Supreme Pontiff,

In my previous letter to you I raised my concern over the death of african migrants on the shores of Europe without any genuine sense of concern or empathy by Europe and her allies. I do not want to take credit for your trip to the United Nations on the same subject barely two weeks after my open letter to you was published on global article directoryezinearticles.com; but I do believe that our intentions must have merged at some otherworldly realm.

But before delving into the subject of my letter, which is not dissimilar to that of my previous epistle to you, I owe you some appreciation and commendation on the occasion of the recent ordination of the First Gambian Catholic Bishop since the beginning of my brethen’s relationship with the Holy See. The new Bishop happens to be a brother who was much my senior at Saint Peter’s Technical High School and I have held him in high regard both before and after his ascendancy on the high rungs of the clergy. I hail you Papa for your High Office’s confidence in our people, that we can also handle our own communications with the Divine Being.

Thou Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, my concern this time relates to the impending mass deportation of my fellow African brothers and sisters from the footsteps of your own cathedral and beyond; all coming from the doorsteps of your flock and their relatives in blood and flesh (if not in spirit). Truly the deportations are coming from nowhere but your neighbourhood, the supposed heirs of the mantle of the Prince of Love and Compassion, Jesus Christ ( May Allah increase His Grace on him).

Why is it that Europe (and by extension, its erstwhile vassal, America) is ready to send back the poor and downtrodden into the very crucibles of poverty and privation that they ran from? Why is it that the West who baited us with the holy sacrament into colonial domination would disobey the commandments of the Lord “to be your brothers keeper” and toss our already tempest-tossed souls back into the traps of conflict and poverty?

The West often argues that their own economic conditions are less than favourable so they cannot accommodate these migrants but yet there pets have better habitations and medical care than those they are trying to jettison back home. Is it not the same West that shaped our industries and trading systems into the poverty traps that they have evolved into through colonial domination and the neo-colonial multinational outfits that they created? Are these biased global systems still not holding our continent and her people sway?

Oh Kind Servant of the Servants of God, let me clarify, lest I become misunderstood, that I have no bones to pick with your ministry. Indeed I am grateful to have had a first-world education in a third world setting at the Catholic institution called St. Peter’s High School. I have seen and relished the good work of your agents in my neighbourhood and I am truly grateful for all the services rendered. But I do know that you have a voice and a huge responsibility, not only to your flock but to humanity in general and my hopes in you rose to another high when I saw you wash the feet of migrants and embrace the downtrodden.

So I appeal to you to make another trip to America, and this time not to New York but to Washington DC; visit the mad man called The Donald, who lives in the so called White House built by the blood and sweat of the ancestors of the very people he is deporting en masse after years of hard work, payment of taxes and good behaviour.

Please do not appeal to his sense of piety for The Donald is not made of flesh and bone but rather of steel and mortar. The only language this pervert can understand is the language of winning and losing at the polls. Please tell him to soften his steel heart towards immigrants or you and your other brothers shall tell his conservative base to fear The Lord and vote him out.

As for your flock back home in Brussels, I urge you to prophesy to them like the bold one, Amos, did in times gone. Speak to them, Oh Primate of Italy, , about the wrath of The Mighty Lord if they don’t change their ways towards the poor travelers. For all the gold and precious stones Europe looted from Africa, advise them to observe the injunction of being kind to the poor and vulnerable; if their hardened hearts would not yield to soft words, then address them thus, as did Amos, in the Old Testament:

“Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.” (Amos, 5:11).

Remind Europe, thou Bishop of Rome, that their duties to the Good Lord transcend ritual prayers in churches and pilgrimages to the Vatican; for the words of Hosea ring true to date:

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice

The knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” ( Hosea, 6:6)

Supreme Pontiff, I am glad to have your holy attention once again, and I count on your good heart and gracious nature to speak for my brothers and sisters under the Euro-American swords of Damocles.

With due obeisance, I submit.

M. Sabally

Former Presidential Affairs Minister and Founder, Sabally Leadership Academy (SLA)

By MakalliMatta Consulting

Wedad’s — a Gambian brand mainstay 

When discussing Gambian businesses that have built successful brands and stood the test of time, the name, Wedad’s immediately comes to mind. Now tugged into the heart of the Senegambia district, this store established in our capital city, Banjul 32 years ago had humble beginnings. This business has survived government regime changes, recessions, and many other hardships. Through all of the trying times, Wedad’s has remained a staple in The Gambia, synonymous with quality, affordability, and good customer service.

Growing up in a tight-knit community in Banjul, Wedad Sojka Bensouda’s childhood consisted of spending lots of time outdoors, attending St. Joseph’s School, and also going to Quranic studies with her friends and family. Discipline and love was what she most remembers about her childhood. She was surrounded by an environment where everyone was encouraged to excel at whatever they were doing. Although she grew up watching her parents run a well-known business in Banjul, Wedad did not immediately decide that she wanted to be an entrepreneur. As a child she wanted to be a nurse, and at some point even a scientist.

Wedad has always had a passion for fashion and in her early years, she would design her own clothes. But it was upon completing her education in The U.S and spending time in England working for various companies, that she decided to return to The Gambia and start a fashion business. Her objective was to create a space where Gambians could shop for affordable quality products in line with western standards, in proportion to their incomes. It was out of this desire that Wedad’s Footwear, Accessories & Clothing was born.

