The Awards Committee of The Fatu Network Heroes Awards for 2019 has received 1362 responses so far.

Nominations for The Fatu Network Heroes Awards opened on 2 February ahead of the awards night which will take place on 14 March 2020 at Coco Ocean. The nominations will end on 14 February.

A total of 1362 responses have been received by the Awards Committee, with 49.4 percent (670) of responses coming from within The Gambia, and 50.6 percent (687) coming from the diaspora.

The Man of the Year category got 175 nominations while the Woman of the Year got 137 nominations.

Exemplary Youth category racked up the most response standing at 370 nominations.

See how the nominations look like below;

By Adama Makasuba

Gunjur has called on the Barrow government to make efforts and bring the killer of Buba Jammeh to justice.

Buba Jammeh who was a law student at the University of The Gambia was allegedly shot to death during a communal land dispute in 2019. Since then his killer has been at large.
But the villagers have now taken up the matter to remind the office bearers to make efforts and bring Jammeh’s killer to justice.

A letter to the justice ministry signed by Momodou Charreh Gibba, ward councillor for Gunjur: “It is always devastating and annoying as a community that any time their minds reflects on the murder of their brother and colleague Buba Jammeh by one Buba Drammeh during last year’s land scuffle between the two neighbouring villages of Gunjur and Berending.

“On behalf of the community of Gunjur I write to draw the attention of your ministry once again to take a legal action against the killer of our beloved brother and colleague. We have patiently waited as people for long to see the resolve of the land dispute between the two villages.”

Mr Gibba said in the letter that delaying justice for the murder of their compatriot continues to cast pain on the entire community.

He has also urged the government to take a firm stance in resolving the pending land issues between Gunjur and Berending.

A delegation of Banjulians, comprising representatives at the Local Councils, National Assembly, civil society, community groups on Tuesday, 11th February 2020, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, President Adama Barrow at the State House.

The delegation of more than forty people, among several other requests, called for street lighting, industries, town hall, youth capacity-building schemes and more infrastructure that will help revive the capital city’s past glory as administrative capital of The Gambia.
“The cleanliness of Banjul today is unrivalled for a very long time, especially for Half-Die,” Assembly Member Fatoumatta Njie told the President. She expressed her impression with the ongoing works in the city, trusting that more of such are in store for Banjul if the President is given the support he needs.

Muhammed Ndow added his voice to the call for street lights in the city, so as to rid the inhabitants of darkness at night. Lights will better illuminate the ongoing works on roads, sewage and drainage systems, he fondly said.

To the Banjulians, there still exists more land space for the construction of office buildings in Banjul, which can further change the face of the city as the capital of The Gambia.
So far, the ongoing works have created great impacts on Banjulians that so many who wanted to sell their landed properties so they can settle outside the city are rethinking such proposals.

However, they are worried that the sea port expansion plan in the city will affect so many residences and make several areas inhabitable.

They want the development of swampy lands into housing schemes that will expand settlement opportunities for them.

“Lights are a necessity just as trees in the city. It is important to have a town hall in Banjul so that conferences can be hosted and artists can perform in the city,” said Aji, Louise Jobe, a woman in her 60s. She added that establishment of a youth centre and the revival of “Saroo” will greatly help create jobs and build capacity for the youths.

Saroo was famous for value addition of groundnuts as the country’s main cash crop in the 70s and 80s. Factories were set up to process groundnuts into finished goods like cooking oil and its husks converted into briquettes.

Factories were also set up to process fish from the city’s waters and cold stores existed to help preserve raw food stuffs.

At one time, turbines were used to generate electricity that supplied all of Banjul and parts of Bakau. Now Banjulians want these to be revived and more.

The President, who recalled fun memories of his youthful days in the city was elated. He said Banjul as a capital should be a true reflection of the state of The Gambia, hence his government attaches great importance to its transformation.

President Barrow takes lot of pride in being the first opposition candidate to win against an incumbent President, which was unprecedented in 52 yeaars of the city’s electoral history.
In 1978, he came to Banjul as a pupil to march in the independence celebration and listened to country’s first President address the students. In 2018, he was addressing students as President at the same grounds with former President among the audience, because it was destined to be.

