By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Women in Liberation and Leadership (WILL), a group dedicated and committed to educating women on issues related to Sexual and Gender Violence (SGBV), in their insatiable desire to end violence against women, recently organized a training programme for over 30 women traditional communicators, locally known as Kanyelan’olu, to effectively use socially acceptable methods in addressing issues affecting women in the communities.

These communicators were trained to develop strong messages on sexual and gender-based violence that is currently affecting women and girls in the communities.

As part of their training, the Kanyelan’olu gathered and performed dramas with themes centered on women’s issues. In addition to that, these women communicators composed songs that communicate the dangers of female genital mutilation, child marriage, rape, and other harmful practices.

This effort is part of WILL’s ongoing campaign to raise awareness about the importance of women’s rights and to end gender-based violence and female genital mutilation.

These women traditional communicators are targeted because they are influential figures within communities and have been known to use their oratory skills to raise awareness on many taboo subjects such as female genital mutilation, teenage pregnancy, contraceptive use, sexually transmitted diseases, and many other women-related issues.

According to some of these women, numerous young girls in the North Bank Region of the country have fallen victim to rape. This issue has tragically ended the bright futures of many of these girls. However, it is disheartening to note that most cases of rape do not receive the attention and action it deserves.

To address this malaise against women, WILL has taken steps to train and empower women. The training is designed to ensure that they are armed with tools to end rape and other forms of violence, including child marriage and female genital mutilation.

Meanwhile, three female circumcisers present in the training, who viewed female circumcision as a traditional practice that they grew up with, and use it as a means of generating income, say they will only stop this act if the government or any other individuals or organizations that are advocating for them to do so provide them with an alternative source of revenue.

Under a UNDP-supported project, Women in Liberation and Leadership is implementing various initiatives to promote peace and social cohesion. Their focus is providing mental health and psychosocial services to survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based violence in The Gambia.

By: Alieu Jallow

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, has said the government aims to revamp the telecommunications sector in The Gambia by restructuring The Gambia Telecommunications Company Limited (GAMTEL) and privatising its subsidiary, GAMCEL, in a bid to attract capital and increase competitiveness in the sector.

The finance minister made these remarks during his budget speech in Parliament.

In 2000, GAMTEL was established as the National GSM Operator. However, this cellular has been unable to provide tough competition to other telecommunication giants such as Africell, Qcell, and Comium. On the other hand, GAMTEL, which owns the fiber-optic cable that runs across the country and controls the country’s connection to the international internet via the ACE submarine cable system, has been underperforming in terms of providing fast and high-quality internet.

“The Government is supporting GAMTEL’s network upgrade and expansion initiatives geared towards enhancing inclusivity, providing adequate redundancy, and building resilience.

“To achieve this, the government will restructure GAMTEL and privatize GAMCEL in a bid to attract and induce the much-needed capital to help revive the sector and restore its competitiveness,” Keita told parliament.

Hon. Keita announced that the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy is currently working on a plan to revitalize and reposition GAMTEL/GAMCEL. This involves drafting a National Fibre Protection Policy that will address the frequent network interruptions caused by cuts on the national fiber backbone.

In February 2019, reports emerged that the government had agreed to restructure GAMTEL and GAMCEL, which would allow GAMCEL to operate independently and divest shares in GAMCEL. However, no further developments have been reported since then.

Hon. Keita also mentioned that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (MoCDE) is prioritizing the development of a comprehensive National Postal Service Policy and Strategy. Additionally, they are conducting a thorough review of the existing Postal Service Act to ensure that it is up-to-date and reflects the modern reality of postal services.

“In accelerating The Digital Terrestrial Transmission Process, the ministry continues to intensify resource mobilization efforts for the deployment of a robust platform that will anchor the digital migration process, ensure nationwide coverage, and provide better-quality television transmission,” Keita said.

It has been reported that GAMCEL, a telecommunication company, may face closure in 2020 due to financial struggles and difficulties competing in the market. The company’s general manager, Elizabeth Johnson, confirmed this during a meeting with the Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) of the National Assembly.

According to Johnson, the GAMCEL network is not easily accessible and experiences serious network congestion in areas where it is accessible. She also stated that the company is unable to expand its network coverage from its internally generated revenue and requires capital injection.

