Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Home Blog Page 417

President Barrow reveals he turned to ‘my brother’ Macky Sall over coronavirus

0

President Adama Barrow has said he has turned to President Macky Sall of Senegal for the nation to tap from Senegal’s experience in managing the coronaviru pandemic.

COVID-19 has overwhelmed us as a population; infection numbers are surging beyond our expectations and within a short period of time. Hence I turned to my brother, President Macky Sall, to tap from Senegal’s experience in managing the pandemic,” Barrow said on Saturday while meeting with four top health officials of Senegal, according to a State Hosue statement.

According to the statement, President Adama Barrow said as leaders they are responsible and accountable to the people, thus urged the health professionals to take the lead to provide expert advice that will guide them as politicians to make informed policy decisions on the COVID -19 response mechanisms.

The officials were sent by President Sall and their visit came as a result of the decision of the two Heads of State to facilitate for the Health Experts of the two countries to share experiences as well as for the Senegalese to consult on possible partnership and support to the COVID -19 response in The Gambia, according to State House’s statement Saturday evening.

The statement added: “President Barrow said there are valuable lessons to learn about the Coronavirus situation from each country.

“The Senegalese Director of Health Emergency Operations, Dr. Abdoulaye Busso, who spoke to the press corps after the audience described Gambian laboratories as “very good capacity laboratories” at MRC and National Health Laboratory under Department of Public Health.

“They visited these labs and other treatment centres to exchange ideas and hold discussions with their Banjul counterparts on how to effectively collaborate and coordinate their efforts between Banjul and Dakar.

“President Barrow expressed delight at the quick response from his Senegalese counterpart, President Macky Sall in dispatching such a team without much formalities, which he said, raised his confidence in their brotherhood as two nations but one people. The President described the gesture as representing “true bond of bilateral friendship” never before enjoyed by Banjul and Dakar.

“Furthermore, he said, their friendly relationship also presents an opportunity for the two governments to work together for the eternal benefits of their two peoples.

“Senegal’s COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Prof. Moussa Seydi, the Director of Health Emergency Operations, Dr. Abdoulaye Busso; the General Administrator of Institut Pasteur of Dakar, Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall, are among other high profile experts on the Coronavirus Pandemic led to the State House by the Senegalese Ambassador to The Gambia, Mr. Bachirou Sene.”

A Senegalese paper had earlier this month reported The Gambia has sought for help from Senegal over the coronavirus pandemic, only for government officials to dismiss the report as false.

 

Four top Senegalese health experts visit Gambia for three days over coronavirus

0

By Fatou Camara II

Four top Senegalese health experts are visiting the country for three days meant to enhance collaboration and sharing of experience over the fights against Covid-19.

According to notes by the government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh, the officials are from Pasteur Institute (Director of the Reference Lab for West Africa), Fan Hospital Infectious Disease Unit, Hospital Principal, and Public Health Emergency Centre of Senegal.

The officials’ visit comes amid reports by Senegalese media The Gambia alongside Mauritania have asked Senegal for help over coronavirus pandemic. Government officials have however dismissed the reports as false.

Held Perai elders’ arson case was mentioned at Basse M’Court then transferred to Basse H’Court – Sources

0

The arson case of nine elders of Perai Tenda being detained at Janjangbureh prison was mentioned at Basse Magistrates Court and then transferred the high court in Basse, according to sources.

The people of Perai in URR have been railing at the continued detention of their elders; this sparked a petitition by the people of the village to the Inspector General of Police demanding the release of the elders.

Youth of Perai Tenda and Waliba Kunda squared off on July 5 over a land which both villages claim ownership of. Many were injured during the violence which saw machetes, knives and sticks deployed. The elders were arrested and detained shortly after.

Sources have now told The Fatu Network the case of the elders was first mentioned at the Magistrates Court in Basse where it was transferred to the high court there for trial.

The country’s top courts are however on vacation but sources say an attorney for the suspects have filed a bail application and hearing for bail could take place as early as next week.

SAMSUDEEN SARR – OPINION: My Take in the Mali regime change

Having been inundated by demands from friends to sound my opinion in the current political situation in Mali, I decided to abort my initial intention of waiting for the next African Spring in Ivory Coast or perhaps the next in Guinea Conakry before finally echoing my next prediction. Oh yes, my view about the situation in Mali is not about playing Monday morning quarterback to confuse clueless followers or readers by merely dissecting what should have, could have or would have but about telling my readers that ‘I told you so that the Malians will do it’ a day before the people came out to change their government with the help of the army. Realistically, that’s what all good armies must do under such circumstances.

