidents Adama Barrow and Mackey Sall to do whatever necessary to prevent their implementation. President Barrow may not have the capacity to see what I am driving at but I believe President Sall should, since the latter is zealously involved in the Gambia’s security organization and maintenance. Trust me, continuing to persecute members of the Jola tribe in the armed forces is a very bad idea with potentials of grave consequences.
Let’s for once get this straight folks, JOLA LIVES MATTER.
I rest my case.
Thanks for reading.
SAMSUDEEN SARR
BANJUL, THE GAMBIA
Nightclubs and places of worship are some of the places that have been linked to COVID-19 outbreaks around the world, according to the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom.
Speaking on Monday at the Regional Committee of the WHO European Region, Tedros warned countries against embarking of reopening their economies before putting the necessary health measures in place to avoid a resurgence of infections.
He outlined some measures that countries ought to take before reopening their economies and borders safely.
“First, prevent amplifying events,” said Tedros. “All around the world, explosive outbreaks have been linked to gatherings at stadiums, nightclubs, places of worship and other crowds.”
Earlier this year, many countries around the world banned public gatherings following their COVID-19 outbreaks, including places of worship, nightclubs, weddings and funerals. Some countries later eased the restrictions as they sought to strike a balance between health safety and economic survival.
In his address on Monday, Tedros also called upon countries to protect the vulnerable, educate communities on the pandemic and also continue observing health guidelines laid out to curb the spread of the virus.
“Persist with the public health basics: find, isolate, test and care for cases, and trace and quarantine their contacts,” he said.
The WHO chief urged countries to take lessons from the current pandemic to ensure they are better prepared to tackle any future health crises.
“We have a shared responsibility to our children and our children’s children to leave the world better prepared for the next pandemic,” he said. (CGTN Africa)
The leadership of Gambia Press Union has travelled to the National Assembly to engage the authorities to give access to all the media houses interested in covering the proceedings.
“This is in reaction to the disturbing information from reporters on the ground that only certain media outlets are allowed entry into the Assembly,” GPU said in a statement.
The union added: “While that discussion is ongoing, we wish to make it clear that the GPU was not involved or aware of any plan or communication to limit the number of media outlets covering the such an important National Assembly proceeding today. We could not have been involved in any such discriminatory scheme.
“We are of course aware that because of the physical distancing arrangements in the gallery at the National Assembly, the number of people to be admitted would be limited.
“However, in such instances, what would have been the most ideal thing is to have prior discussion with all media houses, particularly those that constantly cover the Assembly sessions, to make sure all are accommodated somehow.
“Meanwhile, the outcome of the discussion with the Assembly authorities will be communicated in due course.”
Halifa Sallah on Monday warned the National Assembly’s integrity would be questioned over its decision refusing most of the nation’s media from covering its sessions.
Reporters complained outside the National Assembly on Monday after they were told only GRTS, QTV and EyeAfrica were allowed to cover the sessions. Halifa Sallah was with the reporters to find out what was going on.
“Honourable Speaker the reason why I entered just now is because outside we have journalists claiming that the National Assembly has discriminated them by giving a right to certain media houses to cover the sessions of the national assembly especially the state media and discriminated against the private media and Honourable Speaker the National Human Rights Commission is established precisely to eradicate violation of fundamental rights and freedoms,” Mr Sallah quickly told the speaker of the House as the sessions began.
He insisted further: “We should not allow this national assembly to be associated with any history that will show that we are discriminating anyone. So Honourable Speaker I want to make a motion that the decision that has been made to be annulled, and another decision to be made by you right away to allow those media houses outside the gates to come in and we place them wherever they should in order to be able to observe the distancing that is necessary. If we fail to do that Honourable Speaker, the integrity of the national assembly will be questioned.”
The speaker told Mr Sallah: “Honourable Member, with all due respect I have taken your observation but I don’t think it is fair to force me to take a decision immediately. I cannot accede to that request. It’s something that we will take note of and we will consult with the Office of the Clerk…”
By Jaka Ceesay Jaiteh
Members of the press were today denied access to the National Assembly to cover the much-awaited tabling of the new draft constitution.
The Minister of Justice is expected to table a Bill today seeking to repeal the 1997 Constitution and replacing it with a new constitution.
Members of the media were however denied access to the national assembly; only three media institutions of GRTS, QTV and Eye Africa TV were given access to cover the historical event.
