The National Assembly member for Banjul South, Fatoumatta Njie has questioned the integrity of Bai Mass Saine, a member of the newly formed Commission of Inquiry into former President Jammeh’s assets.

The NAM argued the fact that Saine, being the son of former NIA boss Captain Lamin Saine who was Jammeh’s associate, could compromise his impartiality in the commission.

His father Captain Lamin K Saine was also nominated into parliament by former President Yahya Jammeh following the 2012 parliamentary election before serving as Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2013. He was sacked as the DG of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Monday, 9th December, 2013.

The NAM argued that with such a deep connection of his father with the former regime, Commissioner Saine’s judgment could be clouded.

However, in response to the NAM’s misgivings, the Minister of Justice Aboubacarr Tambadou, said: “On membership of Bai Mass Saine, I personally believe that no son or daughter should be made to pay for the sins committed by their parents if at all there are sins at the first place.

“We need to be very careful here, on how we judge people. Bai Mass Saine is a very mature person and a qualified banker with an impeccable integrity. He should be judged on his character alone and not by those of his family members.”

He said it is unfair to cast doubt on Saine’s credibility and integrity on alleged sins of his family.
“Allow me to emphasise that this Commission of Inquiry is a fact-finding one and its powers are only limited to making recommendations,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the parliamentarians passed and adopted a whopping D900, 000 remunerations for the three commissioners tasked to lift the lid on former President Jammeh’s assets in the next three months.

Moving the motion before the NAM’S yesterday the Minister of Justice said the establishment of the said commission was necessitated by the receipt of preliminary reports from; inter alia, the Central Bank of the Gambia, Gamtel, GNPC, NAWEC, SSHFC, and other public institutions which indicate that substantial funds were, either directly or indirectly withdrawn.

Source: Standard Newspaper

Members of the National Assembly yesterday passed and amended Section 62 of the 1997 Constitution to revise the compulsory retirement age of a judge of a superior Court and removed the controversial upper age-limit for holding presidential office and connected matters.

The 1997 Constitution placed an age limit on qualification for presidency in the country at 65, as well as the appointment of vice president, which has similar qualifications as president.
Critics of former president Jammeh said he had relied on this section to disqualify most of his opponents who might be interested in contesting election against him.

Moving the motion before the members of National Assembly the Minister of Justice Aboubacarr Tambadou said the bill also seeks to extend the age at which a judge of superior court should vacate office.
He added that the amendment of the bill will facilitate and encourage qualified, competent and experienced Gambians to be appointed as judges of the superior Courts and candidates to be elected to the political office of the president.

The Minority Leader and NAM for Niamina Dankunku Hon Samba Jallow, in seconding the motion, said the age limit should not have been in the constitution in the first place.
The changes would come as a relief to the Barrow administration whose chosen Vice President Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang is believed to be over 65 and could technically be called vice president to avoid the legal complications forcing the government to coin the phrase Vice President Overseer when referring to her role at state house.

The current foreign minister and leader of the United Democratic Party would have been faced with a legal bottleneck were he to aspire to contest the election of last December.
As fate would have it though he was sent to prison in April, it prompted his party to select a younger Adama Barrow as presidential candidate who later won the election under a coalition ticket.

Many National Assembly members welcome the amendment, saying the section was discriminatory and has no place in the country’s statute book.

Source: Standard Newspaper

Honourable Muhammed Magassy, the National Assembly Member for Base has said that he is the only parliamentarian who cannot be sacked by any party leader for expressing his mind in the National Assembly.

The honourable member for Basse made these statements in his intervention on the Amendment Bill of the presidential age limit presented by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice at the National Assembly in Banjul.

“I am the only one in this National Assembly who is free to speak my mind without worrying about anybody sacking me from the parliament because section 91 D (1) cannot be applied on me,” Hon. Muhammad Magassy said.

Honourable Magassy called for the amendment of section 91 D (1) of the constitution which empowered political party leaders to sack National Assembly Members to loose their membership from the party that brought them to the parliament, saying it is the electorates who voted members of parliament not political parties.

“This is not something that should be encourage in the new Gambia,” he asserted.

Magassy said this will make the honorable members perform by allowing them to speak their minds on the interest of their people even if it is against their party interest.

Honourable Alhagie S. Darboe, the National Assembly Member for Brikama North commended the amendment of the age limit, saying the move taken is long overdue. He said that was what the then opposition fought to change. He added that the lower age should be also consider like the upper age for equal treatment without discriminating the lower age people who want to contest.

“When the age limit is amended the term limit should also be introduced,” Hon. Alhagie S Darboe pointed out.

The Brikama North Parliamentarian called for a two 5 year term limit for the President.

Meanwhile, several interventions were made by honorable members from various constituencies.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Amadou Sanneh has addressed the development partners forum on the Gambia’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2018–2021 at Kairaba Beach Hotel.

The Finance Minister said the country has reached a critical point in the preparation of the National Development Plan with the recent completion of the revised draft.

“As you all know, the National Development Plan is the vehicle through which we seek to define the strategies and actions to pursue to address the host of economic and social challenges that we have inherited after 22 years of poor political and economic governance under the last regime,” Finance Minister Amadou Sanneh said.

He added: “It will set the template to guide us as we seek to deliver on our promises of good governance, accountability and a revitalized and transformed economy to our citizens.”

Minister Sanneh said in preparing the National Development Plan, they have followed a very participatory and inclusive process. He said they have actively solicited the input of different development partners, civil society, community organisations and, more broadly, citizens. He also noted that they have taken due account of the Coalition Manifesto and the development priorities agreed by Cabinet and reflected in the compact from the cabinet retreat.

“I am both hopeful and proud that this document is richer and very relevant to the needs and aspirations of the New Gambia,” he interjected.