He will hence remain steadfast in executing his mandate as expected by electorates and will continue to focus on constructing his legacy in office.

Basiru Ndow, an official of President Barrow’s newly registered NPP, said the President’s performance in office has already surpassed expectations as enshrined in his campaign manifesto when he ran for office in 2016.

The delegation was accompanied to the State House by Ministers of Finance, Mambory Njie, Transport and Works, Bai Lamin Jobe and Fisheries, Mr. James F. Gomez, who are all Banjulians and among a third of the Cabinet composition of President Barrow’s government. (State House media)

By Adama Makasuba

Semlex biometric company would resume business as the company has settled a D300,000 tax arrears to Gambia Revenue Authority.

The Belgian-Gambia biometric company on Monday came under tough sanction by the country’s revenue collector for not paying taxes.

But Gambia Revenue Authority’s head of cooperation and public affairs Ousman Bah said: “I can confirm to you that the Semlex after paying an amount of about 300,000 dalasi as tax arrears to the Gambia Revenue Authority has now resume work and will start issuing national biometric identity cards to Gambians.”

However, Semlex was alleged for banking on an exemption to pay tax in the country.
And Mr Bah said the power to exempt any company or individual from paying taxes rely only within the powers of the President.

“We will not relent to strengthen our efforts to make sure that a payment of taxe is seriously taken by people and private companies for the development of the country,” he added.

Leading Mandinari youth leader Yusupha Touray has died after he got electrocuted while working on a power pole on Tuesday.

Mr Touray, who was in his early 30s and was the public relations officer of Mandinari Village Development Committee, received a fatal electric shock as he and two other men tried to put back a power pole at the village’s health centre. The pole had been knocked by a passing truck.

Mandinari VDC secretary general Malick Manneh confirmed Mr Touray’s death telling The Fatu Network the town has lost a great son.

“He left us so soon. He spent his entire life serving his community,” Mr Manneh said.

By Adama Makasuba

Presiding judge Amina Saho Ceesay on Tuesday adjourned the bail application hearing of nine leaders of Three Years Jotna to Friday after lawyers on both sides sparred over bail. The number rose to nine after Bakary Camara alias Camaraba joined the seven men and one woman.

And when the case was called, lead counsel for three years leaders, Rachael Y Mendy informed the court they have filed a 26- paragraphed affidavit in support of their bail application, adding the four-paragraph affidavit in opposition by the prosecution is defective because it contravenes Schedule One of the Evidence Act which according to her is a mandatory provision.

She averred that the prosecuting is conceding to their bail application as she told the court that there is nothing in the affidavit in opposition to their bail application that mentioned that the prosecution is objecting to the application.

“There is nothing in the affidavit in opposition denying the averments in our affidavit in opposition. The State is deemed to have admitted all the averments in the affidavit in support,” she said.

She said the last paragraph of the affidavit in opposition by the prosecution, paragraph four, it is mentioned that the bail application has been overtaken by events, saying “the averment that the bail application has been overtaken by events has no basis in law.”
She submitted that once a person is in custody, he or she can bring as many bail applications as possible irrespective of what stage the proceedings is. She told the court the averment by the prosecution does not mean they are opposing to the bail application. She urged the court to grant the accused persons bail saying there is nothing in the prosecution’s affidavit that opposed bail and therefore, they are conceding.

She submitted that the accused persons are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty and the burden of proving that the accused persons are not entitled to bail is on the prosecution.

“The prosecution in this case have failed to discharge that threshold. They have failed to provide this honourable court any fact or evidence which will convince this honourable court to refuse bail,” she said.

She said there is no formal indictment before the court. She said the purported indictment by the prosecution has not been given effect by the court as required by sections 115 and 116 of the Evidence Act. She said the two sections of the Evidence Act provide that indictments should be certified. She said once a document is filed and certified, it becomes a public document and it is from there the court can give effect to it.