Whereas I used to wholeheartedly condemn military coups because of their recurrent upshot of the leaders sooner or later betraying the expectations or aspirations of the masses that initially supported them, I no longer subscribe to such generalizations of military intervention in so-called “democratically elected governments”. I am now convinced that coups or better put, military interventions in elected governments that betray the aspirations of the electorate and bend on corrupting their national institutions and constitutions to remain and justify their indefinite clinging to power deserve to be ousted especially when the masses can no longer tolerate them. Otherwise, radical elements could resort to exploiting such impasses for extreme measures aimed at destabilizing the nations just for the heck of spoiling things for everybody. Coups, as far as I am concern now, will remain a part of African political change until we have honest political leaders representing the interest of the people in general and not that of a greedy few functioning under the dictates of foreign masters.

I strongly believe that if the Mali military had remained indifferent to the demands of the overwhelming majority of the population, the threat of the “Jihadists in the North” to disrupt the society, the main excuse France deploying over 4000 of their troops in the country, could have on the same logic succeeded. Because, after all, regardless of the massive presence of foreign troops including over 15,000 UN peacekeepers and the French Foreign legion forces, France’s most elite combatants, the Malian soldiers do most of the dirty fighting against the “Jihadists” under the most appalling working conditions. They have frequently complained about being underpaid, under-equipped and marginalized while the foreign troops enjoy every imaginable luxury with minimal input in the national crisis. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Essentially, if the Mali Army had to stop fighting today the “Jihadists” will most likely disrupt the political, economic and social stability of the country and perhaps turn the nation into another Libya where foreign powers will only sponsor mercenaries and local militias to protect their investments of exploiting the natural resources of the country.

What most people don’t understand about the economic importance of land-lock Mali to the West in general or to France in particular is that the country has the fourth largest gold deposits in Africa with European investors, bankers and even politicians investing heavily in stocks from various mining companies strewn all over the country with guaranteed safety and protection from France.

In the wake of the ongoing crisis, only Barrick Gold (ABX. To), the biggest miners report minimal effect on the value of their shares in the world market with only 2.7% drop; but to name few more, Resolute Mining, (BTO.To) went down 11.7%, Hummingbird 9.4%, B2 Gold fell 8.8% and Cora Gold 9.3%.

In 2019 alone, gold output from Mali rose to 71.1 tonnes, translating into government revenue in excess of $700,000,000.00.

All these companies go through France to secure mining rights in Mali like all foreign investors do in Francophone African nations still under the Neo-Colonial occupation of the French. Hence contrary to the conventional wisdom that France’s inclination to willing and indefinitely deploy the best of their troops in large numbers with all the expensive logistical support in Francophone African nations is about preventing Islamist or Jihadist expansionism or just being nice to their former colonies, the indisputable reality is about protecting their economic interest, nothing more and nothing less.

Apparently, the French will maintain control of these Neo-Colonial nations because their economic lives depend on them.

I wonder how the Malians are going to wriggle out of it and vote a president insulated to finally break the umbilical cord which will eventually happen in order for these sorry countries to emerge from their self-inflicted poverty and misery, but to reach that promised land they must be prepared for a tough and deadly uphill struggle.

Leaders who tried it in the past had their regimes changed or had paid dearly with their lives. Captain Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, is still a typical example of a Francophone Neo-Colonial West African leader who in 1987 tried to cut the French colonial “umbilical cord” and paid his life and that of his government for attempting.

In one of his attempts to square with France over how the natural resources of Ivory Coast were unfairly exploited by France at the detriment of the Ivorian economy, former President Laurent Gbagbo explained how since colonial days they had in place an arrangement where France will always enjoy 85% of their natural resources while the Ivorians only settled for 15%.

It is an arrangement with most former French colonies in Africa excluding the $500 billion dollars they must deposit annually to France’s central bank for safekeeping.

Anyway according to President Gbagbo, his downfall emanated from the French inciting the Muslims in Ivory Coast and dragged their country into politics of religion when he insisted on a 50-50 share of their resources with them, a novel arrangement that would have brought about huge economic growth to his country and of course a dent in the French economy.