The Finance Minister identified eight strategic priority areas to focus on delivering on their goals which includes:

Governance, Human Rights and Security Sector Reform,

Macroeconomic Stabilization and Economic Management

Modernized Agriculture, Agribusiness and Fisheries

Human Capital– Health, Education, and Social Protection

Infrastructure and Energy

Tourism and Culture

Youth Empowerment and Development

Private Sector Development and Trade

Minister Sanneh further stated that they have ensured that the new National Development Plan is focus squarely on achieving results.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister thanked in particular the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for immense technical and financial support provided during the process.

Finally the president laid out his agenda before the parliament six months after taking office! While long overdue, yet it is necessary. However, the State f the Nation address is large on aims and ambitions but limited on targets and specifics. It did not show in any significant way that we are indeed on the path to system change. The speech mainly reported what has happened so far. And apart from the commission of enquiry and the panel to investigate past injustices, the rest of it merely reported on the usual operations of a government.

Usually in such speeches, the Secretary General asks ministries, departments and agencies to submit reports on their activities that go to make up the speech of the president. It is clear that this was what took place again hence one can see how various sectors reported on activities which are actually ongoing such as the 950 pit latrines built or distribution of vegetable seeds to farmers among others. These are actually ongoing activities.

This speech should indeed be more than that. It should have been huge on the specifics and targets in terms of effecting actual system change and progress. In order words, this speech should have focused more on the country’s strategic needs and the policy options to effect system change. Barrow must understand that he has until 2019 to deliver. He has inherited a broken statecraft that must be reconstructed. Hence strategy, specificity and targeting are critical.

For that matter the most significant part of the speech to me came under the section ‘Administration and Civil Service. ‘ The president said he “has tasked the Personnel Management Office to conduct a comprehensive nationwide staff audit for the entire civil service. This began on the 27th of March 2017.” This, to me is when I truly see policy and system change taking place. This is the very kind of strategy we expect in each and every sector if we are to ensure true system change and progress.
But beyond this, the civil service also needs a purely merit and results-based management system to avoid going back to the old attitudes. There must be a performance appraisal system and all civil servants must undergo the process to ensure performance and results and also determine promotions, trainings and other incentives. Without such actions, we cannot determine if indeed the reforming of the government machinery that he mentioned will truly happen.

Under Justice and Judiciary, we saw once again Barrow giving us feedback. But justice delivery is more than releasing prisoners and setting up commissions of enquiry? We need more information on how these criminal proceedings will unfold especially given the challenges with the NIA case. Apart from this case, numerous acts of violations and corruption of the former regime are in waiting to be addressed. How is Barrow going to deal with them? What about the victims that Barrow has not even met yet as a group? Is there any form of compensation for victims?

Not much on institutional reforms has been mentioned under the Information and Communications section. It is indeed welcoming that anti-media laws will be repealed and some media houses re-opened. But our media houses are beset by high taxes and high cost of input. There are no subsidies or subvention provided to them. Thus apart from the political repression of the past, the economic challenges the media face is the reason for the lack of an efficient and vibrant media environment. Incentives within media houses are hopelessly poor. Thus we need the government to bear these in mind and take actions to address to support the media. For that matter the president and his Minister of Information would do well to commission a study on the state of affairs within the media.

The issue of ICT was not mentioned at all, yet this is a major driver of the economy and change in our society. What is Barrow’s government going to do to ensure that there is widespread availability, affordability and use of quality Internet service? It is obvious that ICT promotes efficiency, professionalism and transparency in both the public and private sectors.

On Energy, the president said he signed an agreement for a new 60mw power plant. But he did not say with who and when this plant will be built and start operation. He also mentioned energy coming from Senegal, but the nature of this arrangement is not disclosed. He said it is short term but how long or short is this short-term measure? How will the two countries connect the power lines? Hence there is need for more information here as to the actualization of these initiatives.
But what really is the problem with our energy? We need the government to speak to that. As a new government, what do they know about our electricity problem? Is it about production or distribution or some other capacity issue such as technical competence? Secondly what about renewable energy? The Gambia has enough sunlight and wind to power our homes and industries. What is Barrow’s government thinking in this area?

On Petroleum, the president gave a very good statement that he will be transparent about issues there. He mentioned that there is exploration and research going on currently. But what are these exploration and research about? Where in the country is exploration taking place and by which company? What have they found so far? I think we need more information on this matter than what has been given to us. And since we are talking about petroleum, has Barrow considered that oil can be both a blessing and curse? For that matter, do we have an idea or plan as to how to manage our oil money when it starts flowing?

On the issue of Trade, there was no mention of small-scale businesses while the overall macroeconomic issues for the private sector have not been touched – taxes, interest rates, cheaper inputs. While he spoke about electricity, but he did not exactly speak to the specifics in terms when the power plant will start delivery or the Senegal outlet will start work. Will costs of electricity reduce or not?

On financial matters, the president spoke of the ‘Accelerated National Response Plan’ but did not give the basic details, terms and targets of this plan? It must be noted that taking loans must be done with caution especially if such loans are not directly linked to productivity and income generation. We saw how APRC lived on loans and taxes, which have led to our deplorable situation. Hence the president should speak to the need for setting a ceiling for loans in order not to overly indebt the country. We also need to stop or reduce government borrowing which was beyond control under APRC. Yet these issues have not been addressed by the president.

On the issue of the youth, the president talked about returnees from Libya, but exactly what interventions are going on here and where? Again the youth sector is one place where the government needs to conduct an assessment to identify the issues, concerns and challenges confronting this sector. For example, apart from the existing youth programs by the NYC and the issue of the returnees, what concrete activities are directed at youths – such as education, skills, jobs among others? What or how much is government putting into GTTI, PAS, NYSS, NEDI and similar youth institutions? Secondly most youths are involved in small and medium scale enterprises. What is the plan for them in terms of access to credit, protection and other forms of support to make them grow? The president did not mention this.

On Agriculture, the president did not show that there is a shift from the usual approach since independence. Supplying seeds and fertilizer to these poor farmers is not enough. What about facilities such as transportation, storage and processing of agricultural produce? Are we not thinking of creating national farms corporation to engage in large-scale cultivation of all kinds of cereals, fruits, crops and horticulture as well as animal husbandry, poultry and fisheries? We used to have a vibrant Gambia Cooperative Union as well as GPMB and even NTC, which were all wrecked. But these are necessary and useful institutions for our farmers and development. Has Barrow and his government thought of these issues and how to re-activate them?