“There were times suppliers and wholesalers did not want to deal with me because they thought my prices were a joke. But little did they know that I was actually fighting to provide people in Gambia with the same quality products as people in western countries, at a reasonable cost” she said.

Dealing with suppliers is a constant struggle, but despite all of the challenges, Wedad underscores the importance of remaining uncompromising when negotiating, in order to consistently offer the affordable and quality products her business has become known for.

Along with the challenges of dealing with suppliers, Wedad faced many battles as a young female entrepreneur in a male-dominated society.

“They did not trust my intelligence or capabilities as a woman” she pointed out.

She told us that she had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, but after proving that she was skilled and capable, she began to earn people’s respect and proved her doubters wrong.

As our objective of this Women’s History Month series is to motivate more Gambian women to venture into mainstream business, we wantedto know her secret to establishing a business that has operated for three decades and weathered many storms.

Wedad attributes the longevity and success of her business to her consistence in delivering quality and affordable products her clients can count on, and going to great lengths to satisfy her customers. She mentions that her clients are an integral part of her business’ success and showing them that they are valued goes a long way.

For her, it is important for her to interact with her clients; in the shop, Wedad’s work area is in close proximity to the customers, so she can greet them and engage in conversation as they are doing their shopping. When speaking about customer care and clients, she says: “they [clients] have traveled with me on this journey for 32 years from Banjul to here [Senegambia]. They have been with me through different trends. They have been with me through recessions.”

It is clear that  Wedad’s Footwear, Accessories & Clothing has very loyal clients, which is a testament to the trust that has been built over the past three decades.

The longevity of Wedad’s can also be attributed to their ability to evolve over time and  adapt to trends, always remaining in fashion and relevant. Wedad carefully studies trends and comes up with creative ways to incorporate them into the store, while staying true to her core mission of never compromising quality to provide affordable products.

Another recurring theme in our conversation with Wedad, was the importance of having the love and support of people close to you as you go through the ups and downs of life. “The people dear to me keep me afloat” she says, talking about how she overcame negativity and difficulties along her journey.

“Having a core group of people to serve as a safety net is important when times get rough. I don’t take myself too seriously, you have to laugh at yourself even during the worst of times” she concludes.

We wanted to know which women inspired this formidable and classy lady. She told us that her mother served as her main source of inspiration; along with the entrepreneurial spirit, her mother instilled in her from an early age that no dream is too big and that she could achieve anything she wanted to.

Along with her mom, Wedad draws inspiration everyday from women she encounters in her life: “watching women carry children on their backs, selling vegetables at the market to make sure their families are well fed and clothed, there is something truly inspiring about the strength of women.”

She also emphasizes the importance for  women to share and learn from each other’s stories, even if they are not in the same fields or industries.

At MakalliMatta Consulting, a company founded by a woman and with a mostly female staff, we are more inspired in sharing Wedad’s story. Not only do we learn from hearing other people’s stories but it may resonate with you even if you do not have the same background.

Wedad’s sisters and friends describe her as someone who will be there for you at the drop of a hat; this loyalty and commitment resonates in her business, which has stood the test of time, remaining a staple in The Gambian fashion scene since 1986.

She leaves us with these wise words: “Building a lasting and successful brand is not easy, but never lose hope in yourself and remain persistent.”

As part of of our 2018 Women’s History Month celebrations, MMC would be highlighting one Gambian woman per week engaged in mainstream business, driven by brand relevance and legacy building. We would like to see more Gambian women formalizing their businesses. We indeed recognize that the informal business sector is female dominated in Africa as a whole but for this month, we would like to inspire that young girl whose mother is a fruit seller to be inspired to be a farmer and supplier of fruit to hotels, supermarkets etc. We want women to dare to dream to be players in big business. We are doing it but we need more on deck. Happy Women’s Month!  

By Alieu Ceesay

Plans are afoot to have Gambians in the diaspora vote in their native country’s political elections, the Chairman of The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission said in an interview with The Fatu Network.

“They [Gambian in the diaspora] were supposed to be voting but because the former regime felt that probably 90% will not vote for him [Former President Jammeh], so it was not implemented. But it is in our plans now to have them vote,”

Alieu Momar Njai, the head of the electoral body of the tiny West Africa Nation told this medium that Gambians in the diaspora are active players in their country’s domestic politics, but do not have the opportunity to vote away from home.

Gambia has thousands of its citizens living in the diaspora. They have been and continue to demand to be given equal rights as citizens to vote during elections.

However, Njai could not give a timeline as to when that will come into effect, but certainly not in this upcoming Local Government Elections.

The altercation between the Speaker of the National Assembly Mariam Denton and the Member for Serre Kunda Halifa Sallah is utterly unfortunate, uncalled for and a direct threat to our democracy for which the Speaker must be held to account. The reports that the unfortunate matter arose out of the discussion on the proposed loan agreement between the Gambia and China raises more questions as to the intentions and the conduct of both the Speaker and the Minister of Finance Amadou Sanneh. From all indications it is clear that Halifa Sallah was merely fulfilling his legal and political obligation as guaranteed by the Constitution as a Member of the National Assembly.