What an irony! In Ivory Coast, the French supported the Muslims who throughout the history of French colonialism were marginalized because the Christians all the time played along with the colonial agenda but when Christian Gbagbo made an attempt to liberate his people from them they embraced a Muslim-Puppet Outtarra, armed and supported his rebel militia and changed the regime to maintain the Neo-Colonial status quo.

I bet the French would have eagerly supported an Islamic state in Mali, if the Islamists or Jihadists in Mali were to guarantee them the liberty to continuously control Mali’s gold and other natural resources.

Just take a good look at what is happening in Libya and tell me what exactly these foreign powers believe in.

It might however be because of the horrible and unforeseen effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or of just the right time at last for the African Spring coming out of the global contemporaneous enlightenment, but it looks like the days of African puppeteering to France and the institutional and constitutional corruption by their chosen politicians is coming to an end, an unstoppable phenomenon to finally liberated Africa, economically.

The exploitation that started since the 1885 balkanization of the continent at the infamous Berlin Conference has to end before Africa can catchup with the rest of the world.

In short, I therefore support the military interventions in Mali, a country that was heading to unpredictable chaos and possible anarchy with no reasonable solution in sight but only amateur puppets peddling unacceptable resolutions; nonetheless, I also hope that the soldiers listen to reasoning and work towards realizing the aspiration of the Malian people and not to be corrupted by any foreign or domestic forces.

The international threat of sanctions or blockade is meaningless as long as the European mining companies are there protecting their stocks in the world market. If the Malian economy tanks, some prominent European investors and banks will go bankrupt; this is beyond our dumb ECOWAS leaders threatening to use military force. The invasion of Mali to reinstate former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita will doubtlessly end most regimes in the subregion. They know that but are just bluffing out of fear of facing the same predicament because of the same color and shape of feathers they wear like Keita’s. They are also bothered by their ineptitude in failing to fulfill France’s expectations in this particular case.

Long live the “African Spring”.

SAMSUDEEN SARR

BANJUL, THE GAMBIA

LEBANON: Alaeldin family makes one-and-half hours trip to meet Gambian girls seeking help to return home

0

The AlaeIdin family on Saturday met with some women who are part of a group of 54 Gambian women living in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

The Alaeldin family, owners of Alaeldin restaurant, made a trip that last for nearly one hour and thirty minutes. They were able to Mariama Ceesay and Fatou Seine.

The Alaeldin family are Gambians who are currently in Lebanon.

The Fatu Network has gathered 35 of the women are scheduled to return to The Gambia after the ministry of foreign affairs issued them emergency passports.

The Alaeldin family’s visit to the girls comes two days after the girls staged a protest in front of the Gambian consulate in Beirut to demand assistance to return home.

They have been accused of vandalising the consulate but the girls have denied the allegations.

 

Coronavirus disease kills three taking deaths to 84 – but cases fall as only 36 are registered

0

Three new COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded bringing the total number of deaths to 84, the ministry of health said on Friday.

According to the ministry, samples from all three deceased cases (3 males and 1 female) were collected posthumously.

“Out of the 4 posthumous sample results received, 3 returned positive and 1 tested negative for COVID-19. the median age, at death, of the deceased cases is 52 years (range: 20 to 52 years),” the ministry said.

It comes as the ministry said 36 new cases registered, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 2,437.

Malang’s chance arrives: Hardworking officer Malang Camara decorated after his promotion to SI rank

0

The Inspector General of Police Alhagi Mamour Jobe and DIGP Abdoulie Sanyang on Friday had the honour and pleasure of decorating Sergeant Malang Camara of New Yundum Traffic Post to the rank of Sub Inspector, according to the police.

Police said in a statement on Poliso Magazine Facebook page: “The decoration which was held at the IGP’s office came following numerous recommendations from the public particularly the people of New Yundum about the selfless, professional and diligent service rendered in the traffic by Officer Camara.

“In recognition to such dedication to service, the people of New Yundum were motivated to spearhead a community oriented initiative to construct a Traffic Police Post to enhance the work of the Police. The newly built Police Post was inaugurated yesterday.

“Sergeant Lamin Barrow of Mobile Traffic was also promoted to Sub Inspector.

“The IGP congratulated them for their hard work and dedication to service.”

 

Who’s who in Mali’s military junta?

0

By Reuters

The junta that overthrew Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Tuesday and promised to lead the country to elections has provided little information about its membership.

The five members of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) who appeared on television early on Wednesday morning to confirm the takeover are all colonels.