On Fisheries, Barrow spoke of efforts to review the 2008 fisheries regulations. But specifically what are these amendments about? Are we going to see the setting up of a national fisheries company, or more tools provided to fisherfolks including cold storage facilities, transportation and better equipped fish markets so that fresh fish is available to all throughout the country. Are we going to see processing and packaging of our fish for export? These are the things that will generate employment and increase revenue for both the individual and government. What about the Golden Lead issue in Gunjur and foreign fishing in our waters?

On Water and Sanitation, I am saddened that in 2017 the Gambia is still talking about constructing pit latrines for our people. Pit latrines must be abandoned altogether and the government must introduce flush toilets. Pit latrines are not hygienic at all. We must take steps to introduce our people to modern facilities and more hygienic ways of living.

As usual most of the issues mentioned under Health have been ongoing activities under existing projects. We need to hear of the specific issues and challenges within the health delivery system and how to improve. There is gross shortage of personnel, drugs and equipment in our public health facilities and the entire health delivery system is in shambles. What is the difference that we are going to see from now? There is lot for the president to talk about health yet very limited information was shared.

Under Education, the entire focus is on infrastructural issues. What about the content and methodology of learning and teaching given the abysmal underperformance in our schools. The quality of education is poor and falling in this country and that means the future of the country is bleak. What is this government doing to review the entire education system as well as the health delivery system? Merely receiving loans and grants to build structures is not the solution. The working conditions of teachers and health workers are deplorable while processes and technical competences are major challenges. These are the fundamental issues that have not been addressed by the president.

The president reported that he has appointed five new governors and spoke well about depoliticizing regional administration. But what the president did not speak to is the local governance system itself. That is, we need to implement the Local Government Act in full. The politicizing of the local government system is because the local government law has been disregarded. Hence there is need to bring back the law and then review the local government system itself in order to empower area and city councils to play their role more effectively and efficiently as per the law. Our local government structures have severe capacity challenges because they have always been severely abused and misused by the central government itself. Hence there is need for a major review of the system in order to make them more efficient and responsive to the needs of locals. The Bakoteh dumpsite within the wider poor cleansing services within KMC and BCC alone clearly speak to the need for system change in local governance.

In talking about all of these issues, there is one indispensable and instrumental natural resource that is constantly ignored in Gambia’s policy and development discourse. That is the River Gambia. This river is probably the most instrumental resource ever in the Gambia – for agriculture, education, health, tourism, transportation, food, commerce, entertainment and all sorts of livelihoods. What are we using the river for? For decades, wharfs have been built in villages and towns along the river yet they lie idle. What is Barrow and his government thinking about the River Gambia?

Finally, Barrow said his immediate priority is to fix the energy problem and the economy and all its attendant issues as well as introduce legal, constitutional and institutional reform. Yet he has not told us when we will have a new constitution, which is urgent and necessary. The constitution is the basic law of the land and the current one is just bad. Thus the need for a new constitution must be a top priority. I expected that he would tell us about the composition of a constitutional review commission and a timeline as to when they will finish their work.

Overall the president’s speech was large on projects and activities that are hugely focused on the country’s immediate needs. He did well to highlight noble values of transparency and accountability that seek to ensure that our freedoms and the democratic dispensation continue to flourish. While these are commendable ideals, however the speech was low on policy that is directed at addressing our strategic needs and ensure system change.

God Bless The Gambia

Chinese products now have an unhindered access to the Gambian market with the free trade agreement signed by the governments in Banjul and Beijing.

“I am proud to announce that my Minister of Trade has since signed a letter of agreement with China for duty free trade between our two nations,” President Adama Barrow said yesterday at his maiden state opening of the National Assembly.

“This will remove the need for costly trans-shipment of Gambian exports to China through a third country,” he said. “It will also make our goods more competitive, and boost our export potential to the world’s largest market.”

The Gambia National Assembly had ratified the World Trade Organisation trade facilitation agreement.

The Gambian leader, himself a businessman, said this agreement would make The Gambia a more attractive export destination for its trading partners.

He said Gambians’ exercising of their democratic right at the December 2016 presidential election “ushered in a new Gambia that is more open to the world”.

“We now have a country that will benefit from greater openness through international trade and tourism,” Barrow said.

“Since my inauguration, it is clear that the world appreciates The Gambia and wants to engage with us. We have already seen an increase in the volume of cargo at the port of Banjul as well as a rise in vehicular traffic using the ferry services,” he said.

“Furthermore, there has been a clear boost in the flock of new investors exploring opportunities in our country.”

A strategic partner

The Gambian leader said with the coming of the new government, relations between The Gambia and Senegal have been transformed positively.

Barrow said Banjul and Dakar now meet as strategic partners who recognise the mutual benefit of closer cooperation.

“Within the first 100 days of our period in office, our countries signed several key agreements on defence and security, tourism, fisheries and consular assistance,” he said.

“As a small economy, The Gambia has much to gain from more efficient trade across our borders with Senegal and beyond.”

2017 and beyond

The Gambian leader also said the government has got a “lot to do in 2017 and beyond and as “I have always said, this is going to be a government of action”.

“Our immediate priority is to fix the continuous energy problem as well as the broken economy, unify the nation, improve health and agricultural sub-sectors, end the country’s isolation and introduce robust institutional, electoral and constitutional reforms in line with our new democratic principles that will respond to the realities of our time,” President Barrow said.

“This has to be done in tandem with reforms in the Civil Service and security sector as well as State Owned Enterprises.”

Justice

While the government has restored key democratic institutions, the pursuit of justice remains a high priority for the Barrow-government.

“Indeed, we still have a lot to do despite the progress made so far,” the president said.

Over 500 prisoners have been pardoned as part of the reform the prisons reform project which includes plans to decongest the prisons by releasing political and other deserving reformed prisoners.