Part III of the Constitution, i.e. from Sections 100 to 102 speaks about the legislative and political powers of the National Assembly which includes scrutinizing the Executive and the bills and motions it brings to the parliament. In fact Subsection 2 of Section 101 states that,

“No Bill, other than a Bill referred to in subsection (5), shall be introduced into the National Assembly unless it is accompanied by an explanatory memorandum setting out in detail the policy and principles of the Bill, the defects which it is intended to remedy and the necessity for its introduction.”

Furthermore Section 155 speaks about how loans and loan agreements are to be contracted by the Gambia Government. Subsection 4(a) of this provision states that an Act of the National Assembly authorising the raising of a loan shall provide,

“That the terms and conditions of a loan shall be laid before the National Assembly and that the loan agreement shall not come into operation until they have been approved by the National Assembly.”

Hence according to these constitutional provisions, Halifa Sallah had indeed done the right thing to demand the details of this loan agreement brought forward by the Executive. In that case what is expected of the Speaker is to create the enabling environment by allowing members to exhaustively discuss all issues and concerns surrounding the loan before a decision is taken. This would require that the Speaker also ensure that the Minister of Finance provide all the necessary details of the agreement for the appreciation of the members.

It is therefore extremely concerning that the Speaker failed to do that but to seek to prevent a member of the National Assembly to raise the necessary issues, concerns and questions about this agreement. While the Constitution under Section 110 stipulates that a member can be removed from the parliament for contempt of the National Assembly, yet the remarks of Halifa on this loan agreement did not constitute any misconduct or contempt. Hence it is indeed heavy handed for the Speaker to demand the removal of Halifa when he sought to fulfil his constitutional duties on this loan agreement.

It is important that the Speaker is reminded that her role and position in the governance and development of the Gambia is very significant as set out in the Constitution. In multiple provisions of the Constitution the role and position of the Speaker can be identified as a leader, enabler, facilitator, decision maker and guide. For that matter the Speaker should be a person who should exercise the utmost patience and tolerance and to inspire and encourage debate in parliament given that the National Assembly is the foundation of our democracy.

We must also bear in mind that a loan is not a matter that must be rushed and imposed on the country. This is because the loans we contract today are going to be paid by citizens of today and tomorrow and those yet unborn. Hence any loan that goes to the parliament must be subjected the most severe scrutiny and debate. The Speaker must therefore serve as a facilitator and not an obstruction to that debate.

We must also remind the Speaker that she is the third in command in the leadership of the Gambia. In Sections 64 and 65, the Constitution states that it is the Speaker, in the absence of the Vice President who should assume the position of the president when the president is temporarily incapacitated mentally or physically, or when the position of president is vacant due to death, resignation or impeachment in which case the Speaker will serve the rest of that tenure.

Given the above, it means the Speaker must therefore exercise the highest levels of leadership which includes demonstrating an attitude that exhibits dignity, tolerance, esteem, wisdom, maturity and conciliation. In that case, the Speaker must be a person who is not expected to lose her cool or become temperamental especially inside the National Assembly. No amount of provocation or misconduct by any member should warrant her to respond in like manner. As the representative of the people, the Speaker must at all times reflect the dignity of the Gambian Nation.

Having said that, it is also necessary to remind the Speaker that after all she is not an elected Member of the National Assembly such that even if she is the Speaker, she must be mindful in expelling an elected member out of the house. Halifa Sallah is a directly elected representative of the people while Mariam Denton is only a nominated member by the President without the consultation and consent of the people of the Gambia. Hence the Speaker must therefore exercise humility to realize that, even if the Standing Orders of the National Assembly gives her power to remove members for misconduct or contempt, yet elected members are the true representatives of the people. In this particular case, Halifa Sallah’s words and actions did not, in anyway, constitute misconduct or contempt or obstruction in the National Assembly.

For the Gambia Our Homeland.

The Minister of Local Government and Lands, Mr Lamin N Dibba has said that he would not fire any Chief or Village Head based on their political affiliation.

Minister Dibba made these remarks while tabling the Local Government Amendment Bill at the National Assembly.

“I will ensure nobody is fired based on your political affiliation,” Minister Dibba said.

“We cannot say anyone who worked in the past regime cannot work with us,” he added.

Dibba an executive member of the United Democratic Party UDP, explained that as a politician and state minister, he tries to draw a line between the two positions.

“Let us unify our country,” he said.

The Bill tabled by the Minister was on the election of Area Counccil Chairpersons through universal disenfranchise while Deputy Mayors and Chairpersons would be elected by elected Councillors.

Hon. Sidia Jatta of Wuli West, commended the move, saying he was happy that the Minister came to correct the stupidity made by some NAMs under the influence of former President Jammeh.

Meanwhile, several members commended the minister for the amendment.

By Sana Sarr

It has been reported that on Thursday, March 15, 2018, a heated exchange took place between National Assembly Member from Serekunda, Halifa Sallah, and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mariam Jack Denton. According to reports, Finance Minister, Amadou Sanneh, brought a framework agreement asking parliament to approve a loan deal between the government of The Gambia and China. Reports have it that Mr. Sallah demanded to see the full details of the loan before they can vote on it rather than rely only on the framework. Finance Minister proceeded to argue on the urgency and importance of the loan but Mr. Sallah was refused to budge. A vote ensued and members voted 18:12 in favor of waiting to see the full details of the loan. Somehow, in the proceeding discussions, things escalated and the speaker, Mariam Jack Denton, got involved and ended up ordering security to remove Sallah from the parliament.