In a counter argument, Lawyer Patrick Gomez who leads the prosecution team for the State said it is their position that the affidavit that they have filed did not violate paragraph seven of the First Schedule of the Evidence Act 1994. He told the court that their affidavit was signed and sworn to by a commissioner of oaths. In countering Lawyer Mendy’s submission, Lawyer Gomez said there is no requirement in law that the signature of the Commissioner of Oaths to be on the left side of the paper.

He said the defence argument that their affidavit was defective was inaccurate adding that even if it is defective, the court can still allow it as he relied on sections 87 and 88 of the Evidence Act. He said there is no argument from the defence that the affidavit was sworn to before a person duly authorised.

He said the law governing affidavit in opposition is clear in our jurisdiction. He added that it is settled that even a party did not file an affidavit in opposition does not in itself means that the party is conceding to the application.

He said averment four of the affidavit in opposition is sufficient to tell that they are opposing the bail application.

However, in defense argument second lead counsel Lawyer Lamin S. Camara said the application for bail was premised on sections 19 (5) and 24 of the Constitution as well as section 99 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code. He said the 1997 Constitution provides for the protection of liberty and dignity of people.

“One of the cardinal principles of our criminal justice system is the presumption of innocence regardless of the indictment before any court. This cardinal principle is enshrined in section 24 (3) of the Constitution. The presumption of innocence is only taken away when it is rebutted and upon conviction,” he said.

By Lamin Njie

Finance Minister Mambury Njie today dismissed suggestions the Banjul roads and sewage project is shrouded in wrongdoing.

Kerr Fatou last year in a comprehensive investigation reported that the Gambia government claims it was reviewing the documents of a project that will cost Gambian taxpayers 1.8 billion dalasis but it was being tight-lipped on what was not right in the documents. The claimed review of the project document came well after work started started, and critics had all along said the project was hastily put together by President Adama Barrow in return for political benefits.

The finance minister Mambury Njie today insisted there was ‘nothing’ that was hidden as far as the project is concerned.

He told journalists in Banjul: “Let me just make it very, very clear: the Banjul project was a sort of, it was initiated by Gambians and it was the first time that we have such a project – Gambian contractor and Gambian engineers and there was a proposal sent to cabinet and cabinet reviewed the proposal. It was endorsed.

“Initially, it was in dollar terms. We knew after that that it was going to add up to their debt. Then through the negotiation, we made into dalasi denominated but it was a pre-financing arrangement and what happened? For a whole year, this Gambian contractor, engineers were working without being paid for a whole year. So I think when it comes to the project, technically it was evaluated.

“It was not only about the road, it includes the sewage. We contracted an international consultant to make sure we will be able to get value for our money. There was nothing that was hidden, as at now everything is popping and it was appropriated in the 2020 budget. So we don’t see that there is anything wrong.”

By Adama Makasuba

Commissioners general of Gambia Revenue Authority has warned businessowners to go and settle their tax arrears before they take tough action against them.

Yankuba Darboe’s warning comes barely hours since his institution took tough action against the Belgian based-Gambia biometric company by forcing it to cease operation. Semlex has not been paying tax to he government.

“Let business owners across the board come and pay their taxes to avoid closures. We only close businesses when we are pushed to the wall,” he said.

He however said if Semlex had met the criteria they would have gotten the certificate a long time ago because the writings are already on the wall.

“You are supposed to get something three months into your starting and you couldn’t get it in two years, that means you have not met the criteria of that particular certificate. In this circumstance, I don’t think there is much other stakeholders can say.

“The only thing for them [Semlex] to do is to come forward and settle their taxes like any other person. If you have a business in this country, the best thing is to make sure that you fulfil your tax obligations. If you don’t do this, we will get to you one day and that might not be a very good thing,” he said.

Semlex is the sole producer of biometric ID card and driver’s license but it is steeped in a push and pull with GRA over tax. The company claims it’s the ministry of interior that granted it a tax waiver following their re-entry into the country in 2017.