Reporters from various media institutions gathered outside the National Assembly building as they demand explanation.
Kemessen Sanneh a journalist expressed his disappointment as he believes that this is a sign of discrimination. He also blames the ministry of communication and The Gambia Press Union for not taking any action regarding the matter.
“This is a state event and all media institutions should be allowed to make reporting. It is a discriminatory act that has been carried out,” he said.
He added that the National Assembly should have taken necessary steps in organizing today’s event due to Covid 19.
“We have been covering events at the National Assembly since March and we have been taking all the required measures for Covid 19,” he said.
Another reporter by the name Abdoulai Gibril Dibba, Foroyaa FM radio insisted this type of scenarios should have stopped at the Jammeh regime.
“The current government were complaining of injustice against the media during the previous government but it is the same injustice that we and now witnessing in the media today,” he said.
Gambia Press Union official Lamin Jahateh said GPU was not aware of the incident.
“If the GPU was aware that only few media houses will be selected, we would have recommended that they allow one main media institutions to do the coverage and then give access to other media institutions for footages,” he said.
Mr Jahateh further added that the GPU will not let any discrimination or injustice be faced by members of the media.
The GPU however state that they would involve the relevant authorities responsible for what had happened to prevent its kind from reoccurring.
Gambians should start questioning this government’s seriousness towards the security sector reform or even ask President Adama Barrow whether he is comfortable with the presence of foreign forces?
Many Gambians are beginning to worry that this could be another lost opportunity for The Gambia .
It was yet again disappointing listening to Barrow begging Ecowas to extend Ecomig forces stay in the country, directly telling the whole world his administration has failed in its reform agenda. What a disappointment?
Nothing has been put in place to demonstrate that any progress had been made towards the security sector reform.
By asking for the extension of the Ecomig mandate, it shows that Barrow has no clue in how to address the security challenges.
His failed leadership is demonstrated in our fragile democracy. I think Barrow should have told his fellow African leaders his inability to lead this country to the promised land.
Not only the reforms but all sectors of government are crumbling.
The culture of corruption in gov’t is also a cause for concern.
Yes, under Jammeh, the security was politicised but they were performing but what are we seeing under Barrow?
The security sector is in a mess and hopeless state.
Our securities are left in a state of uncertainty they don’t even know whether they worth anything at all in a country they were supposed to provide security .
Barrow is a good lesson for Gambians and I hope they will avoid re-electing him as president in 2021.
Gambia wake up, Barrow is holding this country on siege.
MC Cham Jnr
GDC National Youth President
By Lamin Njie
Associates of businessman Nandkishore Rajwani, the managing director of EMKAY Stores have praised the businessman over his contribution towards the development of the Gambian economy – as they pushed back at claims foreign investors are not willing to compete with the natives.
Scores of Gambians have insisted that a foreigner cabal have seized various sectors of the Gambian economy and are bent on destorying any Gambian that tries to compete for supremacy.
The review comes amid a rowdy court battle between EMKAY Stores and Alasan Ceesay and his Rahma Gambia Limited company.
Mr Ceesay through the PR agency that works for him had also told The Fatu Network that “as a Gambian-owned business, when our client ventured into the food and commodities business – a sector dominated by non-Gambians, it expected a strong pushback and resistance from the current market players”.
“What we did not expect though is that anybody will go as low as fabricating falsehood and unfounded allegations just to achieve that,” Picasso Global Communications had said.
Musa Jawneh, the man who has been accused of leaking the story of Alasan Ceesay to The Fatu Network while responding to the claims said he has been with Mr Rajwani for 25 years and knows him to be a good man.
“He is a hardworking man who has helped a lot of Gambians and has sponsored a lot of companies,” Jawneh said.
He added: “Myself I have three companies and more than 20 staff are working in each company. I’m also into rice importation.
“I am a witness to Mr Rajwani giving goods to people to the tune of more than what he gave to Alasan.
“But Alasan took his goods and there is law in the country. There is no truth in all the claims that there is a conspiracy against Gambians.”
Samba Batch Njie whose father is prominent late Gambian businessman Modou Musa Njie said: “I want the truth to come out. It’s the jealousy. How can you have a mafia? In what sense?
“I have been with this man for 30 years. He loves this country and he is among the people who are developing this country in terms of jobs. He has lived in this country for 30 years and he has helped a lot of people.