The Worry

My first worry is the dictatorial tendencies exhibited by the speaker of the house. This is the house of parliament, a platform for representatives to resolve the most important and controversial national matters THROUGH DIALOGUE! The fact that the speaker could not keep control of the verbal confrontations is bad, but it is astounding that she quickly flew on a power trip to ask security to remove an elected representative of the people! WHAT? Where does the speaker think she is, a 2015 Jammeh-led dictatorship? I hope Speaker Denton is reminded that she was NOMINATED by politicians whereas the members of parliament were ELECTED by the Gambian taxpayers. Her job is to maintain decorum and facilitate dialogue. She’s supposed to be the adult in the room, not be one of the children throwing a tantrum. I hope the speaker remembers to leave the partisanship and ego trips are for the members.

In December 2017, there were reports that Speaker Denton barred journalists from livecasting proceedings at the National Assembly. The National Assembly is the people’s parliament and citizens have a right to see how their representatives are doing the job they were sent to do. Any form of restriction by the speaker is a violation of the people’s rights to information and I see no justifiable reason for the speaker to be engaged in such.

With almost every passing day, Gambians see more signs that makes one question just how different this new administration is to the one we got rid of. It’s far from encouraging to see that Finance Minister, Amadou Sanneh, had the audacity to bring a framework agreement and expect the National Assembly to sign off on it without reading the full details of a loan agreement. I am glad the parliament had Mr. Sallah to point it out, and 17 other MPs who refused to just rubber stamp another item on the Executive’s wishlist. Members of parliament are sent there to represent the general population and provide oversight on everything the executive does. The fact that the finance Minister representing the president even expected the National Assembly to sign off on the document without requesting to see the full details of the agreement  suggests that they have no regard for the members. It is also a worrisome sign that they may not have hated how Jammeh did things, they just envied him.

The Lessons

I hope the National Assembly members, through this incident, realize how vulnerable they all can be in relation to the executive. Today it is Halifa Sallah getting kicked out, tomorrow it could be any of them. While the members are elected directly by the voters, the speaker is nominated by the President. This means that they owe their loyalty to the president at whose will they serve. Therefore, a speaker can simply shut down, or kick out, any member of parliament that they feel, or are instructed, is not serving the best interest of the president or his friends. This undermines the whole system of checks and balances and members would be wise to begin working on getting rid of it! This whole idea of nominated members is archaic and needs to be revisited.

I pray that our National Assembly members are also reminded of their responsibility and their powers. Members are not there to rubber stamp everything the executive tables. Their loyalties should remain with the ordinary citizens who voted for them and they need to always act in the best interest of the nation. Every proposition from the executive needs to be carefully scrutinized and thoroughly debated before being voted on. No proposition is too urgent for the parliament to pass before doing their due diligence of scrutinizing. Parliament holds power and the President and ministers should have a lot more respect for them, but this will only happen if the members earn that respect by proving that they’re men and women of integrity, not puppets to be pushed around.

I wish to remind the executive and the parliament that Gambian voters are paying close attention and taking notes. Every action will have consequences come election time.

Honorable Halifa Sallah, the National Assembly Member for Serrekunda has clashed with Speaker Mariam Jack Denton who ordered him to leave the National Assembly.

“You are the one causing problems, get out,” Speaker Mariam Jack Denton told Halifa Sallah.

“No, you get out,” Halifa fired back. “Comport yourself because I respect you,” he added.

The Speaker then called for the security at the National Assembly to escort Honorable Sallah out of the Legislative Chambers. The police officer went to where Halifa was seated to ask him to leave but was waved by Sallah to go and sit down instead. The officer kept standing not knowing what to do.

At this juncture, the majority of the members stood up to show solidarity with the member for Serrekunda, saying if he leaves they would go along with him.

The Speaker said the session would not proceed without her order being respected but almost many of the members disagreed with her decision.

Halifa later withdrew his remarks for the sake of national interest and asked that the sittings proceed.

The tension was triggered by statements made by the Minister of Finance after his efforts to present the Framework Agreement between The Gambia and China on the provision of concessional loan was rejected by members of the assembly.

Honorable Sallah pointed out that the Minister should first present the Concessional Loan Agreement so that members would know what the loan agreement entails. He was seconded by the member for Upper Saloum.

The majority of the National Assembly Members also supported the observations made by the member for Serrekunda, Halifa Sallah.

Meanwhile, the session later resumed after members had internal discussions among themselves.

By Alieu Ceesay

The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Alieu Momar Njai has said that the upcoming Local Government Elections is going to be the last elections that Gambians will be voting using marbles.

In an interview, Njai said the Gambia will change to ballot papers in line with international practice.

According to him, it is much more cheaper to use the ballot papers than the marbles. Gambians will return to the Polls on April 12 and May 12 to elect their Councillors and Mayors for KM and Banjul.

Closed to 900, 000 registered voters will be voting at 1422 polling stations in 120 Wards across the country.