Barrow paid tribute to “the gallant Armed Forces”, who he said, have been receptive to the normalisation of their role in the state, and have conducted themselves with maximum professionalism.

“To ensure that our military remain effective and professional, we plan to set up an infantry centre and school, as well as a military academy to train our officers and other personnel in all aspects of military science,” he said.

Source: The Point Newspaper

Gambian business tycoon Amadou Samba has dismissed reports in social media that he was arrested in Dakar.

“If I was arrested would I have been able to talk with you? The report was malicious and has no iota of truth,” Mr Samba said.

This allegation was put out by the social media that Samba was dining with Zineb Jammeh together with Samuel Sarr, former Senegalese Minister of Energy (during Abdoulaye Wade’s regime) in Dakar.

Mr Samba further told The Point’s reporter to ask the Senegalese authorities if Zineb Jammeh was in Dakar, saying the report on the issue “is not true”.

Source: The Point Newspaper

Unimpeachable sources close to Senegalese intelligence and the Interpol office in Dakar have refuted statements on the social media that former first lady Zineb Jammeh was in Dakar and held meetings with Gambian businessmen Amadou Samba and Samuel Sarr.

The highly ranked source who asked for anonymity said: “This story is completely false. In fact, our records show that she has not been to Senegal for at least two years. If she steps her feet in Senegal, I’d be one of the first to know. This is not true at all. There are no records at any of our border entry ports of Zineb Jammeh entering Senegal. Period. We have informed the Interpol office in Banjul. You can confirm from them.”

Earlier yesterday, Sidi Sanneh, a former Jammeh minister who turned arch opponent after his sacking, broke news on his blog that the Senegalese authorities had arrested both Mr Samba and Mr Sarr.

However, when contacted on their phones in Dakar, both men laughed off the report. Mr Samba said the news was “incredulous” while Mr Sarr said: “I am in my office right now as I am speaking to you. This whole thing is all untrue. In fact, what they are doing is quite dangerous. They are intimating that the Senegalese authorities are failing in their job…which is not the case at all.”

Officers at the Gambia’s State Intelligence Services told The Standard last evening that they do not have any information about Lady Zineb’s presence in Dakar.
Spokesman Inspector Conta said the Gambian police are not aware of the story and said he would contact the Banjul Interpol office, however did not return to us by the time we went to press.

The story about Lady Zineb’s presence in Dakar and purported meeting with Messrs Samba and Sarr was first reported by Sidi Sanneh and quickly went viral. It was picked up by papers in Senegal and The Gambia.

Reacting to the developments, a social commentator queried to The Standard last night: “Why is Sidi Sanneh… a man of his age and standing in our society, writing such unfounded things. This is the story that never was. It is sad and very troubling!”

Source: Standard Newspaper

People who are accused of committing crimes under President Yahya Jammeh will be held accountable, Interior minister Mai Ahmed Fatty assured the families of victims of the Jammeh regime recently.

The minister was addressing the families of the victims and activists who converged at Kairaba Beach Hotel for a symposium.

“There will be transitional justice but there are incredulous offences that will go to court. At the Ministry of Interior, we believe transitional justice is important but judicial justice where people are tried and put behind bars for good is also key and something we cannot forget about,” Minister Fatty said.

“We will continue to investigate, notwithstanding the transitional justice programme… we will continue to investigate mass graves and we will continue our forensic examinations and we will need your support.”

Minister Fatty said they have not stopped investigations but they have halted exhuming people because of the inadequate forensic experts and equipment to protect the integrity of the evidences.
He said it is in that light that they have “just signed an agreement in order to create a forensic centre in this country at no cost to Gambia government”.

“I want to tell you something, for those who are looking for justice, there will be one,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Kijera, a senior member of the Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations, an institution that was recently established to ensure justice for Jammeh’s victims, said July 22 marked a “dark page in the history of Gambia”.

“The Centre for Victims has begun the campaign for justice, and it is in our resolve to see to it that the government provide justice for the victims of Jammeh,” Kijera told the gathering.
The evening symposium was chaired by a former minister under Jammeh, Dr. Scattred Janneh, who was convicted of treason and jailed for 15 months for distributing T-shirts saying, ‘Coalition for change, Gambia end dictatorship now’.

“It is important for the victims to be heard so that we can know from their side what needs to be done,” Dr Janneh said.

The symposium was supported by DUGA and Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations.

A documentary titled “pain of a people” which conveyed the tales of disappearances, murder and protracted detentions under Jammeh was played while a five-member panel discussed the way forward.

Source: Standard Newspaper

Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has made a marathon statement on the policy document of his government to the National Assembly in Banjul.

“Together, we have ushered the New Gambia into a world of hope, a world we shall jealously guard to preserve the freedom and dignity of our people. Never again shall this nation return to those dark days of impunity, obvious disregard for constitutional order or be globally isolated,” President Adama Barrow said.

He added: “This is an achievement that we should not take lightly. I thank Allah for this blessing and also seek his continued guidance and strength to serve you well in the coming years.”

President Barrow told deputies that the spirit of unity that brought the last historic presidential election outcome continues to drive the nation forward, which is evident in the business of the new Cabinet. He said this spirit of unity is seen every day across the nation as they strive together to build the New Gambia that the citizens want and deserve. He said the most important achievement so far is the peaceful transition of power to the new democracy.

“You have elected the government that you want, and we have taken your expressions of goodwill and your desire for peace and prosperity seriously,” he asserted.

Barrow has indicated the task of steadily reforming the government machinery so it can do the work of nation building and help strengthen the new found democracy. He commended the ECOWAS, African Union, European Union, United Nation and all international partners that supported his government in this transition. He promised that his government would be action oriented.

He spoke about security, communication infrastructure, energy, trade, foreign policy, judiciary and justice, economy, agriculture and tourism among other sectors of his government’s priorities.

Speaking on the judiciary and justice system, he said they have restored some of the key democratic institutions, the pursuit of justice remains a high priority for his government, saying over 500 prisoners have been pardoned as they have delivered on their promise to decongest prisons by releasing political and other deserving reformed prisoners. He said a Criminal Case and Detention Review Panel has also been established to enquire into all criminal proceedings against current and former public officers.

