Feyifolu Boroffice, an American/Nigerian national, has been appointed as World Bank Resident Representative for The Gambia, according to a statement by the bank on Tuesday.

The statement added: “Ms. Boroffice joined the Bank in 2010 in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region. She has since held several positions in Africa and ECA, her most recent assignment being as Senior Private Sector Specialist in Nigeria.  Prior to joining the Bank, Feyi worked for a decade in the private sector including as an auditor at Ernst & Young and in corporate finance at ExxonMobil Corporation.

“In her new position, Feyifolu Boroffice will implement the Country Engagement Note FY18-21 and lead the implementation of the new Country Partnership Framework that will leverage The Gambia – Systematic Country Diagnostic and incorporate the post-COVID-19 pandemic response. She will also maintain and enhance good working relations with the Government and other stakeholders in Gambia and with the international community.

“Her appointment is effective since August 1, 2020.”

Brikama Magistrates Court has convicted 16 people of carrying passengers without face masks, a violation of the law around mandatory wearing of the coronavirus protective gear.

Police spokesman Lamin Njie confirmed that the court convicted them of the crime on Tuesday.

They were each fined D1000.

Health Minister Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh has moved into a quarantine facility following the COVID-19 positive test results of three of his close working contacts, the government spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

Ebrima Sankareh said: “The preliminary results of his first COVID-19 tests are inconclusive. While awaiting additional tests, Dr. Samateh who is in high spirits, will continue to lead the operations of the Health Ministry from quarantine.

“Dr. Samateh reminds Gambians and all residents to accept the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus.”

By Lamin Njie

Bubacarr Keita’s bail hearing has failed to continue following the adjournment of the hearing.

The 29-year-old was billed to returned to the high court in Bundung on Monday August 3 for continuation of his bail hearing but it has been adjourned till next week Monday. The Fatu Network could not immediately establish why the hearing could not take place.

Mr Keita is accused of raping his ex-wife’s 15-year-old sister last year. The businessman has equipped himself with a team of lawyers led by top attorney Lamin S Camara, and they have launched a bid to secure his release on bail pending the determination of the case.

Last week, Camara called on judge Momodou SM Jallow to grant bail to Mr Keita since the prosecution have ‘woefully’ failed to put any cogent facts to warrant a refusal of bail.

He had initially insisted Keita has people who are willing and ready to serve as sureties if the court is willing to grant bail; that he will in no way jump bail and that he is a prominent businessman employing nothing less than 15 Gambians.

The prosecution had argued Keita has a valid US visa and that he could influence or intimidate the witnesses if released.

Independent Electoral Commission has said in a terse statement on Tuesday its chairman Alieu Momar Njie is alive, hours after his death was reported.

Reports of Mr Njie’s passing emerged on Monday.

“The commission wishes to emphatically state that its chairman is fully alive, well and still at the helm of affairs at the IEC,” Election House said in a statement as it also said it got reports of the octogenarian’s death with ‘utter’ shock and dismay.

The ministry of health said today five new Covid-19 deaths have been registered, hours after ministry of information officials confirmed four died of the virus.

An update by 3:00am today showed one more death taking to five the number of new deaths over the past four days – with the total death figure now standing at 14.

It comes as the ministry of health confirmed 173 new cases registered, over a period of 4 days, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 671 cases.

This represents an average of 43 cases per day over the last 4 days, the health ministry added in its situation report (sitrep) No. 110.

Madi Jobarteh has said he trusts in claims NIA Director General Ousman Sowe plans to disable a list of citizens including himself.

Mr Jobarteh writing on Monday alleged he on July 29 received information from a source inside the NIA that the agency’s chief Ousman Sowe convened a meeting recently where they discussed how to disable a list of citizens ‘including myself’.

“They intend to do this by implicating us in various crimes such as implanting drugs in our homes, vehicles and offices. The agent said Ousman Sowe has already identified a team of agents to execute this plan. Furthermore, the source noted that it was Ousman Sowe who in fact instigated IGP Mamour Jobe to kidnap me on June 30 and then imposed bogus charges with the intention to silence me,” the vociferous commentator said.

He added: “I hereby state that I believe this information 100% until Pres. Adama Barrow and Ousman Sowe come out to publicly refute with evidence that such a meeting ever took place and such a plan ever existed.

“A lot of people including myself had already shared this information on social media. It is already more than 72 hours yet neither the Office of the President nor the NIA came to refute the information. Therefore, I take it that the information is true.”

The Fatu Network contacted Sowe but he did not respond to a request for comment. He also did not pick calls.