The Gambia Revenue Authority today shut down biometric national documents producer Semlex amid a bitter feud over tax.

Semlex is the sole producer of biometric ID card and driver’s license but it is steeped in a push and pull with GRA over tax. The company claims it’s the ministry of interior that granted it a tax waiver following their re-entry into the country in 2017.

The Fatu Network understands GRA has written to the company on several occasions asking it to pay tax. The authority had earlier found that Semlex did not qualify for a tax waiver.

By Lamin Njie

A Gambian student who is among the 20 Gambians trapped in Coronavirus-hit Wuhan has said the city has turned into a ghost with little human interaction.

The student who The Fatu Network will not name because authorities in China are not very friendly towards foreigners who give out information on the killer virus said on Sunday the situation was forcing them to stay in their house throughout.

He said: “I read an article where one of the embassy staff was saying that students in Wuhan were fine because she talked to the student union head which I think wasn’t the way to do it because the student union head is not in Wuhan.

“The situation in Wuhan is completely different from the rest of China. The situation in Wuhan is at an extreme end. It’s very very difficult, everything is different. It’s like a ghost town. The city is empty and there is no human interaction.

“Since the lockdown, things have been pretty much the same, 24/7 in the room. People do go out to buy things that are really necessary like food. In some schools I have been told by friends the school get food within the school but in some schools like in my situation, I need to go out and buy food for myself.

“The government said they are sorting out financial help for us so that we can buy food but in as much as food is important how you get the food is what is more important because going out to buy food is really risky.

“At the moment, evacuation is the best solution but if the government can come to our aid financially, that will also help.”

The World Bank has said The Gambia could be one of the first countries in West Africa to attain universal access to electricity.

A World Bank team visited Banjul to take stock of progress in the energy sector since the crisis period in 2017, when the Bank provided emergency assistance to the new administration with addressing the immediate challenges, the bank said in a statement.

“The OMVG interconnector is a crucial infrastructure that will enable The Gambia to access clean, reliable and affordable electricity from the West Africa Power Pool. The interconnector will also provide a backbone for the country, from which electrification activities can be done. The race is now on –The Gambia could be one of the first counties in West Africa to achieve universal access,” said Mr. Charles Cormier, the World Bank Practice Manager for Energy and Extractives in West Africa, during a field visit to the Brikama Substation, the landing point of OMVG for the Greater Banjul Area.

The energy sector roadmap identified key short priorities to stabilize the system, and medium-term priorities including the goal to achieve universal access by 2025, and diversify the energy mix through imports and solar to reduce the cost of electricity. The roadmap, as part of the National Development Plan, helped to mobilize over $400 million in funding for the energy sector, to which the World Bank contributed $175 million (40%) through national and regional operations

One of the key regional projects being supported by the World Bank is the OMVG Regional Interconnection Project. By interconnecting The Gambia to Senegal, Guinea and Guinea Bissau, the Project supports the goals spelled out in the roadmap.

“Improvement achieved in quality of service through generation expansion and improved network stability is indeed noteworthy,” said Mr. Chris Trimble, Senior Energy Specialist and Task Team Leader for the World Bank energy portfolio in The Gambia, “System-wide blackouts reduced from 15-20 per day in 2017 to 1-2 per day today. NAWEC’s parallel efforts to improve its efficiency translated in reduction of network losses to 19 percent in 2019 from 28 percent in 2015.”

Under the ECOWAS Regional Access Project, the World Bank is providing a $66 million grant to build the medium and low voltage networks from the OMVG substations at Soma and Brikama, aiming to connect around 100,000 households to the grid. Through The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project, the Bank is financing similar activities in the Central River Region and the Upper River Region. Together, these investments will help increase access rate from about 56 percent today to near universal access. Moreover, the Project co-finances a 20 MW solar plant with storage to improve access to renewable energy. A feasibility study for a 150MW regional solar plant, financed by the Bank will further promote the country’s renewable agenda.