“They are entitled to their opinion but here is a man who gave a Gambian an opportunity by trusting him with his goods, so that he (Gambian) too can make his profit.
“Any foreigner that comes into the country would have to use Gambians to start but that doesn’t mean the Gambians conspire with them to destroy their fellow Gambians.”
Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe has toured what’s left of a storey-building after it collapsed Saturday leaving people injured.
A statement on Banjul City Council Facebook page Sunday said: “After receiving the sad news about a storey-building that collapsed @ Hagan_ Anglesea junction in Banjul leaving some people injured.
“Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe and team visited the family involved in the incident and sympathised with them. She then went to the site to have first hand information about what happened.
“This is very sad and I urge the authorities responsible(ie Department of Physical Planning) to be more careful in the way of issuing and controlling of building permits in the City for residential purposes, and to be constantly inspecting all the old buildings, inorder to avoid such disaster; she said. However warehouses shouldn’t be erected in residential areas of the City; she concluded.”
The Gambia has had many towering giants in the area of Islamic scholarship and preaching (da’wah); the late Sheikh Omar Jarjusey stands out as one of the finest we have ever seen in this field of human endeavour.
Sheikh Omar Jarjusey commonly known as Jarjusey is a native of Jarra soma. He was born in 1925 in Soma. He did most parts of his early education in Jarra Bureng. His father’s name is Foday Sona Jarjusey and his mother Aja Bintou Ceesay. He started his education in local Islamic schools called (karanta or Majlis) in Jarra Bureng. It was from the Majlis where he started learning the Quran and sunnah before starting his journey in search of knowledge which took him five years before reaching his destination, Saudi Arabia.
In the early 1950s he began his journey to the Saudi Arabia in order to seek knowledge to be able to pursue his dreams of propagating Islam. He is among the first Gambians who walked all the way to mecca with on foot in search of knowledge.
Along the way he was engaged in farming and other trades at every stop he had in order to gather some money to continue to his destination. He passed through Sudan, before arriving in Saudi Arabia. He had his first stop in Casamance in a village called Tamba Kunda where he gathered some funds and continued his journey.
Sheikh Jarjusey finally arrived at his destination after five years of hardship. Upon reaching Saudi Arabia, he found out that the norm during those days was to work for a year before starting studies in order to feed yourself during your studies. He studied Shariati Islamia for five years. During those days there was no formal schooling, students converged in the ‘Haram’ (surroundings of the Kaaba) in order to take lectures.
There was no formal system and no certificates were given in those days. It was in a form of a Majlis where Islamic principles were taught. Upon completion of his five years of studying Islam, he was advised by one of his senior lecturers called ‘Mufti’ to further spread the message of Islam in The Gambia.
Upon his return in 1958, he established majlis in different parts of the country, where thousands of Gambians learned about the Quran and sunnah. He toured the length and breadth of this country to spread the word of Islam. Many majlis schools were created in every village that he visited in this country which were later turned to be Arabic schools.
He was a member of the famous Islamic union with its headquarters in Talinding Arabic Institute, which was formed in 1953. Jarjusey, being the force behind the union, they were able to build about one hundred and sixty schools across the country.
The union secured scholarships for many people in the country to further their education. He was the supervisor and advisor to the executive committee of the union. Among other things, they built mosques in different parts of the country. He regularly conducted annual supervision missions throughout the country since in the 80s up to his demise in 2014 in making sure those schools were well equipped with qualified teachers. According to his close associates, Jarjusey was never ready to take a break or rest while in the service of Islam even when he fell sick. He believed that it is a task upon him that must be executed.
He was not only a member of the Islamic Union but almost all the Islamic associations in the country which includes the supreme Islamic council and AMANA.
Jarjusey spent the whole of his life in teaching and preaching about the fundamental principles of Islam in every nook and cranny of The Gambia. He is well known for his bravery, and selfless service in defending the words of Allah. Being an Arabic teacher and a supervisor for over three decades at Tallinding Arabic institute, he nurtured thousands of students to become experts in their various fields. He transformed that institution into a formidable and well-structured institution that is well known for excellence.