The Gambia Immigration Department said on Tuesday reports its officers at Banjul International Airport are helping arriving passengers to ‘circumvent’ and ‘escape’ coronavirus quarantine are false.

“We refute all such claims and allegations as unfounded and misleading. Our investigations revealed that no such practice is being entertained by our hard working officers,” the Seedy Touray-led department said in a statement made available to The Fatu Network by the department’s public relations office.

The statement continued: “It is true that The Gambia Immigration Department bears the statutory mandate of monitoring and managing the movement of persons coming into and going out of the Gambia. However, according to article 22 of the International Health Regulations (2005) which sought compliance from all WHO member states (including the Gambia), the responsibility for management of the risk of communicable diseases at airport rests primarily on the national public health authority, even though this cannot be done in isolation; meaning that the latter needs the collaboration of other stakeholders like the migration control authority.

“Cognizant of this reality and the fact that migration is a key determinant of public health as evident in the Gambia scenario where most of the first cases of Covid-19 registered in the country were imported, The Gambia Immigration Department work closely with the ministry health at all points of entry and exit of which Banjul International airport is no exception.

“The design of operations conducted at the Banjul International Airport during Covid-19 makes it very difficult if not impossible for any Immigration officer to have a chance of aiding passengers to escape quarantine procedures contrary to the rumors making rounds on social media. The GID leadership take such rumors and allegations very serious thus making some extensive investigations into the matter. So far our investigations revealed that such claims are unfounded and misleading.

“Before each operation at the airport, a taskforce comprising of Public Health officials, GID, GPF, GCAA, DLEAG and SIS meets and discuss the operational modalities and responsibilities with regards to the arriving aircraft and passengers. During such briefings, all agencies that form part of the operations are availed a copy of the passenger manifest.

“Note that it is an important international requirement, that before any flight arrive at a port of disembarkation, the flight manifest must be availed to the authorities at the airport.

“Upon arrival, passengers are received at the foot of the aircraft by bus and escorted to the arrival hall which is jointly guarded by the Police Intervention Unit personnel and Gambia Civil Aviation security.

“Passengers then go through Immigration checks and procedures supervised by the GID staff. There are four booths and each of them have two officers operating a work station. These booths are strictly monitored by supervisors on site in addition to the CCTV camera monitoring system that ensures that every transaction that takes place is recorded.

“Due to the Covid-19, immigration enrollment is reduced to only two things which is documents and Iris enrollment. The fingerprint enrollment is ceased as a health precaution to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

“After enrollment, all passports are handed over to the health personnel in the presence of everyone and they do countercheck to confirm that the number of passports received tallies with the numbers and names on the manifest. Health officials need these passports not just to account for all arriving passengers but also to help in the check-in formalities at quarantine centers as a guarantee for passengers to fully undergo quarantine procedures. This is where the immigration role ends.

“After the enrolment and handing over of passports to health officials, the passengers are now allowed to go collect their baggages and follow customs procedures. All these is done in a secured environment with only one exit under the guard of the PIU and aviation security. After exhausting all these procedures, passengers are then escorted to the various quarantine centers.

“It is worth mentioning that there are no immigration officers posted to these places and what might happen there would not be the responsibility of GID.

“The GID assures the general public that the safety of our citizens and residents of the Gambia is our greatest interest and that we will continue to do our best in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.”

The TRRC has suspended its public hearings, with chairman Lamin J Sise saying today the suspension is in the light of the growing seriousness of the Covid-19 situation in The Gambia.

“The suspension will take effect immediately. The decision to suspend hearings was reached after careful consideration and consultations at the level of the Commission and between the Commission and the Ministry of Justice,” Sise said in a statement, even as he said the move will last till further notice.

It is the second time the probe is shelving its public hearings due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The TRRC was supposed to resume its public hearings today – as the investigation continues to listen to both victims and perpetrators of former president Yahya Jammeh’s 22 years rule.

According to the probe’s chairman however, while the Commission is very keen on completing its work and submitting its final report and recommendations in good time, they are conscious of the fact that continuing our public hearings may put the lives of everybody concerned at risk of Covid-19 infection.

“We will therefore suspend the public hearings for now, and will inform the public as to when we will resume at the appropriate moment,” the probe’s chief truth hunter said.

Medicines Control Agency has said it is illegal for any person or entity to be engaged in unauthorized import, distribution, storage, sale and use of COVID -19 test kits or diagnostics in The Gambia.

“Therefore, a person or entity shall not be engaged in the import, distribution, storage, sale and use of COVID-19 test kits or Diagnostics unless authorized by the Medicines Control Agency,” the agency said in a statement on Monday, even as it says the statement was in collaboration with the Pharmacy Council, The Gambia.