“Our Judiciary has been ‘Gambianised’ with the appointment of a Gambian Chief Justice and six Superior Court justices,” he said.

President Barrow said his government is working on reforming the security sector which is closely linked to the delivery of justice and the restoration of free and fair democracy, saying gone are the days of armed security personnel representing the face of government. He disclosed that the Gambian Armed Forces are now confined to their military barracks. He noted that members of the former State Guard Battalion have been redeployed to other units, and the armed forces are now disengaged from civilian matters.

“It is also important to note that arms and ammunitions have been stored in safe locations,” Barrow interjected.

However, the Gambian leader applauded the gallant Armed Forces, who have been receptive to the normalization of their role in the state as they continue to play a critical role in keeping the nation safe and secure, and deserve unconditional support and respect as they carry out their professional duties.

President Barrow in addressing the issue of Information and communication said his government have taken concrete steps to review oppressive media laws, to ensure freedom of the press and freedom of expression in the country.

“New communications measures have been introduced to include regular press briefings by the media team at the Office of the President, by the Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, and bi-annual news conferences by myself,” he disclosed.

The Gambian leader also promised to improve the country’s energy sector, saying his government has made it a priority from day one, to work with international partners, investors and developers to attract investments in the energy sector.

“Some of the negotiations are at a very advanced stage. We recently signed an agreement for a new 60-megawatt power plant, which will more than double the current generation capacity in the country,” President Barrow pointed out.

President Barrow in speaking about trade and foreign policy said the country would benefit from greater openness through international trade and tourism.

“The Gambia has begun the process of rejoining the Commonwealth, and reaffirmed our membership to the International Criminal Court,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Barrow spoke about his government’s plans on agriculture, international financial affairs and public finances, tourism, youth empowerment, health, fisheries and environment among other things.

Mr. Pa Modou Mbowe, the Managing Director of the Daily Observer Newspaper who was petitioned by his staff to resign together with his management Monday dodged from angry staff while they were waiting to stop him from getting inside his official vehicle.

Mbowe spent many years in Europe particularly the United Kingdom as a militant of the former ruling APRC party. He was later appointed by the former President shortly after the last presidential elections to manage the affairs of the Daily Observer Company during the political impasse. The company was temporarily shut down by the Gambia Revenue Authority for tax evasions as it owes millions of dalasi to the country’s tax authorities. The efforts made to resolve the tax scandal failed after the country’s press union announced its withdrawal from the negotiations.

The staffs of the company bitterly complained about the inefficiency and the lack of professionalism at the level of the management.

When the Managing Director (Mbowe) was approached at his office about his reaction to the petition written by the staffs of the company he pretended nothing has happened. He said he was not aware of what was happening at downstairs. He later confirmed that he has received a letter but does not know its content because he hasn’t open it.

MD Mbowe promised to grant an interview after he read the letter the next day.

“Come tomorrow morning to my office for an interview,” Managing Director Pa Modou Mbowe said.

While the staff were organizing themselves at the reception, the MD managed his way through the back door to entered his official vehicle and went away before the angry staff would rush to stop him.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Editor In Chief, Momodou Saidy said the petition was a news to him. The staff vowed not to allow the MD to enter the office again.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION
OF THE STATE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY – BANJUL, 24THJULY, 2017

Honourable Minister of Women’s Affairs Overseeing
the Office of the Vice President,
Madam Speaker,
His Lord the Chief Justice,
Honourable Ministers,
Secretary General & Head of the Civil Service,
Lord Mayor of Banjul,
Honourable Members of the National Assembly,
Venerable Religious Leaders,
Service Chiefs,
Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Members of the Media,
Fellow Gambians,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
​2

I stand before you with great humility today at this
historic opening of our National Assembly in the era of
the ‘New Gambia.’

Together, we have ushered the New Gambia into a
world of hope – a world we shall jealously guard to
preserve the freedom and dignity of our people. Never
again shall this nation return to those dark days of
impunity, obvious disregard for constitutional order or
be globally isolated. This is an achievement that we
should not take lightly. I thank Allah for this blessing
and also seek his continued guidance and strength to
serve you well in the coming years.

The spirit of unity that brought us last December’s
historic election outcome continues to drive the nation
forward, which is evident in the business of our new
Cabinet. Indeed, we see this spirit of unity every day
across the nation as we strive together to build the New
Gambia that we want and deserve.

The most important achievement so far is the peaceful
transition of power to our new democracy. This short
period has seen the inauguration of a President, the
appointment of a new Cabinet and the election of a
new National Assembly.

My fellow Gambians

You have elected the government that you want, and
we have taken your expressions of goodwill and your
desire for peace and prosperity seriously. We have thus
begun the task of steadily reforming the government
machinery so it can do the work of nation building and
help strengthen our new found democracy that we have
wanted for so long.

I want to offer my thanks to the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union,
the United Nations, the European Union, the World
Bank, and all our international partners for their
invaluable support in this historic transition. They too

have worked with us in the spirit of unity and
cooperation to serve the New Gambia.
They have all moved swiftly to help stabilise this
nation through support with security and human and
financial resources. I know we can count on their
continued support particularly to overcome the dire
financial situation that we inherited. But ultimately, we
Gambians must forge our way along the path of
democracy and prosperity. I am proud to say that we
are already well on our way in these first few months
of our administration.

We have got a lot to do in 2017 and beyond and as I
have always said, this is going to be a government of
action. Our immediate priority is to fix the continuous
energy problem as well as the broken economy, unify
the nation, improve health and agricultural sub-sectors,
end the country’s isolation and introduce robust
institutional, electoral and constitutional reforms in
line with our new democratic principles that will
respond to the realities of our time. This has to be done
​5

in tandem with reforms in the Civil Service and
security sector as well as State Owned Enterprises.

