By: Dawda Baldeh

While addressing a crowd at a joint meeting in Chamoi Bunda village, Wuli West District, on Sunday, Babucarr Boye, the Public Service Minister overseeing the Ministry of Local Government and Lands, called on government officials and other public servants to incorporate a sense of fear for God into their line of duty.

Boye, who assumed the position a few months ago, emphasized that for the government to realize its development aspirations, everyone entrusted with public institutions should meet the expectations placed upon them.

He noted that if all government agencies work towards the advancement of the country, many challenges faced by citizens could be solved.

“To those in the government, we all have responsibilities. The worst scenario is when a task is given, and it is ignored. One might think they are fooling people, but the angels are recording every single deed. We should not forget that a judgment day will come, and we need to fear Allah. Let’s be honest with ourselves and our country,” Boye said.

He further mentioned that the appointment to the cabinet is a privilege, but the office should not be driven by privilege. Boye stressed that the government cannot achieve its goals alone and, therefore, needs support from everyone.

He encouraged village leaders and chiefs to collaborate with the government for smooth development. Minister Boye added that some projects failed due to a lack of cooperation.

“We observed that sometimes the government brings projects into a community, but acquiring land is always a problem. Property owners will be requesting huge amounts of money instead of making things flexible for everyone to benefit,” he added.

Boye stressed that chiefs and alkalis should help to discuss with their people to mitigate such problems. “The most important thing is for you to leave a good legacy in a place. But if you don’t work for it, then people will celebrate it when you leave,” he asserted.

Emphasizing the significance of collaboration, Boye said development is faster when people work together.

By: Alieu Jallow

The residents of Sare Sofi are celebrating the availability of safe drinking water. Following The Fatu Network’s publication in August 2023 about the dire water situation in the village, which had forced them to resort to using open wells dug by the village many years ago, strict measures have been implemented on the only available health facility borehole to ensure that everyone gets a portion of the water they need.

Against this backdrop, Direct Aid The Gambia came to the village’s rescue by providing 20,000 liters of safe drinking water to address the long-standing water emergency.

Mr. Alasan Sey, Secretary-General of the village development committee, had earlier told The Fatu Network’s reporter Alieu Jallow in August that the village had been suffering for a long time due to the unreliable old hand pumps that are no longer functioning. As a result, they have been forced to resort to using their old open wells, which they deemed unsafe and unhealthy for their system. Many women had developed chest aches as a result.

Two months later, Direct Aid The Gambia intervened by providing them with a borehole and a 20,000-liter water tank. Speaking to our reporter, Alkalo of the village Sirreh Sey expressed gratitude to the donor and Fatu Network’s efforts in bringing the issues confronting them to light.

“We no longer have water issues in the village, and the coming of this borehole has restored peace, confidence, and, above all, water is no longer scarce,” he said.

Kora Baldeh, a member of the council of elders, expressed the timeliness of Direct Aid’s intervention, lamenting that the village had been experiencing severe challenges in accessing water for a long time.

“Alhamdulillah, the challenges of water have been a big headache for us and our animals, so we thank Direct Aid for wiping our tears, as this water project is a milestone within the district, and we are grateful.”

Echoing the voice of the women, Fatou Sama, a women leader, voiced her gratitude to the donor for coming to their aid, perceiving their greatest nightmare as becoming history.

“There was a big water crisis in our village for centuries, and with the coming of this borehole, it has eased our difficulties. We thank Allah and the donors.”

Nambo Keita explained how, as women, they faced most of the burden of getting water in their households before the borehole came. She emphasized that they had been drawing water from their deep wells, which left dreadful marks on their hands.

“You draw water and draw water until your hands are left with marks, but now Alhamdulillah, you will enjoy sleep and wake up with no body aches. You can rush to the tap and get your water without having to hassle or worry.”

Hon. Bakary B. Kora, NAM for Upper Fulladu, expressed delight over the timely intervention of water in the village, underlining the urgent need for water in Sare Sofi village, as they had been crying out for it for decades, which, to him, is now history.

Speaking on behalf of the donors, Osman Fadulalla said Direct Aid is involved in charity work through the donation of mosques, borehole drilling for underprivileged communities, sponsoring orphans, and the construction of Arabic and Quranic schools.

Other speakers included the Village Development Committee chairperson Nfamara Jerreh Keita and Cherno Musa Sey, the imam of the village, who echoed similar sentiments, noting that the water will go a long way in mitigating their longstanding necessity for water and promoting health within their community.

The villagers were full of excitement following the handing over of a twenty-liter water tank. The dire need for access to safe, clean, drinkable water in Sare Sofi in the Central River Region of The Gambia is now history. However, some residents expressed concerns over similar challenges within the district and region, thus calling on other donors to come to their aid, as water is an essential part of life and religion.

By: Alieu Jallow

Saloum Malang, the Managing Director of the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), has urged its subsidiary companies to foster collaboration and networking to advance the organization’s social protection goals.

Speaking at a social family networking session held at Sun Beach Hotel, which brought together all affiliated companies, the emphasis was on maximizing profits to support the institution’s social protection objectives. Mr. Saloum outlined some of the plans they aim to pursue during the event.

The networking session provided subsidiaries with the opportunity to showcase their competencies, discuss potential collaborations, address challenges, and present their future plans.