“They all have strong field credentials,” said Marc-Andre Boisvert,” an independent researcher on the Malian security forces. He said there could also be generals involved in the junta who have not yet appeared in public.

Following are details about the quintet, drawn from the junta’s public comments, other open sources and people who follow the military.

Colonel Assimi Goita:

Goita presented himself on Wednesday as the junta’s leader.

According to an official biography distributed the following day, he is 37-years-old and the son of an army officer.

Goita served in several posts in northern Mali, where jihadists linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State are active, before becoming a commander of the Autonomous Special Forces Battalion (BAFS) in 2018, the biography says.

He has received training in Germany, the United States and Gabon, it says.

A former U.S. army officer posted a photo on a blog post last year showing himself with Goita at the Flintlock exercises that the U.S. military runs annually in West Africa to train regional armies.

The officer, Andy Duhon, wrote of Goita: “(He is) a key partner and friend that I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside since 2016. Together, we fought violent extremism in Mali.”

Colonel Modibo Kone:

Kone served as head of the National Guard in central Mali near the border with Burkina Faso, an epicentre of jihadist and inter-ethnic violence, according to a source who follows the military and has met Kone.

A post last year on the Malian army’s Twitter account includes a photo of Kone receiving a visit by the defence minister while in charge of a command centre in central Mali.

The source said Kone was opposed to the implicit sub-contracting of security operations by the army to ethnic Dogon militiamen, who have battled the jihadists but also been accused of massacring Fulani herders.

National Guard forces have also been accused of committing atrocities against civilians in the area – charges the government had promised to investigate.

Colonel Ismael Wague:

Wague, the junta’s spokesman, read the statement on national television on Wednesday morning that confirmed the military’s takeover.

He has been based in Sevare in central Mali, according to the source who follows the military.

Colonel Malick Diaw:

Diaw is the deputy commander of the Kati base on the outskirts of Bamako, where the mutiny began on Tuesday, Boisvert said.

Ten people violate curfew and are asked by court to each pay D5,000 or be jailed for a year if they can’t pay the fine

0

Ten people have been asked by the magistrates court in Basse to each pay D5,000 or do serve time in jail.

According to police on Friday, they were dragged to court for violating the curfew.

They were convicted and sentenced to a fine of D5000.00 each in default to serve 1year imprisonment.

Summit ends in Ecowas leaders asking military force to be on standby over Mali

0

Ecowas leaders have called for the immediate activation of the region’s standby force following an emergency summit on Thursday.

Ecowas leaders including President Adama Barrow on Thursday condemned the threats and pressure by military putschists on President Ibrahim Boubacarr Keita to “force him to resign”.

They also said they are opposed to any form of legitimacy for the military putschists and demanded the immediate restoration of constitutional order.

In their joint statement signed by Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou who is also the chairman of the Ecowas authority of heads of state and government, the leaders while referring to Mr Keita as ‘president’ called for the ‘immediate’ reinstatement of President Ibrahim Boubacarr Keita – but also called for the ‘immediate’ activation of the Ecowas standby force.

 

Perai Tenda demands release of nine elders of village being kept at Janjangbureh prison over July incident

0

The people of Perai Tenda have written to the Inspector General of Police Mamour Jobe demanding the release of nine elders of the village who are being kept at Janjanbureh prison over an incident last month.

Youth of Perai Tenda and Waliba Kunda squared off on July 5 over a land which both villages claim ownership of. Many were injured during the violence which saw machetes, knives and sticks deployed.

A number of people have been arrested and detained over the violence, most of them from Perai Tenda.

“We write to express our deepest sorrow and concerns about the illegal and unlawful detention of the innocent elders of our village, Perai Tenda Community,” the villagers in a petition to the IGP on 19 August and shared with The Fatu Network began.

They added: “Nine (9) innocent elders of our village were arrested allegedly on the unlawful orders of Mr. Ousman Sonko [sic], the Director of State Intelligence Service (SIS) and taken to McCarthy/Janjanbureh prisons prior to Tobaski. It has been nearly two months now since they were detained without any court trails after having demanded a sum of D40,000.00 unlawfully from us for a bail, they remained under unlawful detention and some of them are suffering from various health problems.