A Peaceful Transition

Our most important achievement so far is the peaceful
transition of power to this new democracy. As
mentioned earlier, we are indebted to ECOWAS, the
AU, the UN, the EU, the World Bank, the IMF and
other international partners for their support. They
have all moved quickly to help stabilise our country
with the help of security, human and financial
resources.

As the saying goes charity begins at home, so we must
acknowledge that we Gambians are to be commended
for initiating the change that brought us the New
Gambia. We shall continue to build our country
together.

Justice and Judiciary

While we have restored some of the key democratic
institutions, the pursuit of justice remains a high
priority for my government. Indeed, we still have a lot
to do despite the progress made so far. Over 500
prisoners have been pardoned and we have delivered
on our promise to decongest prisons by releasing
political and other deserving reformed prisoners.

A Criminal Case and Detention Review Panel has also
been established to enquire into all criminal
proceedings against current and former public officers
and the panel has uncovered cases linked to political
activity, and persons remanded and awaiting trial. We
have recently and carefully concluded the work on the
setting up of a Commission of Inquiry to look into the
financial and business-related activities of the former
President and his associates. The members of the
Commission chaired by Surahata Semega Janneh have

been announced and the Commission will start work
shortly.
Additionally, our Judiciary has been ‘Gambianised’
with the appointment of a Gambian Chief Justice and
six Superior Court justices.

We also held a successful National Stakeholders’
Conference on Justice and Human Rights in May and
the forum provided a unique opportunity for inclusive
dialogue and consultations on key justice sector
reforms, including plans for the setting up of a Truth
and Reconciliation Commission.

My government has received and continues to benefit
from genuine and solid support provided by the UN in
the area of transitional justice and the setting up of this
Commission.

Security and Defence

In the area of security and defence, we are grateful for
the support of the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia.
The ECOMIG forces were especially instrumental in
helping to secure our democratic transition. The
government is working on reforming the security
sector which is closely linked to the delivery of justice
and the restoration of our free and fair democracy.

Gone are the days of armed security personnel
representing the face of government. The Gambian
Armed Forces are now confined to their military
barracks. Members of the former State Guard Battalion
have been redeployed to other units, and the armed
forces are now disengaged from civilian matters. It is
also important to note that arms and ammunitions have
been stored in safe locations.

We must, however, applaud our gallant Armed Forces,
who have been receptive to the normalisation of their
role in the state, and have conducted themselves with
maximum professionalism. They continue to play a
critical role in keeping our nation safe and secure, and
deserve our unconditional support and respect as they
carry out their professional duties.

To ensure that our military remain effective and
professional, we plan to set up an infantry centre and
school, as well as a military academy to train our
officers and other personnel in all aspects of military
science.

The former National Intelligence Agency, now the
State Intelligence Service, has been restructured to
focus on its core activity of intelligence gathering and
analysis to ensure the safety and security of us all.

Information and Communications

In the area of information and communications, we
have taken concrete steps to review oppressive media
laws, to ensure freedom of the press and freedom of
expression. These are founding pillars of any strong
democracy, and my government has moved quickly to
reinstate three private radio shows that were illegally
shut down. All these efforts will enhance the quality,
the scope and the openness of information, news and
the media throughout our country. It is reassuring to
now hear and see debates on divergent views expressed
freely on radio, on television and in our newspapers.

In one of my recent cabinet meetings we agreed, as an
immediate priority, on the need to put in place a
communications strategy that will facilitate regular
communication and engagements with the public. New
communications measures have been introduced to
include regular press briefings by the media team at the
Office of the President, by the Minister of Information
​11

and Communication Infrastructure, and bi-annual news
conferences by myself.
Energy

Turning to the energy sector, let me start by restating
the urgency that I attach to resolving the power supply
issues across the nation. Electricity is power – the
power to support education and learning, the power to
run life-saving health facilities, and the power for
businesses to create jobs and grow the economy.

I came into office to find significant challenges in the
energy sector, as is evident in frequent power outages.
Electric power is one of the most basic services that
people need for a decent quality of life, and the lack of
it greatly affects the net national productivity and lives
of the people.

To meet these challenges and tackle our acute power
shortage, my government has made it a priority from

day one, to work with international partners, investors
and developers to attract investments in the energy
sector.

Some of the negotiations are at a very advanced stage.
We recently signed an agreement for a new
60-megawatt power plant, which will more than double
the current generation capacity in the country. It will
deliver adequate and stable electric power supply in the
whole of the Greater Banjul Area. I am also happy to
report that the proposal to acquire electricity from our
sister Republic of Senegal is well advanced.

It is worthy to note that this cross-border connection is
a short-term measure to boost the energy supply,
especially in the rural areas.

Madam Speaker,

Regarding the petroleum sub-sector over the past 22
years, Gambians have either been left in the dark or
seriously misinformed about petroleum prospects.

My government will be transparent and honest about
the state of petroleum, and should there be positive
results, we are committed to governing the sector with
total transparency and accountability.

Exploration and research are at an advanced stage, and
while we are hopeful, we must wait for the process of
exploration to take its course.

Trade and Foreign Affairs

Fellow Gambians,

By exercising your democratic right last December,
you helped us usher in a new Gambia that is more open
to the world and a better neighbour within our region.
We now have a country that will benefit from greater
openness through international trade and tourism.

Since my inauguration, it is clear that the world
appreciates The Gambia and wants to engage with us.
We have already seen an increase in the volume of
cargo at the Port of Banjul as well as a rise in vehicular
traffic using the ferry services. Furthermore, there has
been a clear boost in the flock of new investors
exploring opportunities in our country.

We have also been honoured with many visits by
foreign dignitaries from the EU, the UN, the UK and
from our own ECOWAS neighbours. I have equally
been humbled by invitations from fellow world
leaders.

The Gambia has begun the process of rejoining the
Commonwealth, and reaffirmed our membership to the
International Criminal Court. We have welcomed the
decision by ECOWAS to extend ECOMIG’s tenure, all
of which demonstrates our commitment to embrace
regional and global institutions in the name of open
and collaborative international relations.