Representatives from various subsidiaries, including Njillan Senghore of Trust Bank Limited, Alerie Cassell of the West African Leisure Group, Mustapa Colley of GTSC, and Yerro Jallow, General Manager of Gam Petroleum, presented their companies’ services, set targets, successes, and unveiled future plans.

This event follows the successful launch of the SSHFC Family Concept on March 1st, 2023. The concept focuses on promoting intergroup trade among diverse SSHFC subsidiaries, aiming to strategize and strengthen intergroup trade within the SSHFC Family framework. The primary objective is to create a platform for mutually demonstrating strengths and exploring opportunities for collaborative success.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court in Banjul has issued a judgment ordering Alieu Bangura to pay $50,000 to Cruise Ship Crew Gambia Limited.

Alieu Bangura had acted as a guarantor for Saja Bangura, who was recruited by Cruise Ship to work on their vessel.

However, Saja Bangura deserted the ship, and the court found that Alieu Bangura had no defense in the case.

Despite being served with the plaintiff’s writ of summons and other documents, Alieu Bangura failed to file a notice of intention to defend the suit.

As a result, the court entered a judgment in favor of Cruise Ship Gambia Limited and ordered Alieu Bangura to pay the specified amount as a guarantor for Saja Bangura.

Reacting to the court verdict, Musa Drammeh, the Director of Operations at Cruise Ship Crew Gambia, said the judgment is timely and will pay dividends in preventing people from absconding.

“Saja’s actions by absconding have led to many visa rejections and ruined the opportunity for hundreds of young people who have been in the ship. New hires and those in the shops are not allowed to go out due to one person illegally entering the Americas,” he explained.

Drammeh added, “We are happy that the court has ruled in our favor, and now Saja (Alieu’s Guarantor) will have to pay the money or make sure Saja Bangura is back, or he should be jailed.”

He described Saja’s absconding as a selfish decision that has negatively affected hundreds of others whose visas have been rejected, and their appointments canceled, among other things.

Thus, he said, is significant damage to the agency and the Gambians at large.

Furthermore, the agency warned people whose main objective is to use the opportunity to travel to Europe or anywhere around the world without wanting to work on the ships to desist from doing so.

In his conclusion, Mr. Drammeh warned that the agency will not relent in making sure absconders are brought to justice and encouraged their crew members onboard to work hard and make a better living.

By: Dawda Baldeh

On the third day of this constitutional tour, various ongoing projects were visited in the NBR and CRR regions. The delegations visited several Water Supply facilities constructed as a symbol of friendship between Japan and The Gambia. These water facilities are considered state-of-the-art.

President Barrow, speaking briefly in Kerr Sulay, expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government for their unwavering support to The Gambia. He highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries and emphasized that providing water in rural communities is a worthwhile investment that will complement his government’s efforts in addressing water shortages.

While visiting several places, the key priorities identified by residents were access to clean drinking water, electricity, roads, quality healthcare services, and educational opportunities. On behalf of the Gambians, President Barrow continued to further convey his profound gratitude to the Japanese government.

As the completion of the state-of-the-art water facility is eagerly awaited by the residents, they were reminded to actively participate in ensuring its sustainable usage. It is expected that once these various water facilities are completed and efficiently utilized, they will put an end to the water crisis in the communities benefiting from them.

Ambassador Bah and Chief Justice Jallow met with partners in Washington D.C. on possibilities of strengthening the Judiciary in The Gambia

The Ambassador of the Republic The Gambia to the United States of America, His Excellency Momodou Lamin Bah, and the Honourable Chief Justice of The Gambia, Hassan B. Jallow, recently engaged with partners at the World Bank and at the United States Department of State on ways to further collaborate to strengthen the judiciary in The Gambia.

The Hon. Chief Justice who was accompanied by a High Court Judge, Justice Landing Sanneh, arrived in Washington D.C. on November 9th, 2023 at the invitation of the World Bank to participate in the 2023 Law, Justice and Development (LJD) week.

From the 13th to the 15th November, 2023 the Hon. Chief Justice attended meetings and served as a Panelist at a Session on Law, Justice and Development: Judges’ Perspectives. In his deliberation, the Hon. Chief Justice highlighted the intricate linkages between the rule of law and development in society.

On the margins of the meetings, His Excellency Ambassador Bah assisted the Hon. Chief Justice in bilateral meetings with officials of the World Bank and US Department of State. The delegation discussed with partners the Judiciary’s Strategic Plan and highlighted areas that need collaboration and support for an improved and consolidated Rule of Law in The Gambia.

Before leaving Washington D.C, the Hon. Chief Justice paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Ambassador Bah and the Team at The Gambia Embassy. His Lordship commended the Ambassador and the staff for the support given to him on all his engagements in Washington D.C.

For his part, Ambassador Bah assured the Chief Justice of the Embassy’s unwavering support especially when it comes to empowering the Judiciary. He said follow-up would continue with partners on pertinent issues raised during the meetings with a view to further strengthening the Judiciary as stated in the National Blueprint of The Gambia (Green Recovery National Development Plan -2023 -2027).

Issued by the Embassy of The Gambia in Washington D.C.

Saikou Ceesay

First Secretary
Embassy of The Gambia
Washington D.C.
Tel: (+1) 240-945-6579
website: www.gambiaembassydc.gm