“The unlawful orders came after a land dispute between Perai Tenda Village and the neighboring Village Waliba Kunda Village wherein youth groups from both sides pelted stones at each other injuring several people from both villages. It must be noted that the fight was ignited by Waliba Kunda Village. Our community has been farming those plots of land for at least 400 years and no one has ever claimed ownership over them. We have successfully lived with all our neighbors in absolute peace and prosperity irrespective of their tribe or political affiliation since time immemorial including Waliba Kunda.

“The community of Waliba Kunda has benefitted from numerous benefits from Perai Tenda; these benefits include education for their children, market for food, fishing without any charges or license, as well as free gracing for their cattle, until recently when they illegally claimed ownership over our lands which have been our sole source of income over the years. As we write this letter with deep pain and sorrow, we would urge your government to take swift possible measures and release our innocent elders who have absolutely nothing to do with the problem, on the contrary some of them were not even present at the village on the day of the problem, whiles some of them have worked so hard calling for peace from both sides.

“We are confident that your government will launch an independent investigation into the matter and defend the truth over falsehood. We demand the swift release of our innocent elders whose families are suffering enormous lose with the absence of their fathers, husbands, uncles and loved ones. We have made very great sacrifices over the years in our endeavour to see a change of unjust government, thus this is the last act we could have ever imagine from this new government. We would like to assure you of our total support, loyalty and commitment in enhancing the development goals of your government. We pray for ‘Justice to guide our actions’ and for the well-being of our community, The Gambia.

“As our Inspector General of Police, we call for your swift action before the situation worsens. Thank you.”

Police spokesman Superintendent Lamin Njie told The Standard the matter has been forwarded to the courts and the accused persons were remanded on the orders of the court.

“So as you can see, the matter is currently under litigation,” Supt Njie told The Standard.

SENEGAL: Dakar port requests removal of 2700 tons of chemical that caused Beirut blast

0

By Reuters

The port of Senegal’s capital Dakar on Thursday said it had requested the removal of around 2,700 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored in its complex – the same volume of the chemical that caused Beirut’s devastating port blast this month.

The unidentified owner of the stockpile has found a warehouse to store the industrial chemical outside the city, according to the general directorate of the port, which sits next to Dakar’s densely populated downtown.

“He is currently working with the environment ministry to obtain approval to urgently remove this cargo,” it said in a statement that did not say how long the port had stored the goods destined for Mali.

The port strictly adheres to international rules for the management and storage of dangerous materials, it said.

Beirut’s port had held 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate for six years without safety measures, before they detonated on Aug. 4, killing more than 150 people, injuring thousands and leaving about a quarter of a million people homeless.

“The dramatic situation that Beirut has just experienced” prompted the High Commander of Dakar’s port to take journalists on a tour of the port’s facilities to show that security measures are up to standard, the statement said.

The Beirut blast should be a wake-up call for countries on the dangers of ammonium nitrate, experts say. Commonly used in fertilisers and as an industrial explosive, it is considered relatively safe if handled properly, but has caused some of the world’s deadliest industrial accidents.

 

 

Army announces pre-deployment training for GAMCOY 23 which will involve troops engaging in firing

0

The military on Friday announced it will conduct the final phase of a pre-deployment training for GAMCOY 23 starting on Sunday August 23.

In a statement shared with The Fatu Network, the military said a live firing exercise will take place at the Lance Corporal Bojang’s Range in Brikama as part of the training. It will culminate in troops moving to the forward operating base in Yundum.

“However, while at the Forward Operating Base in Yundum, the use of blank ammunition during the exercise will be done. Therefore, the general public especially residents living around Brikama, Yundum, Banjulinding, Sinchu, Jabang, Jambur and other satellite villages are urged not to panic and are urged to go about their normal businesses,” the army said.

GAMCOY 23 is being readied for deployment to Dafur.

Sabach Sanjal and her Greats Sons in Gambian Politics

0

Sabach Sanjal is one of the most popular and well-known constituencies in the North Bank Region of the Gambia, it has a combination of Fifty-Seven Villages (57) and a diversity of ethnic tribes. 

It is a Wolof dominated constituency constituting a total of Thirty-Three (33) Wollof villages,  Fulas with Thirteen (13) Villages and Eleven (11) Mandinka Villages. In terms of population, the Wolof sit on top of the strata and constitute the highest proportion of inhabitants, followed by the Mandinka and the Fulas. Albeit,  the Fulas have more villages than the Mandinka it is not a reflection of population dominance in this context.  However, there exists a unique tribal cohesion amongst the existing groups and this paradigm is translated towards promoting development and unity within Sabach Sanjal.