Relations with our neighbour Senegal have been
transformed positively. We now meet as strategic
partners who recognise the mutual benefit of closer
cooperation. Within the first 100 days of our period in
office, our countries signed several key agreements on
defence and security, tourism, fisheries and consular
assistance.

As a small economy, The Gambia has much to gain
from more efficient trade across our borders with
Senegal and beyond. Going forward, my Cabinet and I

will work to make the most of these opportunities, to
boost our economy and create jobs for Gambians.

Already, the National Assembly ratified a crucial
World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade facilitation
agreement. This is an agreement that will make The
Gambia a more attractive export destination for our
trading partners. I am proud to announce that my
Minister of Trade has since signed a letter of
agreement with China for duty free trade between our
two nations.

This will remove the need for costly trans-shipment of
Gambian exports to China through a third country. It
will also make our goods more competitive, and boost
our export potential to the world’s largest market.

A legal metrology bill will soon be brought to the floor
of the National Assembly. The bill will, among other
things, address consumer protection relevant to legal
metrology functions.

International Financial Affairs and Public finances

Fellow Gambians, my government took office to
discover that the Treasury was virtually empty and
domestic and foreign debts at an all-time high. The
foreign reserve at the Central Bank was less than one
month import cover, and the economic and governance
situation had become so bad that our international
development partners had deserted us.

To address this crisis, my government in January 2017
developed the Accelerated National Response Plan
which seeks technical and financial support from our
development partners to help mitigate the economic
and fiscal crisis in the short-term.

We are grateful to our international partners, who have
responded swiftly and continue to respond to this call
for support.

The European Union has made a significant financial
commitment. It is disbursing frozen funds and
committing new funds to support the development
agenda of the New Gambia. The World Bank has
already provided vital emergency budget support and
we are in the final stages of concluding a Rapid Credit
Facility Agreement with the IMF who have agreed to a
staff monitored programme to stabilise the economy
and public finances. This will include the reform of
public enterprises such as the National Water and
Electricity Corporation, (NAWEC) and
telecommunications entities GAMTEL and GAMCEL.
Youth

In order to take full advantage of the impending
financial and economic opportunities, we need to
prepare our youth today for a vibrant labour force
tomorrow. After all, the bedrock of our country’s very
existence is our youth. This is why the Ministry of
Youth and Sports is tasked to create various capacity

and employment initiatives to enable our young people
to form the much-needed human capital that will drive
the country’s development agenda.

In our first 100 days, a new Youth Empowerment
Project initiative supported by the EU was launched at
the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration
and Employment. The objective of this project is to
improve the skills of potential youth workers and
prepare them, especially returning young migrants for
the labour market.

Through the President’s International Award
Scheme, 60 youths were recently enrolled to undergo
skills training in a range of technical and vocational
areas like auto-mechanics, carpentry and secretarial
work.

It is encouraging to note that the National Youth
Council coordinates the civic education programme.
This is aimed at mobilising our youth to participate in

politics, and to assume their rightful role in the
country’s development process. The Council has
helped craft a youth agenda for government’s
consideration, and is working closely with the
International Organisation for Migration to support
returnees and potential migrants to acquire livelihood
skills in horticulture and poultry.

The Council is also helping young people in
Busumbala, Baddibu Salikenni, and Kuntaur to acquire
skills in poultry farming. Similarly, it is helping young
people in Wuli to acquire skills in horticulture.
These capacity building initiatives also sensitise young
people to the dangers of illegal migration to Europe.

Agriculture

In agriculture, we expect to make critical development
gains from improving the skills of our youth and
encouraging them to participate in agriculture. At the
moment, agricultural productivity is low, and this

limits the benefits to the nation in terms of jobs,
livelihoods and government revenue.

In addition to youth training, the Ministry of
Agriculture has begun a programme of support to
farmers and farming businesses to improve seed input,
modernise cropping and ploughing techniques, and
enhance planning in the face of climate change and
other hazards to agriculture. Already, vegetable seeds
have been distributed to 11,200 farmers as well as
22,500 kilogrammes of rice seeds to intensify rice
production. High quality fertilizer and groundnut
seeds have also been made available to farmers at
subsidised prices.
Fisheries

As well as maximising the economic potential of our
agricultural sub-sector, we have begun to develop
fisheries as a source of food security, jobs and
economic growth.

During the first 100 days of my Presidency, the
Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National
Assembly Matters and the Ministry of Justice reviewed
the country’s 2008 fisheries regulations to make it
more relevant to our current realities.

Considering that our industrial fisheries sector has
been dormant for over twenty years, we expect that the
amendment of these regulations will contribute to the
sustainable conservation and management of the
fisheries sector. It will also enhance food security for
all Gambians and contribute to poverty reduction
through employment creation.

Tourism

Our historic political transition took place during the
peak of the tourist season. Tourism contributes
significantly to GDP and it is a critical source of
employment and government revenue, as tourists are
naturally drawn to our warm and friendly shores.

We have begun to re-engage our key markets but we
still have a lot to do to sell our New Gambia brand to
the world. We intend to realise the full potential of
tourism as a source of employment, livelihoods and
prosperity for our nation.

The implementation of new strategies to enhance
culture, tradition and the arts as channels for new
tourist inflows is already underway. The major craft
markets at Bungalow Beach Hotel and Fajara Hotel
have already been upgraded.

Community-based tourism endeavours, such as the one
in Ndemban in the West Coast Region, have been
developed with the support of the Ministry of Tourism
and Culture.

Environment and climate change

In support of environmental protection and tourism in
the country, my government has put in place the right
policies and programmes to protect our environment
and combat the effects of climate change.

In our first 100 days, we reversed an executive order of
the previous government to destroy the forest park in
Bijilo with the construction of a hotel on the park
grounds. We have normalised the environmental
impact assessment process with clear guidelines in
accordance with due process, with full transparency, to
give investors more confidence in the system.

My government will continue to monitor to ensure that
existing investors respect the agreed guidelines to
protect our environment.

