BARROW MUST PARDON YANKUBA TOURAY – IF TRRC LETS THE SINGHATEH BROTHERS GO SCOT FREE!

Justice Jaiteh @ 1hr 54mins 42secs of his judgment says this:-

“I believe the testimonies of Alhagie Kanyi, Essa Mendy, Hamat Changam, Lamin Ndure, Pa Habibu Mbaye, Mohamed LK Bojang, depicting the true picture of how Osman Koro Ceesay was murdered in cold blood”.

Edward & Peter Singhateh:

If Jaiteh’s conclusion on the truthfulness of these witnesses is not overturned on appeal, the judgment remains a record of fact for eternity … and damns the Singhateh brothers as being guilty of killing Koro Ceesay. TRRC cannot come to any conclusion other than that Edward and Peter must be tried for Koro’s murder; afterall, Yankuba Touray has been sentenced to hang on the same facts as found by Justice jaiteh … and those facts apply to Edward and Peter.

Rule of Law:

These are incredible times in The Gambia as the Judiciary bravely sets out to firmly uphold the Rule of Law. But not just in The Gambia: in South Africa too where the Judiciary’s determination to uphold the Rule of Law is being violently resisted as we speak. And in Kenya where at this very moment the courts are challenging Uhuru’s attempt to subvert the Constitution.

I wish the judges all the very best in their brave attempts to uphold the Rule of Law – and the judges will come under the attack that Justice Jaiteh is subjected to as I write.

Nevertheless, the strongly held sentiments of Yankuba Touray’s supporters outside court (at the end of this video) cannot be minimised: they say Edward Singhateh is the mastermind of Koro’s murder for which Yankuba Touray is to hang. They want Edward Singhateh and Peter Singhateh tried.

TRRC’s “Bell Of Justice” Must Toll For The Singhateh Brothers! IF the TRRC Commissioners and Lead Counsel Essa Faal, in their infinite wisdom, decide that Edward and Peter should NOT be tried for Koro’s murder, THEN President Barrow must offer Yankuba Touray a full pardon.

The law must not “consume” only Yankuba Touray when the crime was a “joint-enterprise” with the Singhateh Brothers. Kanyi and the lower ranks were forced to partake.

Dida Jallow-Halake

Notting Hill, London.

By Zakaria Kemo Konteh

In a day like today, we celebrate the triumph of justice and affirm the condemnation of a convicted criminal. We remember the life of a promising young professional tragically and brutally cut short in the service of his country. We rejoice with Koro’s family as they come to terms with today’s guilty verdict, commiserate with them for their long agonizing journey and thank them for their unwavering faith and tenacity in pursuit of justice. We hope this marks an important step towards closure and healing.

As a convict of capital murder, Yankuba Touray is deserving of whatever punishment prescribed by law under the penalty of his conviction. He was given a chance to defend himself against charges through a transparent due process. His victim, Ousman Koro Ceesay, was not accorded that chance and that humanity. Instead, he was bludgeoned to death leaving the entire nation stunned and a family in horror for decades.That kind of  horrendous crime is beyond everything human and everything we stand for as a people and deserves no mercy.

To Yankuba Touray’s collaborators and accomplices in the murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay, you are being put on  unmistakable notice: That your day of reckoning is coming faster than you can ever imagine and you will neither hide nor escape from the firm, unyielding and tenacious arm of justice. Your days of impunity are numbered. When you kill our people, we will find you and we will bring you to justice no matter how long it takes.

May Koro’s soul continue to rest in peace. Ameen

By Basidia M Drammeh

As the nation reels from an agonizing and nightmarish natural disaster, certain members of Gambia’s business community are taking advantage of the calamity to hike the prices of construction materials. Even the price of an essential commodity like bottled water has been increased due to the challenges NAWEC has been facing in restoring regular services.

It’s disgusting and disheartening that members of Gambia’s business community are in the habit of exploiting people’s suffering by hoarding commodities at times of dire need as a pretext to hike prices. During the holy month of Ramadan, prices of all basic commodities skyrocket beyond the means of the average Gambian who struggles daily to make ends meet. When Eid Al Adha approaches, prices of rams shoot through the roof to the detriment of disadvantaged members of the society who form the bulk majority of the country. In other parts of the world, the business community is conscious of its corporate social responsibility and therefore contributes its quota towards national causes. Unfortunately, our businesspeople are more particular about making a profit rather than sympathize and empathize with their needy kinfolks.

Our businesspeople should have turned this unprecedented calamity into an opportunity by selling building materials and other basic commodities at affordable prices as a way of contributing towards alleviating the suffering of thousands of citizens affected by the disaster. Though the authorities have expressed willingness to help, we know the limitations of the government; hence everyone is duty-bound to come to the aid of the disaster victims in any way possible. The business community is no exception. It’s a matter of fact; they should take the lead in helping the victims. It’s a humanitarian situation and should be dealt with in this context.