During his tenure as supervisor of the main Arabic Institute, it produced numerous distinguished scholars and experts in all walks of life. Amongst his students are Dr. Baba Ceesay and Dr. Jawla, both university lecturers; and the current imam of Guinea Bissau’s main mosque is said to have been his student. Some of his students are teaching in the Gambia college’s Islamic sections.
Jarjusey was a man with rare talents whose passion for promoting Islamic education was exemplary . He was an icon among our Arabic/Islamic scholars and his contribution towards Islamic studies in The Gambia is awe-inspiring. He led an eventful life striving so hard to better the lives of thousands of Gambians. He devoted the whole of his life to the service of Allah, may his soul rest in peace.
Basiru O. Ceesay
By Madi Jobarteh
The legal advisers of Pres. Barrow must guide him to know, first and foremost, that he needs to obtain the approval of the National Assembly to bring, maintain and extend the presence of foreign forces in the Gambia. The Constitution states in Section 79(1)(c) that while it is the responsibility of the President to negotiate treaties and other international agreements, the conclusion of such negotiation is subject to the approval of the National Assembly.
The presence of foreign forces in the Gambia is a matter of international agreement. Hence the President must follow the constitutional requirements to make such agreements stand. Therefore, the decision by ECOWAS leaders to extend ECOMIG’s stay in the Gambia cannot stand until Barrow takes the decision to the National Assembly to seek their approval first. Failure to do so would be unconstitutional hence the presence of ECOMIG in the country would also be a violation of the Constitution which is enough grounds to impeach the President.
One would have thought that Pres. Barrow would have the good sense to first go to the National Assembly to seek their approval before going to ask ECOWAS to maintain ECOMIG in this country. That would have been a demonstration of a sense of responsibility, respect for the National Assembly and submission to the dictates of the Constitution thereby enhancing the good governance of the country. But disappointingly, Barrow failed to do the responsible thing.
Secondly I find no justification why ECOMIG should continue to remain in this country. There is no security issue of any kind to justify their continued presence. Rather ECOMIG’s presence undermines the security sector reform thereby endangering national security as a whole. The evidence of that lie in the fact that until now no security agency has reformed to any satisfactory level. Therefore, I totally disagree with the President when he told ECOWAS leaders that disarmament and demobilization of troops was an issue in the Gambia. I disagree with him further when he also said that the security sector reform process is ongoing.
Disarmament and demobilization take place in a country that underwent actual armed conflict or civil war in which the national army was shattered with armed civilians and rebel groups all over the place and guns littering the space. This kind of situation has never been our experience in the Gambia. There is no situation where small arms are scattered around the country in people’s hands as it was in Sierra Leone or Liberia which went through an actual civil war. Even with the impasse, the Gambia army remained intact as one body. Some soldiers did flee immediately the Tyrant left but they never posed a threat as there was never an attempted incursion from 2017 to date. Therefore, what justification does Pres. Barrow has to speak about disarmament and demobilization.
What is obvious is that both the political leadership and the military/security leadership of this country are not interested in security sector reforms. This is why apart from promotions of officers the very structure, culture and modus operandi of the military, police, intelligence and prisons among others remained essentially the same as before. Therefore Pres. Barrow needs to be honest and take the necessary leadership to insist on his security chiefs to make reforms a reality.
It is almost four years now since Barrow took office and still there is no review of the Police Act, the NIA Act, the Prisons Act, the Immigration Act, Drug Control Act, the GRA Act or the Gambia Armed Forces Act. Security sector reform cannot kick off without first doing a review of the laws that established the security agencies in the first place. At the same time there has been no review of the state of affairs in the respective security agencies so as to understand their challenges, conditions of service, welfare and their needs. Such reviews are necessary to modernize and professionalize these institutions and bring them in line with international standards for security agencies in a democracy. It is this kind of assessments that will identify instances of corruption, abuse and weaknesses so that solutions are proffered.
I recall that it was in August 2017 that the Gambia Government established the security sector reforms steering committee comprising ministers and ambassadors of international partners. The committee went further to set up a 27-member technical working group which they said was meant to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the security and justice needs of the people and the state as the basis for the envisaged security sector reforms. Where is their report? What is the status of implementation? Clearly the reality indicates that no change has taken place so far.