“There are major disruptions taking place in the energy sectors in West Africa, including solar costs which are plummeting and the creation of a regional power market, and we are well positioned to grasp both opportunities” commented Mr. Alpha Robinson, Managing Director for NAWEC. “We have heard the desires of our customers to have lower cost, reliable and clean energy, and with the support of partners like the World Bank, we have a pathway to deliver on this vision for all Gambians”.

The World Bank’s significant investments in electricity infrastructure are coupled with substantial institutional support to NAWEC to improve its operational and financial performance. With the improvements already registered in operational efficiency and financial restructuring, the level of subsidies to NAWEC has significantly reduced, a trend which is expected to continue.

By Lamin Njie

Bakary Bunja Darbo said on Saturday The Gambia could now not rely on the seven political parties that pulled brain and brawn together and slaughtered Jammeh in the 2016 elections.

The Gambia For All leader spoke in Brikama during a rally attended by hundreds of supporters. It was the party’s first ever rally since the IEC announced its registration in January.

Mr Darbo said: “Those parties that formed the coalition had said that it should not go beyond three years. That’s the three years they signed, and that’s what they took to Gambians within and outside the country, to say that let’s come together to end evil in the country.

“They said they only needed a transitional leader, for him to agree that when he leaves he will not stand in elections. So that political agreement was what Gambians supported them on and then we rescued the country. But those parties that formed the coalition, as soon they took government, they have broken a lot of promises so far.

“They say no one should talk about the three years issue. They have also struck out the part that the transitional leader should not stand in elections. That person has also have formed his own party. All these have happened. But the important thing now is for the country to have the chance for the people to choose someone to lead the country.

“So when we reviewed the affairs of the country, we could not see any party that we could rely on. If it is not the treachery that dirtied their hand, they are operating in a way that’s not right; they would engage in nepotism and things like that. That’s how they’re operating. And we have also seen they have no compassion for women and youth. Farmers cannot also properly sell their groundnut.

“So that eight political parties that formed the coalition, they all have a hand in that bad governance. So GFA has now realised that we cannot rely on these parties to help Gambia.”

The Gambia Football Federation has appointed Assistant Superintendent of Police Almameh James Manga as Integrity Officer for Football, the federation has announced.

Mr Manga’s appointment is premised on his competence, dedication and commitment to the values of football while his sacrifice and overwhelming support to the ideals of the football Federation earns him weight to securing the FIFA required merit of the position, the federation in a statement on its official Facebook page said on Saturday. ASP Manga’s appointment took effect last month.

Almameh S Manga, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, is a serving member of The Gambia Police Force. He was born on 25th May 1986 in Kanfenda village and pursued his basic and secondary education in Bwiam. He pursued a Diplomas in Peace and Conflict Resolutions and Law at the Management Development Institute and West African Insurance Institute respectively. He would later bag an LLB degree from the University of The Gambia, and a Master of Laws Degree in Human Rights and Criminal Justice from University of Aberdeen, UK. He is also recently called to the Gambian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of The Gambia.

ASP Manga is a prosecutor and legal officer at The Gambia Police Force and works closely with the Human Rights Unit of the police given his expertise in the area of human rights. In addition to his job as a Cop, Manga also currently serving as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of The Gambia and the Management Development Institute respectively.

Mangas recent appointment as the first ever Integrity Officer for the Football Federation is pursuant to a FIFA requirement for all Member Associations to appoint an Integrity Officer in a bid to establish a point of contact for communications and actively participate in programmes and as well take other steps consistent with FIFAs core pillars of promoting integrity and preventing any method, such as match manipulation or corruption, that might jeopardise the integrity of matches, competitions, players, officials or member association (MA) or give rise to abuse of association football.

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow said on Saturday it’s ‘obligatory’ for Gambians to reject divisive politics and put the interest of the country first.

Mr Barrow stated this during the 12th convocation ceremony of the University of The Gambia held at QCity.

The president said: “As law-abiding citizens, it is obligatory for all of us to reject divisive politics, and put the interest of The Gambia first. No citizen should allow our political or religious differences to corrupt our judgement, and derail the march to prosperity and a better and peaceful Gambia.

