By Lamin Njie

Medical Research Council has pushed back at reports suggesting a photo shared on various social media platforms is the coronavirus patient in isolation at the council.

A photo was shared on social media on Thursday suggesting it was the lady in isolation at MRC.

The council in a statement on Friday said it is aware of information circulating on “social media and on a local radio linked to the distribution of a supposed photo of the isolated Covid-19 patient in its Fajara clinic”.

“We wish to inform the general public that the photo circulating on social media is not a photo of the isolated #COVID19 patient.‬

“‪We prioritise patient privacy, and encourage the media to support our efforts by only sharing reliable, verified information,” MRC said.

By Adama Makasuba

The Gambia government on Thursday approved a sum of 500 million dalasis emergency fund to the ministry of health to fight against the deadly coronavirus.

The move comes tow days after the country confirmed first case of the virus in a Gambian lady who travelled from UK. President Barrow however has banned public gatherings and closed schools and universities.

The fund pledge on Thursday also came hot on the heels of a ban on all flights from 13 countries across the globe.

A statement from State House said: “In response to the coronavirus pandemic, President Adama Barrow has approved an emergency response fund of 500 million dalasis to the ministry of health for the effective, adequate, and timely response to the outbreak.”

The National Disaster Management Agency has called on Gambians to desist from publishing misleading and unfounded information on coronavirus.

The agency said in a statement signed by its executive director Sanna Dahaba: “It has been brought to the attention of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), that certain unscrupulous individuals are publishing, misleading and in some cases unfounded information relating to the COVID19 virus.

“The Agency wishes to inform the general public to desist from such acts as it contravenes Section. 125 of the NDMA Act of 2008, which states, ‘A person who, without lawful authority, makes or circulates a false alarm or warning as to a threatening disaster situation or disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic, commits an offence and is liable on conviction, to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand dalasis or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to both the fine and imprisonment’.

“The Agency wishes to encourage Gambians and none-Gambians alike to contact the Ministry of Health if they have concerns/information in relation to the virus, or listen to the Media houses task to disseminate information about the Corona Virus.”

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia government listed China No. 1 in the list of countries where flights could still come into the country amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Barrow administration on Thursday announced a ban on flights from 13 countries in an attempt to prevent a spread of the coronavirus. China, where the virus originated from and where at least 80, 000 people have been infected never made that list.

State House have now adjusted its statement to say that cabinet has approved that Gambians and non-Gambians travelling from 47 countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas to The Gambia will undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. China sat at No. 1 spot.

“This decision will be reviewed regularly and the public will be informed accordingly,” State House said of the move.

By Lamin Njie

State House said on Thursday an immediate decision has been taken to suspend flights coming into the country from 13 countries.

“The 4th Cabinet session chaired by President Adama Barrow has been updated on the COVID 19 situation in the country. An immediate decision was taken that flights from thirteen (13) countries are suspended with immediate effect until further notice,” State House said in a statement.

It comes two days after a first case of coronavirus was confirmed in the country – in the name of a woman that travelled into the country with the infection from UK.

The ban also comes as Gambians online continued to bash the Barrow government over its response to the crisis. Calls had already abounded for the country’s borders to be closed in a bid to stop the virus getting into The Gambia.

The ban on flights affects 13 countries, all of them in Europe with UK sitting at No 1. Other countries include Spain, France and Germany.

China, the country where the coronavirus originated from and where at least 80,000 people have been infected never made the 13-country list. China is a friend to The Gambia and one of its biggest development partners.

By Lamin Njie

The ministry of trade said Thursday there is adequate stocks of all ‘essential’ food commodities amid fear stocks may dry up due to the coronavirus crisis.

“The ministry would like to inform the general public that there is adequate stocks of all essential food commodities in the country and hence no course [sic] for panic,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the trade ministry, the stocks of rice with the major importers in the country stands at 18, 214 metric tonnes and the expected stocks for the next week is estimated at 20,000 metric tonnes.

“The two combined is more than the two months average consumption level for The Gambia,” the ministry said in its statement.

The trade minister also warned the business community not to use the “current situation to exploit the consumers by hoarding, hiking prices and other anti-competitive practices which are all illegal under the laws of The Gambia.”

“The ministry will therefore use all its surveillance mechanisms to closely monitor the situation and anybody found wanting will face the full force of the law,” the ministry said.

By Lamin Njie

Thirty-three travellers stormed out of Golden Beach Hotel in Bijilo after they were sent there for coronavirus isolation.