Sabach Sanjal as a constituency has some very unique and distinctive features that make it a stand out community in North Bank and The Gambia at large.  

Given the brief political trajectory of Sabach Sanjal, It has always been a political hub in both pre and post-independence Gambia in North Bank Region, although it shared the same administrative jurisdiction with the rest of the constituencies in the 1960s. 

That is to say, the first National Assembly Member of Sabach Sanjal, between 1960 to 1966 was Sheriff Mustapha Dibba from Sallikeni in Central Badibou. During his political representation,  Badibou was represented as one constituency with Sabach Sanjal and Kerewan both inclusive. He was succeeded by Yusupha Samba from 1966 to 1971 a native of Kani Kunda Village currently within  Sabach Sanjal’s vicinity.

The last National Assembly Member of Sabach Sanjal under the PPP regime was Saikou Sabally from a village called Kataba from 1972 to 1994. He held numerous portfolios serving one-time as Vice President, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Finance and Defence Minister of the Gambia.  Saikou is considered a political icon for the people of Sabach Sanjal whose love and adoration for Saikou Sabally remains increasingly palpable.

Entering the second phase of Gambia’s political history which marked the dawn of military dictatorship in 1994, political participation for the people of Sabach has never dwindled. 

The first Member of Parliament in the Second Republic was Hon. Kebba Lang Camara of Sara Kunda, he served two terms in office from 1997 to 2006 under the banner of the ruling party Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC). His closest opponent during the 1997 Parliamentary election came from the United Democratic Party. It was set to be a stiff contest for Lang in his native Village of Sarra Kunda because he shared the same grandparent with his arch-rival during the election named Yankuba Camara.

Kebba Lang won the election that year as a result of his hard work and years of services for the people of Sabach Sanjal. However, Kebba would go on to contest  the 2001 election unopposed for his second term representing Sabach Sanjal in the National Assembly. He was trusted and loved by former president Yahya Jammeh and many other prominent Gambians within the political spectrum. 

Kebba Lang was succeeded by  Ousman Bah,  a native of Farato village, who served from 2007 until the change of government in 2017. Currently, Ousman Touray who ran under the National Reconciliation Party serves as the National Assembly member for Sabach Sanjal Constituency, he has already served four years of his first five-year term in office. 

It is without contestation that Sabach Sanjal is renowned for supporting incumbents  and this syndrome has been its political adventure for decades in Gambian politics. The trajectory is understood to be a declaration prayer made by a respected Marabou (Woliyoo) that political victory is only for those in support of the ruling party. Since then records have substantiated the fact that incumbent political parties enjoyed a tremendous record of winning elections in the constituency over the years. 

However, it is uncertain, with the current saturation of the political space that this phenomenon will continue to define politics in Sabach Sanjal, but what is likely is that the art of politicking will dramatically change from the previous arrangement and that elective position is expected to be highly contested.

Since independence a lot of people from Sabach were instrumental and their personas are glorified nationwide. To start,  Mr Momodou Sabally is a son of Kataba Village who has served at a very young age in high-level government positions in the Gambia, previously serving as Secretary-General, Head of Civil Service and Minister for Presidential affairs, and Secretary General of the APRC. He is a dynamic young leader who has contributed immensely to uplifting a lot of young people in the Gambia. 

Another prominent politician from Sabach Sanjal is Mr Malang Saibo Camara, Mr Camara has been a teacher for many years before he contested and won elections to become the Chairman of Janjangbureh Area Council from 2002 to 2007. He also served as Deputy Governor of Central River Region from 2010 to 2017. 

Omar Saibo Camara

A native of Sanjal Sara kunda

Political Science, UTG

Social Researcher.

President Barrow and his fellow Ecowas leaders discuss Mali at emergency summit

0

President Adama Barrow and fellow Ecowas leaders on Thursday held an emergency summit over Mali.

Mali has been thrown into political uncertainty following the sacking of Ibrahim Boubacarr Keita by the army.

Ecowas as a bloc has condemned the military takeover and a number of Ecowas leaders including President Macky Sall of Senegal have spoken out against the army’s action.

The virtual meeting of Ecowas heads of state and government has ended.

Lovette Jallow claps back at the government by branding claims she’s tarnishing the image of the government as ‘untrue’

0

By Fatou Camara II

Lovette Jallow the woman helping Gambian women in Lebanon home has reacted to claims she is tarnishing the image of the government.