Additionally, Johnson mentioned that GAMCEL has lost 70% of its market share to competitors in the last decade. In response to these challenges, the government is considering restructuring and privatizing the company to increase competition and improve internet affordability and quality for citizens and non-citizens alike.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ebrima Tunkara, a ‘backway’ migrant returnee, who is now a farmer in Kerewan Suwareh Kunda village, has expressed his willingness to stay in The Gambia and focus on farming if he receives support from the government in the form of a tractor.

Tunkara, who previously attempted the perilous journey to Europe by sea, faced difficulties and returned to farming due to depression.

Although many young people in the country prefer more lucrative jobs, Tunkara is passionate about farming and dreams of becoming a successful farmer.

He believes that with the necessary support, such as a tractor and fertilizer, he could cultivate enough rice for his family and even sell the surplus for profit, eliminating the need to buy rice.

“If I have the support, I can cultivate enough rice for my family and sell [some too].

“We need to go back to the farm and cultivate rice if we want to reduce the dependence on imported rice,” he said.

Tunkara highlighted the importance of modern farming equipment and fertilizer, stating that even a small farm can achieve a bumper harvest with these resources.

In addition to groundnut farming, he is also involved in watermelon farming and has experienced success in both areas.

However, the lack of cold storage facilities has resulted in income loss due to spoilage.

During the rainy season, Tunkara and his siblings, who are learning various skills, return to the farm.

Tunkara said that this year, their groundnut farms, rice fields, and watermelon crops have all shown exceptional growth.

He emphasized the importance of growing more rice to reduce the dependency on imported rice and lower its price in the local market.

Tunkara believes that if the government provides support to farmers like him, the country’s reliance on imported rice will decrease, leading to a significant reduction in its price.

By: Alieu Jallow

The women gardeners of Faraba Kairaba have told The Fatu Network that the University of The Gambia’s Faraba campus has encroached on their land by constructing its fences on their land, and they have vowed to fight until the fencing is stopped or until they are allocated a new piece of land.

According to the women, they have been cultivating vegetables on the land for the past six years and believe it belongs to them. They claim that the university has infringed on their farmland by erecting their perimeter fence on it.

Last year, the women and youth of the village requested the construction workers to stop working due to what they believed was a serious encroachment into their land. After a stakeholder meeting with the governor of the West Coast and other relevant authorities, no action was taken.

Recently, the construction of the university perimeter fence resumed from a different direction, leaving the villagers with no option but to obstruct the ongoing works.

Marima Jaiteh, a vegetable gardener, said that upon realizing the resumed construction, they decided to bury the dug foundation for the fence and will not stop until a concrete solution is reached.

“Work will stop there [and] no fencing activity will take place until they allocate a land for us but other than [that], we are ready to go any length,’’ she said.

Fanta Bojang, an aging woman, expressed disappointment as she believes the current situation is not in line with their initial agreement. She stated that the land in question was given to them by the Kanteh Kunda family.

Fanta Bojang further added that they can only allow work to resume when they are given another piece of land for their gardening.

“What we want [right] now is before the end of the month for them to allocate [a] land [to] us. Let them tell us [here is a land for you to] use with documents indicating our ownership and hand it to us.’’

The chair of the VDC, Saikou Sowe in Faraba Kaira, has emphasized that the piece of land intended for women cannot be given without a concrete agreement. He has stated that due process will be followed with the relevant authorities until the matter is resolved.

“We will follow due process, but we will make sure that work is at a standstill until the matter is resolved,’’ he told The Fatu Network.

Professor Pierre Gomez, the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, has promised to provide support for the women in their community. He has assured them that he will fence their garden and drill a borehole for them, which has never happened in the history of their community.

“I have the VDC, Alkalo, and Chief to work with the governor and identify a place within a month to drill a borehole for them. all I want is a participatory process using the bottom-up approach so that they feel the sense of belonging as part of empowering the community,’’ Gomez said.

These women are determined to prevent work from resuming until they receive a tangible benefit and want the process to be expedited as they are about to embark on their vegetable gardening.