Aspiring candidates have been filing in their nominations at the different IEC Regional Offices. Njai, who speared the last Presidential and Parliamentary Elections assured a free and fair elections.

He urged Gambians to go out early to cast their votes. He advised the aspiring candidates to campaign within the spirit of unity and oneness.

“Elections come and go but Gambia remains. There are rules governing the campaign and all aspiring candidates have these rules.”

Vegetable sellers at The Brikama Fish Market are complaining about environmental pollution that is affecting their health and business.

According to the women, the pollution is caused by waste coming from the fish market to the drainage system which is blocked with piles of garbage bringing out a very bad odour. This they say is turning their customers away.

“We are paying daily duties to the Fish Market and the Area Council,” one of them said.

The desperate market women said both the council and the fish market management failed their responsibilities to collect the garbage to make the place environmentally friendly.

“We don’t have a choice because our livelihood depends on this place,” another one said.

The women further lamented about the unbearable attitude of some of the duty collectors threatening to remove anyone who does not pay.

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the Brikama Area Council could not be reached for comment.

State House, Banjul, 14 March 2018 – Diplomats from Japan, Mali, Rwanda and Angola presented their letters of credence to President Barrow at the State House, today.

Presenting their credentials, Excellencies, Shigero Omori of Japan, Binta  Kane–Cisse of Mali, Dr Mathias Harebamungu of Rwanda and Daniel Antonio Rosa  all expressed the desire of their governments to strengthen bilateral ties with The Gambia. They delivered messages of solidarity and brotherhood to President Barrow, while they congratulated him on his accession to the presidency.  The four ambassadors expressed their commitment to further strengthen ties with The Gambia beyond the diplomatic front to other areas of development.  These include youth empowerment, agriculture, trade, tourism, security, information technology, governance, fisheries and petroleum.

Receiving the letters of credence, President Barrow thanked the ambassadors and through them their respective Heads of State.  The President recalled the support provided to him during the political impasse in The Gambia.  He expressed his willingness to build on the cordial relations that exist between The Gambia and Japan, Mali, Rwanda and Angola respectively. President Barrow added that political will of African leaders could make African integration a reality.

In addition to the presentation of his credentials, the Japanese Ambassador Omori demonstrated the seriousness with which his government was prepared to support The Gambia with rice worth one hundred and ten million Dalasi (GMD110m), one and a half million Dollars ($1.5m) for youth empowerment through the International Labour Organisation -ILO in partnership with the International Organisation on Migration – IOM and a million Dollars for youth participation in agriculture.  Foreign Affairs Minister, Honourable Ousainou Darboe and Ambassador Shigeru Omori signed the cooperation agreement.

Fisheries Minister, Honourable James Gomez, Finance Minister, Amadou Sanneh, Secretary General Habib Drammeh and Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs, Ebrima Camara witnessed the presentations.

By Sana Sarr

Over the last week, the Gambian News Cycle has been dominated by recordings of former government officials with unflattering activity involving top officials at and around the national utility company, NAWEC. The first was an interview with John Jatta, a former civil engineer and Deputy Managing Director at NAWEC, and the second by Assan Faal, CEO of Gambia Investment Promotion Agency (GEIPA).

In his interview, Mr. Jatta explained among other things, how the company under the leadership of Managing Director Fatajo, signed an unrealistic, unwise, unprofitable and unproductive deal to source electricity from Senegal, against the advice of experts like himself. Mr. Jatta alleged that after NAWEC sent him to conduct a feasibility study on a competing proposal by a company in Dubai, his Managing Director told him that his report was not necessary because a decision had already been made, and went on to “comfort” him that he at least got a free holiday to Dubai. That’s just one of the many damning revelations in the interview but it pretty much summarizes the attitude of the leadership.

In a leaked audio recording, Mr. Assan Faal, Chief Executive Officer at the nation’s investment promotion agency is heard complaining about an ill-advised Twenty-five year deal signed by the Gambia government with a Turkish company called KINESIS. Again, against the advice of experts like himself. According to his analysis, NAWEC stands to lose $1.6 Million every month, and that’s just one of the problems with the deal.

While we acknowledge that both recordings are just one side of the stories, it is rather worrisome that nobody from NAWEC or the government of Adama Barrow has come out to refute any of the allegations. One is left to wonder WHY the government will remain silent with such damning allegations being levelled against them. Not the most convincing suggestion of innocence, is it? So, if these allegations are true, we still may not be entirely certain it’s 100% corruption, even though it’s hard to imagine anything else. However, we can agree that someone is at least guilty of gross mismanagement, negligence and/or incompetence! In our hopes of building a “New Gambia” on the path of progress, any and all of these should be a cause for alarm and immediate action. That brings me to the question of leadership. Will the real leaders please stand up?

With the allegations suggesting that the leadership of NAWEC are the guilty parties, we cannot possibly expect them to do nothing but try to bury this story beneath their old and dead generators. We also learned that the board of NAWEC  comprises individuals who own electrical and electricity companies in The Gambia, with conflicts of interest that anyone with an ounce of integrity would have avoided. Pigs will fly before they take action.