The statement added: “Currently, only National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) in Kotu and Medical Research Council (MRC) facilities are the recognized institutions authorized to conduct COVID-19 testing in The Gambia.

“Therefore, the public is hereby warned not to visit any drugstore, pharmacy, private diagnostic center, private laboratory, private clinic, or private hospital for COVID-19 testing as their test kits may be substandard and falsified (counterfeit). MCA strictly warn against the illegal import, sale and testing of customers using potentially unsafe or ineffective COVID-19 test kits. This is very dangerous, unethical and could pose a serious public health hazard.

“Individuals and entities who fail to abide shall face the full strength of the Law.”

By Fatou Camara II and Mudiwa Ngum

News of QTV staff testing positive for coronavirus has been on the lip of many Gambians for a while now amid suggestions the privately run TV station needs to shut its offices over the development.

However speaking to The Fatu Network, QTV Head of News and Current Affairs Ade Daramy said the institution has a duty to keep the public informed but an ‘even’ greater duty to keep the staff and public safe .

“Like the rest of the society, we have been affected, we have a duty to keep the public inform but even a greater duty to keep our staff and the public safe,” the QTV editor said.

He added: “Only those that have tested and returned negative results have been allowed to work . Colleagues who have not tested have not been allowed into the building until they have tested and received the all-clear . This is 2020, many people can do work from home myself included.

“Our premises are now now fumigated on a daily basis. Our duty to inform and educate , includes telling the public that even an institution such as ours which put in place precaution measures can still be affected. We have a very staff some of whom tested negative and came back from leave to work. We will never compromise and put the health of our staff or members of the community at risk , we follow the advise and guidelines of the WHO and the Health Ministry “.

Babucarr Sey staff of QTV said: “My co-workers are positive, yes but that should not stop us from feeding or informing our viewership. It is difficult things are not as it used to be.

“We are doing our outmost best to make sure that we make satisfy the needs of our listeners or viewership . The management is doing everything possible to make sure that we are protected while we are in the office.

“They are doing their best by providing us with all the materials needed as far as the WHO and Ministry of Health had advise in putting place the precaution measures, the place is been fumigated, protective gears are been to us. So working from home and here is all the same because the office is safe for us to come back and continue doing our work “

Four more people have died of coronavirus while a massive 173 new cases have been registered, according to multiple reports.

Reports emerged at the weekend more people have died from the deadly disease, as photos of Red Cross officials busy at cemeteries emerged online.

It has now been gathered from government sources four people have died taking the nation’s total of those that died from the virus to 13, as the nation awaits the publication of the ministry of health’s situation report.

It comes as President Barrow’s government got shook by the disease with his vice president and three ministers testing positive for the disease.

Alieu Momar Njie is not dead contrary to reports suggesting the octogenarian IEC chairman has died.

Unconfirmed reports suggesting Mr Njie died emerged Monday evening.

The Fatu Network has gathered he is in fact alive, as his US-based son Momodou posted to his Facebook page his father is alive and well.

Mamour Jobe has been awarded a two-year deal which will see him continue as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.

Jobe is retiring this month from the Gambia Police Force but the president has handed him a two-year contract which will now keep him at the helm till 2022.

The longtime police officer said ‘it’s true, I got my letter today’ when The Fatu Network contacted him about the reports.

Jobe became the head of the police in July 2018 following the Faraba Banta incident-enforced resignation of Landing Kinteh.

Newly established Gambia For All said on Monday President Adama Barrow must come forward and ‘fully’ assume responsibility for steering the ship of state to safety, as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the nation.

The party in a statement said: “Gambia For ALL (GFA) from the onset had strongly advocated for a strong and capable leadership, and warned against the risk of reducing the crisis to its simplest dimension as just a public health issue.

“While we respect and recognize the professionalism of the Minister of Health, we believe that the full extent of the threat facing the nation is beyond the invocation of an obscure Dangerous Infectious Disease Act that appears to leave the responsibility of managing the crisis within the domain of the Ministry of Health.

“The focus has to be on how to decisively implement medically advised measures that will lead to limiting the spread of this menacing threat, and at the same time ensure that the institutions of state do not collapse, leaving behind a paralyzed nation.”

Colonel Yahya Drammeh has left his role as ADC to President Adama Barrow to engage in a ‘senior division’ course, sources have said.

Drammeh had been President Barrow’s ADC since 2017; but has now left the role to answer to fresh pursuits.

A source said Major Muhammed Jatta alias Francis Jatta is the president’s new man, starting work mid-last week.

There are however reports Drammeh had already taken the course.