Then in May 2019 the President appointed the former Minister of Justice Tambedou to become the new chair of this steering committee of ministers and ambassadors. Tambedou had since left yet no one hears about what this steering committee had done or is doing. Apart from that, we also have the Office of the National Security. Nowadays, one hardly hears about that office or what it is doing. Therefore, how can Pres. Barrow stand before his colleagues to tell them that his Government is undertaking security sector reforms? More seriously, why would Pres. Barrow generate self-inflicting fears, imaginary scenarios and false information just to try to convince ECOWAS of the need for ECOMIG’s continued and unconstitutional presence in the Gambia?
I wish to therefore call on the President to withdraw his baseless intention to maintain ECOMIG in the Gambia. Rather he needs to go to the National Assembly to respectfully inform them that he has canceled the presence of foreign forces in our country. For that matter the Pres. Barrow should undertake security sector reforms more vigorously with seriousness knowing full well that the presence of foreign forces undermines his connection with his troops and his ability to perform his duties as the Commander-In-Chief. He needs to hold security chiefs by the neck to ensure that they deliver on reforms ASAP!
Failure to do so, I urge the National Assembly to summon the President under Section 77(2) to put it to him that they do not approve of the presence of ECOMIG and order him to make sure that ECOMIG leaves the shores of the Gambia within 30 days. Failure to do so means the National Assembly is also reneging on its duties with great harm to the Republic.
The need and urgency for security sector reforms cannot be overemphasized. This is because the whole game of Dictatorship was about violence and fear in which security agencies are at the centre and front. Hence the transformation of the Gambia from Dictatorship to Democracy will be grossly inadequate so long as our security agencies are not transformed toward and in line with democratic norms and standards. Anyone who downplays security sector reforms will only serve to maintain the Gambia as a Dictatorship. The slow, if not the lack of security sector reforms so far is precisely the reason why this country cannot still witness system change, hence in our inability to bring about true democracy and good governance.
As citizens we must all raise our voices to demand both the President and the National Assembly to stand for the national interest by removing ECOMIG out of the Gambia ASAP.
For The Gambia Our Homeland
There was pandemonium in Banjul Saturday when a storey-building collapsed leaving some people injured.
Firefighters and members of the public raced to the Leman and Anglesea Streets area of Banjul where the incident happened.
The public relations officer of Banjul City Council ML Bah has promised to find out the facts about the incident.
A police officer has been given rice, cooking oil, onion and money after he helped a man recover his precious mobile phone.
Police said a ‘groundbreaking’ investigation led to the recovery of Sulayman Cham’s $1,400 mobile phone. The phone contains the Assistant System Analyst at the ministry of Basic and Secondary Education’s information useful to his work, according to police.
Mr Cham Presented 3 Bags of rice, 3 Bags of onions, 2 Gallons of 20L cooking oil and cash amount of D10, 000, in recognition of the professionalism and diligence of IPO Amadou Sanyang of the Bakoteh CID, police said in a statement on its Poliso Magazine Facebook page. The items were presented to the officer through the IGP’s office.
Two new COVID-19 related deaths have been registered bringing the total deaths to 102, the health ministry said today.
Samples from the newly deceased cases (both male) were collected and tested posthumously, the ministry said.
It comes as the ministry also said 14 new cases have been registered taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 3,376.
The Minister of Health on Friday afternoon lauded the ‘great’ role of the First Family in the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to State House.
State in a press release on Saturday said Dr Ahmadou Samateh made this remark at the State House as he took delivery of laboratory and sanitary equipment from First Lady Sarjo Mballow-Barrow.
He said the leadership shown by the family in these challenging moments for the population was strategic in mobilising funds, equipment, medical and food supplies for needy families since the country registered its first COVID 19 case in March this year, according to the press release.
The release continued: “He therefore thanked First Lady Sarjo Mballow-Barrow for her personal efforts in this cause.
“She was handing over materials donated through her to the health sector. These according to the Health Minister were timely as national efforts intensify to bring both infection and mortality figures to a minimum.”
Dr Samateh said, according to State House: “There should be no room for complacency. All safety measures should continue. Etiquettes on personal hygiene must continue. Hence the donated equipment will enhance those measures to help reduce the spread of the virus.”
Speaking on behalf of First Lady Sarjo Mballow-Barrow, Deputy Youth Adviser to the President, Mr Saihou Mballow thanked Mr Hagi Karaga for his contribution to the government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19, the release said.
“Government continues to fight this invincible global enemy called COVID-19. We are fighting very hard and with the help of private citizens like Mr Karaga, we shall triumph over it,” Mballow said, according to State House’s release.