With all due respect, I’ve seen and heard enough from President Barrow over the past year to accept that the man is simply incapable of understanding complex issues. Running a government is no child’s play and this man found himself in waters too deep. When Gambians voted in 2016, many, myself included, supported the coalition candidate regardless of who it was, just to get rid of the evil dictator. We would have voted for a pig with lipstick on if that was the only candidate contesting against Jammeh.

I would therefore like to call on those who gave us Adama Barrow. OJ Jallow, Halifa Sallah, Mai Ahmad Fatty, Isatou Touray, Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang and Ousainou Darboe, you are the ones who presented yourselves as political leaders, formed a coalition and presented this “political animal” to Gambians to elect to the presidency. Some of us expected that you all would go into the national assembly to serve as legislators to guide and hold Barrow and his government accountable, and to set The Gambia on a path to prosperity. It’s rather unfortunate that almost all of you chose the prestige of becoming ministers over the less glamorous service in the legislative, but I guarantee you that it’s not too late. Gambians, as supporters of your various political parties, collectively placed their trust in you all and voted for the candidate you endorsed. You owe it to the nation and the people, to rise to the occasion, provide guidance and hold the Barrow government accountable. Folding your arms while Barrow fails, hoping it paves a clearer path for your personal run for the presidency in a few years may seem expedient, but I can assure you that it will not work. Gambians will remember your participation, or your silence, in whatever success or failure this government registers. It also happens to be the honorable thing to do, you “Honorables”.
*I did not forget to include Hamat Bah and Henry Gomez. I just don’t expect much from either man.

By selling their souls to the president for one of those 57 vehicles, our National Assembly members showed us not to trust them, but I’ll still give it a shot and call on them to try and regain some dignity. Gambians voted for you all to represent them and be their voices. It is within your powers, and responsibility, to call the executive and the NAWEC management and demand answers about what is going on over there. When will the electricity problems be fixed? How? What deals have been signed? Were there any public tenders? Who bid for them and how were winners selected? etc. The Gambian people trusted you, elected you and pay you to ask these questions.

Will the real leaders please stand up!

P.S. By no means am I suggesting that one or all of these individuals and/or entities are innocent of partaking in possible corruption, mismanagement or incompetence. I’d just like to accord them the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to prove that they’re not. Turning a blind eye leaves a foul smell. Over to my “Honorables”…

Up until now, many Gambians argue about the origin of the name of the country. While some claim that the country got its name from the River Gambia (Kambi Bolongo), others hold the view that some tourist of sort asked native speakers about where they were and the natives, not being able to respond in English, said Kambiyaa (Mandinka for Kambi’s home). These are two versions held in the country, at least among the educated citizens.

Another point of argument is how the article The came to be part of the country’s name. There is no clear-cut consensus on this either. People hold different views when it comes to the article and why it introduces the country’s name. I personally have asked many a scholar on Gambian History but could get even two people who agree on the same view.

In fact, there are many people who hold that the Independence of the country should be celebrated on April 24^th rather than 18^th February. For the former, it was in 1970 that the Gambia gained Republican Status and thus it is the right date to celebrate. The latter on the other hand say that independence was gained in 1965. Whenever this topic is brought up, a heated debate ensues, and one observes that people have no certain knowledge of the matter.

In light of the above, I think it is quite important for the government to initiate a study, a research to come out with factual findings and write our own official version of Gambian history instead of depending solely on the History written be the colonialist. It does not augur well for a whole country not knowing – or at least not being certain – how the name of the country came about. It should be made so that everyone in the country knows these details about our country. This I think will go a long way in creating and nurturing patriotism. A lack of patriotism is hindering the progress of our nation and not being able to truly identify with the country is the – or is one of – the causes of this lack of patriotism.

Now that we have the University of the Gambia, the government should initiate a project to conduct a thorough research which will put this matter to rest once and for all. This should not be difficult considering that at the University we have the needed human resources and expertise to do it.

In many countries, there is an official record of the history of the country. They record the successes and failures of all governments so that the future generation can learn from it. This is one way to sustain developmet and make it participatory. Citizens will take ownership and we will be put on a high pedestal of progress.

Have a Good Day Mr President…

Tha Scribbler Bah

A concerned Citizen

The calamitous supply of electricity in the Gambia has been a perennial issue since the establishment of NAWEC which was originally called GUC and then MSG yet the matter remains conclusively and effectively unaddressed. Not only had there been poor, limited and erratic supply of energy but that electricity voltage itself has been low generally yet expensive both for the Government and the citizen. Until now vast majority of Gambians have no access to electricity hence hampering the ability of citizens to enjoy quality living standards while retarding national development.

With the advent of the new government Gambians have expected that the Barrow Administration would finally address this matter once and for all given the high level of inefficiency and corruption in this sector since the First Republic which got worse under the APRC regime. Not only had Yaya Jammeh directly interfered with and illegally benefited from personalizing NAWEC and exploiting energy supply but also many communities were directly denied electricity supply on the basis of their support for the opposition or simply for not voting for APRC and Yaya Jammeh.

Both in his campaign manifesto and since coming to power, Pres. Barrow and his Government have continuously said that the issue of electricity supply and NAWEC are major concerns for them. Yet more than 12 months after taking over power the situation of NAWEC and the happenings in the energy sector raise more worries and questions than offer better answers and solutions. It appears that fundamentally there has been no system change yet in this sector as indications point to massive inefficiency and patronage hence corruption that must be addressed.