“It is mandatory upon all peace-loving citizens to be civil and disciplined, and to exhibit peaceful dispositions both in their relationships with other citizens and the state.

“As we rejoice today, let us be mindful of our collective responsibilities, as citizens, to make our country peaceful, developed and prosperous. In my opinion, patriotism is part of the solution to our troubles.

“To be patriotic, citizens must have the spirit of nationalism and good citizenship, love their country, defend their country, sacrifice personal interests, where necessary, and contribute to the greater good.

“These are the cardinal principles required in the conduct of a good and active citizen. Development is urgent, and cannot be delayed or postponed. Therefore, we call on you, as patriotic citizens, to be catalysts of peace and development.”

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow ensured the wind did not blow off his hat for the second time as he presided over the 12th convocation of the University of The Gambia.

At the UTG’s last year convocation, the wind blew off the president’s hat as he delivers his speech in line with his statutory chancellor role. Some Gambians joked that the hats have also joined the three years jotna campaign.

The president was exercising the same ritual on Saturday and midway into his speech, the wind attempted to yank his hat off his head.

The president then throughout 16-minute speech used his hand to ensure the hat remained on his head.

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow mispronounced ‘alma mater’ at the convocation event of the University of The Gambia on Saturday.

President Barrow presided over the 12th convocation ceremony of UTG at QCity on Saturday. Hundreds of students drawn from all ten schools of UTG participated in the ceremony.

“Convocations are unique moments in the lives of students and often marks the point of separation between student and al matat [sic],” Mr Barrow said.

A copy of the president’s speech shows the word in question is ‘alma mater’.

By Lamin Njie

Ba Kawsu Fofana on Thursday appeared before the TRRC where he lifted the lid on problems he faced while Jammeh was president.

The top imam appeared at the probe with style, donning a huge gown – then going on to serve his testimony out with remarkable sangfroid.

He began his testimony by warning his appearance would mark the biggest since the probe started inviting witnesses in January 2019.

The 51-year-old daring remark has now been justified as a photo of the Saudi-trained imam where he is seen drinking from a kettle has gone viral with almost every Gambian online acting a Ba Kawsu.

During his testimony, Ba Kawsu boasted he is a ‘great’ marabout as he explained – even if vaguely – how he escaped arrest in 2012.

The Ba Kawsu imitation started as soon as the top imam ended his testimony and continued into Friday.

The Executive Secretary of the TRRC, Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow last week resigned from his teaching job at La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the TRRC has announced.

Until his resignation, Dr. Jallow was an assistant professor of African and World history at La Salle. Prior to joining the La Salle faculty in 2015, Dr. Jallow taught African history and was director of the African Studies Program at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Upon his invitation to come home and serve as Executive Secretary of the TRRC back in the fall of 2017, Dr. Jallow sought and was granted a two-year leave of absence by La Salle University to enable him to take up the position. However, in a recent communication, the University explained that it would not be able to extend Dr. Jallow’s leave of absence beyond fall (September) 2020 when it expires.

Part of Dr. Jallow’s letter of resignation to La Salle University’s Dean of Arts and Sciences reads: “As per the terms of my leave of absence, I was supposed to return to La Salle University in fall 2020. However, due to the fact that my work here requires at least an additional year of service to The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, I will not be in a position to do so. For that reason, and because you have indicated in a recent email that my leave will not be extended . . . please allow me to tender my resignation from my teaching position at La Salle University’s Department of History and the School of Arts and Sciences with immediate effect. . . . Please also allow me to extend my very sincere gratitude to La Salle University and in particular my colleagues at the Department of History for all the kind support they have rendered me during my period at the University.”

Dr. Jallow says while he will miss La Salle University, he has no regrets at all over his resignation. “In the absence of an extension of my leave, there really is no other option for me. I can’t leave the TRRC to resume my teaching at La Salle at this point. I also perfectly understand that the university needs to move on with hiring another full time African history professor. And so I am happy to resign and concentrate on completing the national assignment entrusted to me to the best of my ability. No regrets at all.”