The equipment will be taken to the Central Medical Stores and an inventory kept, before an assessment will determine which heath facilities will benefit from them.
Citizens’ Alliance insisted today a continued and indefinite presence of foreign forces in our country entrenches a caricature of perception about our sovereignty as well as its impacts on the morale of our national security forces.
A statement by the party read:
“At the recently concluded 57th Ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Niamey, Niger, President Adama Barrow requested for an extension of the mandate of the ECOWAS Military Stabilization Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG). This mandate legally ended on 30th June 2020 after a series of extensions prolonged the term of these West African troops, present in The Gambia since January 2017. President Barrow justified his request citing the reforms underway and the need to protect the fragile democracy in The Gambia.
“Citizens’ Alliance is greatly concerned with the slow pace of the reforms cited by President Adama Barrow at the ECOWAS Niamey summit. CA believes that the President’s request for another extension of the ECOMIG’s term could have been avoided if Adama Barrow and his government meant business in undertaking genuine, substantive, and expedited reforms, including the Security Sector Reform. Almost four years into post Yahya Jammeh’s regime, Gambians should have been talking about ECOMIG’s exit strategy instead of an extension of its stay in our country. We encourage the Government of The Gambia to engage Gambian experts both within and outside the country if they need assistance.
“Citizens’ Alliance once again thank ECOWAS and E.U for genuinely supporting The Gambia. The presence of ECOMIG troops in our country is paid for by the European Union through the African Peace Facility, with a mandate to ensure the stability of our country as it transitions from dictatorship to democracy.
“Citizens’ Alliance however believes that a continued and indefinite presence of foreign forces in our country entrenches a caricature of perception about our sovereignty as well as its impacts on the morale of our national security forces.
“CA therefore urges President Adama Barrow’s government to expedite the SSR process and work with stakeholders to implement the validated national documents such as the National Security Policy, the National Security Strategy, and the Security Sector Reform Strategy. To give substance to the security reform, CA invites The Gambia government to ratify all legal instruments relating to Human Rights in order to consolidate national efforts aimed at safeguarding security and the rights of The Gambian people.
“CA fully supports the ongoing process of finalizing the draft constitution and further urges the government of The Gambia to expedite the submission of this document to the popular will of Gambians upon completion of its legislative review.
“To ensure peace and stability, CA encourages the government of The Gambia to develop an inclusive process with stakeholders such as the Inter-Party Committee (IPC), the civil society and the press to support the implementation of the A.U instruments relating to elections, democracy and good governance, with a view to preparing the ground for holding credible, free and transparent elections in 2021.”
Where is The Gambia heading to? As food and other basic amenities continue to skyrocket with citizens not seeing any solution being taken by the government to address the looming hardship.
Is the government turning a blind eye and deaf ears to this venom trying to plunge hardship on the lives of the public?
It’s worrying and perplexing seeing Gambia still stagnated in development for over five decades. All what the citizens hear from their duty-bearers is talk- talk -talk with no implementational action to bring those promises into reality! All is loud-mouth. Big talks and no action! And I hope this game must stop.
One would doubt the honesty of our governments of these decades – with little over 2 million people and still now half of the population live in abject poverty! Not this issue can be kept silent in any heart of any citizen who really cares for the future of his/her country. Not me and I hope not you also.
Fuel price and food prices are skyrocketing, electricity and water bills are no-go arena to talk about as NAWEC’s continues so erratic in supplying power to the public on a daily basis. Any yet, we haven’t seen any step taken by the government of the country in addressing this venom peering into the country, given the fact that more than half of its population live below the World poverty line.
But the scariest issue about this issue is the skyrocketing of basic food commodities – which comes at a time the coronavirus has grounded progress of the World economy, disrupting operations of businesses, and forcing tens of thousands out of job – many of whom are the breadwinners of their families.
The government should know better than anyone that many of those who were laid off in their various workplaces live from hand-to-mouth. So, wouldn’t it be very disturbing for prices on commodities like food and other essential things to life to be rising?
Can you imagine, two roasted bonga fish costs 50 dalasis and not talking about other commodities which no one can survive in life without food. I hope the government would quickly take measures in addressing the problems facing the public sooner.
The writer, Adama Makasuba, is a Gambian journalist.