Information now being circulated that the Senegal agreement leaves much to be desired requires that the National Assembly institute a parliamentary enquiry in order to protect national interest. Much as Senegal is a unique neighbour of the Gambia, yet the Gambia is a distinct country that has its national interests that must be protected. Hence any deal with Senegal or any country requires to be negotiated with the best interest of the Gambia in mind. Therefore the terms of the agreement for energy supply from Senegal must be reviewed to determine how beneficial or detrimental it is to the Gambia.

From sources inside NAWEC and the energy sector as a whole, it is claimed that the Senegal deal is not beneficial to the Gambia both for the short and long term interests of the Gambia. The fact that Senegal supplies electricity to the country potentially compromises national security since Senegal has the ability to unilaterally blackout the Gambia at any time. The supply of energy and its importance to national security is such that such supply must be controlled from within the country, preferably from entities that are national private entities or from a national company such as NAWEC. Therefore the need for the National Assembly to investigate the Senegal deal is urgent and necessary especially given the reports that are now emerging that better and cheaper deals where rejected in favour of Senegal. Why?

Secondly the governance and management of NAWEC and the operations and operators in the supply of energy must be looked into with urgency. Already NAWEC has indicated that it has a debt of millions of dalasi. This clearly shows that NAWEC is a not a viable or profitable entity that warrants the company to be either sold or closed down otherwise a clear and more pragmatic solution must be found to maintain it as a national asset.

The truth however is that NAWEC must be able to operate profitably, efficiently and accountably. But NAWEC has been unable to be such a company simply because of lack of transparency and accountability hence corruption since its inception. The basis for such perennial poor performance and corruption is simply and squarely a matter of poor leadership right from the Office of the President, to its line ministry to the National Assembly to its Board of Directors. There is no reason why public enterprises should not be profitable and efficient if there is effective and strategic leadership to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability.

Hence if Barrow wishes to address the issue of NAWEC he must first of all review the role and function of the Office of the President in this matter. This means he needs to review his own vision and modus operandi in terms of the running of public enterprises as set out in the laws. Until the governance and management systems, processes and personnel of NAWEC are properly constituted and operated in line with the law then this company will not do well but will continue to be a waste of public resources without providing efficient services to citizens.

For example, the composition of NAWEC’s board needs to be reviewed because it comprises individuals and businesses that have vested interest in the energy sector. Hence there are clear conflicts of interest within the Board hence undermining the efficiency and accountability of NAWEC as well as the supply of energy in the country. Furthermore there are individuals and businesses close to the corridors of power that have vested interests in the energy sector hence use their power and influence to drive this Government towards deals and agreements that benefit them first and foremost at the detriment of the Gambia. This must stop!

Pres. Barrow must realise that the issue of NAWEC and the energy sector is about his own personal legacy as President of the Republic. He must be able to have the wisdom to see through and behind the words and actions of so-called advisers, board members, ministers, directors and indeed all players in this matter to identify the best interest of the Gambia and stand by that. He must not allow individuals to take advantage of him in order to profit themselves at the detriment of the Gambia.

The Gambia has the capacity to ensure 24 hours of uninterrupted power supply provided Pres. Barrows demonstrates the necessary leadership to ensure firm decisions that are transparent, accountable and participatory. We could not enjoy uninterrupted power supply since Independence for no reason other than the failure of leadership by Dawda Jawara for 30 years and Yaya Jammeh for 22 years. But Barrow can address this issue within 12 months if indeed he is ready to show the necessary strategic leadership. It does not have to take him 5 years to set this country on the path of ensuring a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply. Unfortunately so far, he is not showing that leadership.

The ball is in his court!

For the Gambia, Our Homeland.

The Wolofs have a saying that ‘Wakhtaan Wakha Degga Chala’ that is, (telling each other the truth is part of a conversation). It was reported in the local newspapers yesterday that the first ever meeting of experts between the Senegalese and Gambian governments in Banjul ahead of the presidential council meeting started at the Kairaba Beach Hotel. In the discussions, Sir, I suggest your government make a case for Gambian businessmen/women entering Senegal to sell goods. We know that Senegalese do a lot of business in the Gambia. They bring things here all the time and sell it without let or hinderance. Some Gambians also go to Senegal to buy merchandise and bring it to the Gambia for sale. Thus, Senegal is gaining a lot of economic benefits in these transactions.

However, if, and when a Gambian departs here for Senegal without any thing (goods for sale), s/he is subjected to a lot of trouble and the payments of money at the Senegalese border. Even something as simple as sugar, or a piece of cloth for a relative, could be seized unless one pays a huge amount of money to the customs officers at the border.

Mr President, both Senegal and the Gambia are sovereign states, and each should respect the territorial integrity of the other. When we have a relationship, it should be based on mutual respect and benefits. It should not be that because one is bigger it should benefit more than the other. International relations and corporations are based on mutual benefits. Thus, there is no lasting friendships on diplomacy; only aligned benefits or interests exists. No matter how close two countries are, once their interests differ, they will move apart in no time. Thus, the relationship must be based on truth and equality.