Lovette had accused the government of shutting its door to her over the issue of the women.

Gambian women in Lebanon on Thursday protested outside the Gambian consulate in Beirut in their desperate push to return home. Some that took part in the protest told The Fatu Network the consul said he had been directed not to speak to Lovette because she was tarnishing the government’s image.

Lovette Jallow in a rejoinder however told The Fatu Network: “This has been ongoing for nine months with no progress. I only joined in a week ago when I was contacted by the women. So I am not the problem am i?

“I stand ready with my bank account to pay for the tickets. I am not asking for anything from the government but their emergency papers.

“To allege that I am tarnishing the government is untrue. I film and record all my conversations so you all can make your own decisions.

“If it was not for Covid I would be in Beirut right now. Instead I keep in touch daily with the women.

“The consulate doesnt want to get in contact with me because I know the real truth behind all this even if I dont speak it out loud. And because I know what many of you dont I want my people out of Lebanon as soon as possible.”

‘We don’t need Mr Khalid’: ‘About 40’ Gambian girls in Beirut call for consul’s head as they hold protest in front Gambian consulate over their demand to return home

0

By Fatou Camara II

About 40 Gambian girls in Beirut on Thursday held a protest in front of the Gambian consulate in the Lebanese capital demanding assistance from the government in returning home.

One of the protester women told The Fatu Network. “We come out because we want to come home regardless of who is helping us but Mr Khalid the consul said he cannot do any transaction with the only woman who is trying in us coming back.

“He said that this is because he received directions from the Gambia government that he should not speak to Lovette because she is tarnishing the name of the government and that Lovette is gaining money out of this.

“But we told him that we are not interested about what Lovette Jallow gain or not gain all we know is that she is helping us come back home and that’s the only thing we are interested in.”

The protest comes as the ministry of foreign affairs confirmed to The Fatu Network 36 emergency passports have been prepared ahead of a plan to evacuate the girls.

36 emergency passports are prepared as government finally swings into action in getting Gambian women in Lebanon evacuated

0

By Fatou Camara II

The Gambia government has swung into action in getting distressed Gambian women in Lebanon evacuated.

Dozens of Gambian women working in Lebanon have asked the government to help them return home as they continue to face difficulty surviving in the country.

The women who are in groups and often crowded in small rooms had earlier this month told The Fatu Network the coronavirus pandemic coupled with a massive explosion a few weeks ago which killed 135 people have compounded matters for them in the country.

“The consul isn’t telling us anything clear. We’re here suffering and don’t have anything to eat. We’re here crowded in one room. We want to come home. It’s a lot of us and we’re in groups. In our group we’re seven,” Mariama, 30, who is one of the women had told The Fatu Network earlier this month.

On Thursday, the women staged a protest outside the Gambian consul’s office in Beirut demanding assistance.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Saikou Ceesay told The Fatu Network efforts were at an ‘advanced’ stage for the women to be evacuated.

“Efforts are underway and are at an advanced stage to repatriate the girls, for them reunite with their families and loved ones,” Mr Ceesay said.

He quickly added: “As at now, 36 emergency passports have been prepared and ready, working on their repatriation in due course but I cannot give you any specific timeline as of when we can expect them in the country.”

Macky Sall blasts Colonel Goita’s coup by saying act is a violation of Ecowas’ protocol on democracy and good governance

0

Senegal leader Macky Sall has blasted a coup in Mali saying it is a violation of Ecowas’s protocol on democracy and good governance.

“The coup de force against a democratically elected President is a violation of ECOWAS’s protocol on democracy and good governance. We strongly condemned him,” Mr Sall insisted on his official Facebook page on Thursday.

The Senegalese president added: “We must act with responsibility and speed to prevent Mali from falling into an institutional vacuum and a political deadlock.”

Covid-19 cases hit 2,400 after 113 fresh cases are seen

0

One hundred and thirteen new cases of coronavirus have been registered taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 2,401.

According to health ministry on Thursday, 309 people have been newly tested out of which 113 people tested positive

The median age of the new cases is 37 years (range: 1 to 91 years), the health ministry said.

Reset password

Enter your email address and we will send you a link to change your password.

Get started with your account

to save your favourite homes and more

Sign up with email

Get started with your account

to save your favourite homes and more

By clicking the «SIGN UP» button you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Powered by Estatik