They are firm in their belief that they will be disadvantaged if they allow the fencing to continue without a concrete agreement. While they are excited about the arrival of a university in their hometown, their livelihood takes precedence over everything else.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ramatoulie Bah, who resides in Bundung, Kanifing Municipality, has spoken on behalf of Bundung-Ka Kunda and called on the government for assistance in relocating Bundung’s only cemetery, which is said to have reached its maximum capacity.

She praised the government for its community development initiative and highlighted other pressing needs. Then, she made an emotional appeal to the government.

“President Barrow, our graveyard in Bundung is full. We want you to help us with a new space to relocate the graveyard.

“At the moment, even if someone dies, we find it difficult to bury a dead body. This is a problem that we are encountering and is of great concern,” she revealed.

Her plea became the first time since the beginning of the tour for someone to make such a request from the government.

Ms. Bah further mentioned several other pressing issues, such as access to water supply, more roads, and a steady electricity supply.

She also commended the President Barrow-led government for the developments that are currently ongoing within the community, citing the Sukuta-Nema road construction that was previously inaccessible.

Adding to her list is the expansion of the Bundung-Ka Kunda market so that it could be a standard market with the desire to ensure that women have enough space to sell.

She also mentioned that the Minister of Youths & Sports should develop their football field to a standard that enables young people to engage in sporting activities.

Other speakers, including the representative of the Alkalo, Saikou Conateh, expressed their appreciation to the government for their efforts and highlighted acute water shortages and criminal gangs as major concerns.

“Even if people come to the police station to complain, sometimes the police find it difficult to effect an arrest due to the lack of vehicles.

“Criminals are now armed, and one police officer can’t arrest suspected criminals.

“A vehicle for the Bundung police station is among the needs of the community because even today I witnessed the police arresting suspected thieves,” he explained.

In response to these concerns, the Gambian President Adama Barrow took to the podium and explained how his government is trying to address the water crisis in Bundung, Talinding, and London Corner respectively.

“Previously, we hired experts to drill a borehole in Bundung Faro Kono, but when they came, they dug fifty (50 meters), and the water was not good. They dug again to a hundred meters, two hundred meters, but still, the water wasn’t good.

“This is what hindered you from getting water.

“Recently, I have talked to the contractors, and they have assured me that in two weeks they will connect Bundung to the borehole they have already drilled in Nema, and this will address the water issues here,” he reassured the residents in Bundung.

Tuesday’s meeting draws the ongoing Meet-The-People’s Tour closer to the end, as only one meeting is now left, which is scheduled to take place in The Gambia’s capital, Banjul, on Wednesday, 6th December 2023.

By: Alieu Jallow

During cross-examination, the defense counsel representing Ousainou Bojang, who is on trial for fatally shooting two police officers and seriously injuring the third one at the Sukuta-Jabang Traffic Lights on September 12, accused the first witness, Mama Jabbie, of fabricating her story to frame an innocent man in order to collect the D1 million bounty offered by the President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, for the suspect’s capture.

“I am putting to you that you fabricated and framed an innocent man just so you [could] collect the D1 million promised by His Excellency President [Adama Barrow] of the Republic [of The Gambia] for any information by [a] killer or killers of the police officers,” counsel Darboe stated to the witness.

During the proceedings, Mama Jabbie vehemently denied fabricating her story. She emphasized that she is not affiliated with any forum, was not aware of the million dalasis at stake, and was not present at the time of the killing.

Counsel J Darboe challenged her testimony, suggesting that aside from her name, status as a wife, and address in Sukuta, her evidence lacked credibility and was purely a product of her imagination.

During the trial, State Prosecutor AM Yusuf objected to Counsel Darboe’s statement, stating that it was an insult to the witness. The prosecutor referred to section 207 of the Evidence Act to support the objection. However, Justice Jaiteh overruled the objection, stating that the statement was not an insult to the witness in any way.

Following this, Counsel Darboe continued to question the witness, suggesting that the first accused, Ousainou Bojang, had not told her anything, contrary to her earlier testimony.

However, Mama Jabbie responded: “Ousainou Bojang told me that he killed two police officers and injured the 3rd who is at the hospital”.