The travellers who included Gambians and Senegalese jetted into the country from Birmingham, UK via InterAir on Wednesday. Officials quickly put them in a bus and sent them to Golden Beach Hotel. The travellers which also included a Sierra Leonean who had a child who was disabled and mentally challenged, spent ‘a few’ hours there before storming out into society.

One of them told The Fatu Network: “We were not quarantined, if we were quarantined, it should have started at the airport. Because we were mingling with everybody even at the airport. So there was no quarantine, there was no procedure, there was no process.

“They didn’t take us to a hotel, they took us to a brothel. There’s a difference between a hotel and a brothel. A brothel is probably where you take prostitutes.

“They give us a place that was abandoned for months and months and they expected us to stay.

“They didn’t tell us anything, we had no communication from anybody, up until even now. There was no one there from the ministry of health or the government. No one spoke to us, nobody. There was nobody at the hotel when we got there. Basically, the Gambian government is incompetent.

“I am not gonna stay in a hotel where I feel more vulnerable than anything else because there is no process, there is no procedure. The beds have bedbugs on them. That place can give us coronavirus.”

By Lamin Njie

The chief justice on Wednesday wrote to all judges, magistrates and cadis informing that proceedings in all the courts in the country have been suspended.

“Following extensive consultations on measures to prevent the occurence and spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) it is hereby directed that proceedings in all courts in The Gambia be suspended with immediate effect from Monday the 23rd of March 2020 until further notice,” Hassan B Jallow said in a letter sent to all judges, all magistrates and all cadis.

It comes less than 24 hours since it was announced by the Gambia government that coronavirus has been confirmed in the country after a lady who travelled to the country from UK tested positive for the virus.

Wednesday has also seen the closure of schools across the country following a declaration from President Adama Barrow on Tuesday. The president also banned mass gatherings in the country.

The suspension of court activities comes a few hours after the National Assembly and the TRRC all halted their activities.

By Lamin Njie

Food Safety and Quality Authority on Wednesday called on all dealers in food to observe proper personal hygiene in response to the deadly coronavirus.

It comes less than 24 hours after the country confirmed its first case of coronavirus, a deadly infection wreaking havoc on the world.

“The Food Safety and Quality Authority would in the wake of the ravaging coronavirus pandemic, like to enjoin all Food Business Operators and/or food handlers to observe the following laid down recommended principles, in a bid to maintain the quality and safety of the food they sell to the public: Maintain proper personal hygiene, which includes regular and thorough hand washing with soap and running water; frequent disinfecting of hands using Alcohol-based sanitizers that have more than 60% of alcohol; promote and maintain good respiratory hygiene; endeavour to wear nose masks while serving food…,” Food Safety and Quality Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.

The authority is also calling on the food dealers to be sensitive of their immediate surrounding by keeping it clean and to advise sick personnel to stay at home.

The authority also asked food dealers to avoid talking while serving food; avoid, sneezing and coughing on the food that is ready to be served; frequently disinfect all food contact surfaces; and provide hand sanitizers to customers.

By Lamin Njie

The National Assembly today suspended sessions in response to the novel coronavirus tearing through the world.

The Gambia on Tuesday recorded its first case after a 21-year-old Gambian returned to the country from UK with the infection. She has since been isolated at MRC.

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission also announced today it was suspending its public hearings until June.

On Tuesday, President Adama Barrow announced a ban on mass gatherings and ordered that all schools across the country be closed.

By Adama Makasuba

President Adama Barrow has announced a ban on on all public gatherings and ordered the shutting down of all schools across the country, in an huge effort to prevent coronavirus coming into the country.

“This suspension includes all international and local conferences, workshops and seminars to be hosted in The Gambia. All schools, including universities, madrassas and daras or majlis will be closed from Wednesday, 18th March 2020 for 21 days,” the president said in an address to the nation on Tuesday.

The president added: “Furthermore, all other public gatherings in whatever form, including lumos (open markets) and Gamos are immediately suspended for three weeks.

“The suspension period will be subject to review as we get updates from the experts.”

According to the president, there was no reported case of any Coronavirus infection in The Gambia so far.

“However, the Government is not complacent. There are surveillance teams at all major entry points into the country, whether by air or land,” he said.

The announcements come as fear grows over the deadly infection that has shaken the whole world. At least 120 countries have been hit by the virus among them next-door neighbour Senegal.