Mr. President, another point is that currently, there is a lot of talk on the arrangement for Senegal to supply the Gambia with electricity. There is no doubt that this has brought some relieve in terms of the provision of power to rural Gambia as some – or many – folks now enjoy at least twenty or so hours of uninterrupted power supply. However, the agreement and how it was reached is still murky to many Gambians. I dare say most Gambians do not know what exactly the arrangement is. In fact, some people are even saying that the deal with the Senegalese is not at all beneficial to the Gambia; that there was one which would have been more beneficial to us but was rejected in favour of this one. The other side of it is that energy is a potential national security issue. If our energy is supplied from outside, they could easily plunge us in darkness at the click of a button.

Whatever the case, Mr President, I think there was a lack of clear-cut communication with the public with regards to this agreement. Everything a government does should be for the benefit of the general population. And as the agreement was for the benefit of the public, it would have been good if they were kept in the loop, so to speak. If the people had been consulted on some of these issues, they would have given their suggestions and that would have been more productive for all.

Whatever the case is on that agreement – whether it is beneficial or harmful to the country – the government, through the National Water and Electricity Company should come out and explain it in detail to the public. Government serves the people, and at the people’s pleasure. The government is accountable to the people who voted them into office. So, we demand that you and your government explain this to us. Now!!!

Have a Good Day Mr President…

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned citizen

Africa continues to face various complex challenges to ensure inclusive growth for all sectors of society, especially the youth. In accessing the projected growth of the continent’s youth population, it is of vital necessity for national governments and regional bodies like ECOWAS, to carve out lasting solutions for the challenges ahead.

Across the continent, several countries have now instituted a national youth framework, as a result of the ‘African Youth Charter’, adopted by the African Union at the summit of Heads of State and Government in Banjul, on July 2006 (ILO, 2012). The Charter enjoin responsibilities to Member States for the development of youth. Not only does it provide the Governments, Youth, Civil Society and International Partners with a continental framework, which underlines to the rights, duties and freedoms of youth, it also paves the way for the development of national programs and strategic plans for their empowerment.

Many countries, including the Gambia, are already taking active steps towards youth-centered economic policy frameworks. By 2014, forty-two countries had signed the Charter and 36 members had ratified it. In the Gambia, youth policies are the responsibility of a dedicated ministry, or have a minister responsible for youth combined with other portfolios, such as sports, children or women’s affairs. Further, government departments like the Ministry of Trade and Employment also implement important initiatives all geared toward helping young people.

It is imperative for the constructive involvement of Youths in the development agenda of Africa and their effective participation in the debates and decision-making processes. Policies to address youth unemployment are shaped by ‘Political pressures’, ‘Technocrats’, ‘Socio-economic realities’ and international best practices. But politicians often introduce relatively easy to target policies, designed to yield short-term gains in response to pressures to address economic issues facing young people. More over governments may adopt policies to signal their commitment to good governance. Countries like Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya have opened funds for young entrepreneurs, with the support of the ILO (Elder and Kone’, 2014).

However, in general, young people are not sufficiently involved in policy development in Africa (World Bank 2007). When policy makers do consult the youth collectively, specific groups may shape outcomes. Educated, urban and male youth, for example might have greater access to policy discussions than other young people, thereby shaping policy outcomes in a way that might not represent the challenges of female and or rural youth. This might reflect the relative ease of engaging with young people who have strong networks and who are located in urban centres (for example university students).

The African Youth Charter has set a framework to enable policy makers to mainstream Youth issues in all development policies and programs. It is, therefore, important to recognize that when policy makers give space to ‘youth voice’ they are aware that a selected few may not represent all young people. There is a definite need to engage with the ‘youth’ in a wider and more representational manner, such as through surveys, youth clubs or perhaps social media.

Poor coordination, among the actors responsible for policies targeting the youths, may undermine their effectiveness. Therefore youth policy may require action on a number of fronts and it could be difficult to align the relevant actors around a common vision and set of priorities. Policies to support young people may rely on different levels of government, such as municipal government, which may face capacity and fiscal constraints in their ability national directives on youths. Also, ministers in charge of youths and related policies are typically political appointees who may have low levels of interest in achieving objectives that extend beyond their terms. An effective steering committee, that can coordinate policies across departments, may be important for policy coherence and effectiveness. Alternatively, recognizing the constraints of a government or uneven capacity across departments success lie in a limited number of agencies developing focused policies on youth employment.

Policies can also be differentiated with respect to their horizon. Employment problems comprise challenges that policies could address over a relatively short time horizon, such as soft skills training or providing information about existing vacancies to suitable candidates. Other challenges will take a much longer period of time to achieve result, such as improvement to basic education or, most critically, addressing a fundamental shortage of jobs through demand-size policies.

Finally, the efficacy of a policy may depend on its complementarity with other policies. One of the lessons from the past is that programs are more likely to succeed if they link financial and skills training in the same program (AfDB  et al.,2012). An analysis of the youth program in Nigeria indicates that the government has focused on training but neglected the provision of soft loans (Akande, 2014).

In summary, many African governments including the Gambia have implemented policies to support young people in the labor market, especially entrepreneurial training with varying degrees of success. Consequently, the current set of policies do not reflect a major shift from the standardized recommendations globally. Moreover, intergovernmental coordination, interest groups and direct youth participation, ultimately, shall determine the success of youth policy in Africa.

Omar Kolley, London