My government has also mobilised additional
resources to support environmental protection. We
have re-engaged with the Global Environment Facility
and we will access US$6 million that had previously
been withheld.

The Forestry Bill 2017, which seeks to put in place the
necessary legal framework for the management of our
forest resources, will come to this Assembly shortly for
enactment. We shall enforce it rigorously to protect and
preserve our already degraded and vulnerable forest
cover. This is necessary, not only to preserve our
precious natural resources, but also to mitigate against
the adverse effects of climate change.

Water

Within the first 100 days of my government, we have
made important progress in expanding access to safe
drinking water and improved sanitation in rural areas.

On the 9th of April, with a grant from the Saudi Fund
for Development, my government signed a contract for
the construction of 25 drilled wells, equipped with
solar pumps. The contract also provides for 25 elevated
water tanks, and associated water distribution systems.
This US$6 million project will improve water supply
in rural areas by providing safe drinking water with
easy to operate systems.

In March 2017, the Department of Water Resources
completed the construction of 950 ventilated improved
pit latrines out of a planned 1,000 nationwide. The
Ministry is currently installing tanks, laying water
pipes and building pre-cast tap stands in various
communities across the country.

Many of these facilities are either complete or nearing
completion. At the end of this project, over 65,000
people in rural areas will have access to safe drinking
water and 44,000 will have access to improved toilet
facilities.

Health

Madam Speaker,

Improvements to water quality are linked to health
outcomes across the country. Alongside providing
people with safe drinking water and sanitation, my
government, through the Ministry of Health, is scaling
up its efforts to improve our health delivery systems,
especially for women and children. As a first step, we
have obtained additional assets to support primary
health care provision in the country. This includes 800
pedal bicycles and 29 motorbikes for Village Health
Workers and Community Health Nurses across the
country’s seven health regions.

I am pleased to report that the World Bank has
approved US$7 million in additional funding for the
Maternal and Child Health as well as the Nutrition
Result Project. My government has also submitted a
proposal to the EU to enhance food security. We
would welcome their support to help us treat acute
malnutrition and prevent all forms of under-nutrition.

With more than 95 percent coverage, we are also
getting support from the Global Alliance for Vaccine
Initiative (GAVI) to help us consolidate our strong
track record on child immunisations. This project,
estimated at US$4.6 million will help strengthen and
enhance our immunisation systems.

Education

For basic and secondary education, I am proud to say
we have reached agreement with development partners
for over US$50 million worth of investment to expand
and improve education for our next generation.
With the help of the Kuwaiti Fund, we are upgrading
39 upper basic and senior secondary schools. This will
see the building of additional classrooms, the
rehabilitation of existing ones, as well as information
technology and solar power solutions. We will install
new furniture and educational facilities in our schools,
including science laboratories, and there will be a new
teaching curriculum. With support from the World
Bank and the Global Partnership for Education, we are
building on existing programmes to enhance access to
quality basic education, including early childhood
education.

Administration and Civil Service

Madam Speaker,

While initiating our policy and reform agenda, we have
also been reforming ourselves within government. We
inherited a highly politicised regional administrative
system. It was presided over by governors who owed
their allegiance to the APRC.
Offices of regional governors were being run more as
political bureaus rather than serving the grassroots
within their localities. As such, scarce national
resources were being used for political propaganda
activities.

To improve governance and stop wasting resources,
my government appointed five new governors, whose
terms of reference clearly exclude them from engaging
in partisan politics. We have encouraged them to
follow proper civil service conduct, which embodies
neutrality and impartiality in performing their
functions.

In normalising the civil service, we have established a
panel to review the wrongful dismissal of civil servants
and other government officials between September
1997 and December 2016. Since its creation, the panel
has cleared over 100 employees, allowing them to be
reinstated. At the same time, the civil service has
expanded rapidly by over 40 percent since 2007.
Consequently, almost half of the government budget is
spent on civil service wages and benefits.
This not only limits government’s ability to provide the
necessary budget to improve the socio-economic status
of its citizens, but also makes it difficult to improve the
salary of civil servants. This is one of the key
challenges in attracting and retaining skilled
professionals.

In response, my government has tasked the Personnel
Management Office to conduct a comprehensive
nationwide staff audit for the entire civil service. This
began on the 27th of March 2017. For the first time, this
audit included the security forces – the Army, Police,
​Immigration, Prisons, Fire and Rescue Service, and the
State Intelligence Service.

The objectives of the audit exercise include the
identification and elimination of ghost workers, the
recovery of wrongful salaries and the updating of
personnel records.

Let me proudly acknowledge the support that my
government received from our UN partners in the area
of administrative reform. During this transition period,
the UN System has provided support to strengthen
government capacity and they have been assisting us in
the formulation of our National Development Plan, as
well as security sector reform.

It is also important to report that as part of the reform,
my own office which was directly coordinating and
supervising a huge number of public enterprises and
other state agencies under the former government has
been de-congested and those institutions streamlined
with their line ministries.

In Conclusion

While we have taken this opportunity to reflect on how
far we have progress as a nation in just a few short
months, let us not be mistaken, we have a huge
long-term task ahead.

This includes but not limited to:
●Continuing to rebuild and nurture our young
democracy for inclusive socio-economic
development;
●Providing economic opportunities for all; and
●Reforming the institutions of government to
ensure improved service delivery for our people.

These tasks are not without challenges, but I am
confident that none of them are impossible to
overcome. I am happy and privileged to have this great
opportunity to lead our great nation to prosperity. But
we must learn from the experience of others.

We must be disciplined, follow the plan and stay
committed to that plan. So in pursuing our vision for
the New Gambia, my government will continue to
focus our time and resources on a clear agenda. We
shall create a foundation on which future progress will
be built.

I commit to you to pursue this agenda with greater
transparency and accountability – more than ever
before. I will continue to update you on progress
throughout the year. This is a new government and a
new era, and as your President, I am here to serve the
Gambian people.

And now, by the powers vested in me as President, it is
my pleasure and privilege to declare this historic
session of our National Assembly in the new Gambia
formally open.

Thank you.
​