A Coronavirus test on two Indonesian nationals has prove negative, the ministry of health has said.

Palpable fear gripped the nation on Tuesday following reports two people suspected of having the virus came into the country from Indonesia. The reports said the two people had been isolated at MRC after they showed signs of coronavirus.

The ministry of health quickly reacted to the reports dismissing them as false.

The ministry is now saying Coronavirus test conducted on the two (2) suspected Indonesian Nationals proved negative.

“The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as and when necessary,” the ministry said in a statement.

Gambia Democratic Congress said on Tuesday it has decided to suspend its political activities ‘until further notice’.

“This development is due to the COVID19 outbreak which is spreading around the world and has become a serious cause for concern for the entire world especially developing countries,” the party said in a statement.

It added: “Although The Gambia has not yet registered any confirmed case of COVID19, but greater efforts need to be done to keep the country safe from the virus.

“In this regard, The Gambia Democratic Congress party wishes to inform all members and the entire nation about the decision taken by the Central Executive Committee of the party to suspend all political activities until further notice.

“The planned political activities such as the procession on March 27th and the rallies that were scheduled for March 28th and 29th are all cancelled.

“We join the nation in prayers and solidarity in our collective drive to keep our country free from the Covid -19.”

Africell, the US-owned mobile network operator with more than 12 million customers in four African countries, is pleased to announce the completion of a significant group reorganisation.

The reorganisation involves the opening of a new London head office and the legal incorporation of Africell’s US-owned parent company in Jersey, a recognised international financial centre. The reorganisation is an important strategic step for Africell as it seeks to build on current operations and position itself for exciting opportunities in new markets.

Ziad Dalloul, founder and CEO of Africell, said: “The Group reorganisation is a significant moment for Africell. The changes enacted certify us as a company with bold growth plans, a thoroughly international perspective, and the highest standards of governance and compliance. Africell’s entrepreneurial culture drawn from Lebanon, where Africell was founded, still drives the business on, but our new London base gives a new platform from which we can deliver the next stage of our firm’s development”.

Ian Paterson, Chief Investment Officer of Africell, said: “Being headquartered in a dynamic hub like London and incorporated in a major international financial centre such as Jersey gives Africell superior access to investors and partners. It also improves the visibility – and achievability – of exciting new business opportunities, such as the fourth network license in Angola, for which Africell was recently invited to submit a proposal and which we are keen to pursue in partnership with the government of Angola”.

Africell provides fast, low-cost and reliable mobile network coverage and related technology services to millions of individuals, communities and businesses in four vibrant African countries: Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. In 2019 Africell executed a significant investment from the US International Development Finance Corporation (USIDFC, previously OPIC). The investment is a premium stamp of approval from one of the world’s highest quality institutions, proving the quality of Africell’s governance and strategy and giving the company the financial strength to deliver impactful growth in markets across Africa.

In addition to the completion of the group reorganisation, Africell is pleased to announce the appointment of Magase Mogale as the company’s Chief Legal Officer. Mogale, who will be based in London, previously served as Chief Legal Counsel for Lintel Capital, and will supervise Africell’s strict compliance standards and set policies designed to support the growth of the business in current and future markets.

Commenting on his appointment, Magase Mogale said: “Africell is a company with a strong track record, excellent growth prospects, clear social and economic development impact and an admirable culture. I look forward to contributing the company’s strategy and helping to maintain its exceedingly high standards of legal compliance and corporate governance”.

About Africell

Africell is an African mobile technology company with US ownership and UK-based management. Today, the company serves more than 12 million customers across its four markets.

Africell is a disruptor: keen to challenge inefficiencies, embrace fresh thinking and deliver innovative products and services which make a practical difference to ordinary people.
Our corporate social responsibility and positive community impact, as well as our entrepreneurial spirit and transparent business activities, make Africell the ideal mobile network provider for Africa’s future. (prnewswire)

SOURCE: Africell Holding

By Omar Wally

UDP leader Ousainou Darboe has called on Gambians to stand and support the government of The Gambia in its efforts to combat coronavirus.

“Gambians must all adhere to preventive measures put in place by the authorities; UDP will work with government to combat the spread of the virus and fully support and participate in any awareness campaign that government may embark on,” Darboe said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Darboe announced that UDP made arrangements for the installation by members of the party’s youth wing 16 hand washing stations in Greater Banjul Area to promote WHO’s #SAFEHANDS CHALLENGE.