A heavy windstorm swept through the Gambia on July 7, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

By Momodou Ndow

I hereby vehemently condemn the sharing of photos of anyone’s child, disabled or not! We all have the responsibility to protect our children, and if we can’t do that, then we are failing as a society! That is absolutely unacceptable!

We have been crossing many lines lately, and are now close to the last line at the end of the cliff, and there are big and sharp rocks ? waiting for us on impact. No amount of vote ? is worth unraveling the fabric of our society. And even if you win, you will be unable to govern such a society.

Even when Goloh was killing people, no one had the right to share photos of his minor children. I remember getting pictures of Goloh’s kids many times during the struggle, but never, in my wildest dreams, would I drag them around. It is indecent and pathetic! We all have an obligation to protect our children. Children are not responsible for the actions of their parents, and the sooner we recognize that, the better we will be as a people and society!

If you are a political leader and have been hesitant or afraid to address this issue, please step up now! Tell all your supporters engage in this politics of decadence to withdraw their support for you. Trust me, you don’t want to govern a society where decadence is normalized and reward, it would be a failed venture. As a matter of fact, all the political party leaders should put their differences aside and jointly come out to address this issue as representatives of the people! Act like the leaders you claim to be! Responsible leaders who care for their people, don’t sit on the sidelines and watch their society disintegrate! You have been sitting on the sidelines for far too long. Act now and take ownership of your leadership!

By Madi Jobarteh

Did I hear some NAMs lament on the floor of the National Assembly that Gambians in the diaspora will not vote in the December polls? Why are they lamenting? Are they serious? If not them, who is to blame? The truth is, no one is failing this country other than NAMs and political parties, especially those parties that have representatives in the National Assembly.

Let’s check the history. When the Minister of Finance brought the 2021 budget estimates to the National Assembly in November 2020, NAMs saw the budget for the IEC. If they were interested in diaspora registration and voting, they would have made sure that the money was there and given to IEC. Instead, NAMs decided to slice the budget of the IEC, claiming it was too much.

But at that time, the Minister of Finance did say that the budget included money for the registration of Gambian diaspora. But several months later, the same Finance minister told NAMs that such money was not allocated after all. Right there and then, NAMs should have scolded the Finance minister to produce the money or sack him by using Section 75 of the Constitution. But NAMs failed to do that. Why?

Since 2017, this Government has brought several supplementary appropriation bills before NAMs which they approved. The Government brought those requests for projects that they were interested in. But no NAM ever asked the Government to also bring a supplementary appropriation bill for the diaspora registration and voting. Why?

Every NAM has a right to present a private member’s bill to either amend the Constitution, or the Elections Act or create a whole new law. Hence any NAM or a group of NAMs could have proposed a bill that sought to make sure the right kind of law is created just to ensure that diaspora is registered and vote. But no one did it. Why?

Furthermore, any NAM could propose a motion on the floor of the National Assembly to ask that the Gambia Government provide the money to the IEC to make sure the diaspora is registered and vote in December and all public elections. But no NAM ever did that. Why? Yet we know that NAMs have placed many motions on the floor of the parliament that got supported by everyone. Therefore, why was there no motion for diaspora voting?

Yet all of these NAMs are from political parties, but we have seen no party that had ever asked its members to pursue the above actions. Not UDP, GDC, PDOIS, NRP, APRC, PPP, NPP, and the Independents. No one ever suggested to their NAMs to take action. Why?

Any NAM or any relevant parliamentary committee such as the human rights and constitutional matters committee could have summoned the President under section 77(2), or summon the Vice President or any minister under Section 77(4) to question and demand them to make sure the diaspora register and vote. But this was not done even though NAMs have that power. Why?

Also, any political party could have gone to the High Court or the Supreme Court to seek an order for the Government and the IEC to make sure the diaspora register and vote. But no party did that, ever. Why?

Also, any political party could have asked its supporters to protest in the middle of Banjul to demand that the diaspora register and vote. But no political party ever did that. Why?

Also, any party could have written to the President to demand him to ensure that the diaspora register and vote. But no party ever did that. Why?

Above all, NAMs have the power and the opportunity and the resources to have amended the Constitution or the Elections Act since 2017 to ensure that the diaspora register and vote. But no such amendment ever took place even though NAMs did amend Section 91(1)(d) to secure their own tenure, made through a private member’s bill proposed by the Minority Leader Samba Jallow, the NAM from NRP. We also saw the Executive propose the amendment of Section 62(1)(b) to remove the upper age limit for president as well as Section 141(2)(b) to remove the same upper age limit for judges. Why not for diaspora vote?

But here we are in July 2021, at the very eve of the December election, NAMs could not even still pass the elections bill so that we have a new elections law in time for the presidential election! For several months now they have this elections bill with them, and even went around the country with it for so-called public hearings, yet the session ended yesterday without passing the elections bill. Why?

But they have the time and the temerity to stand up in the adjournment debate to lament the lack of diaspora voting! Seriously?

Indeed, no NAM or political party and the Executive have any moral authority to complain about the lack of diaspora voting. This is because they killed it. They have the power, the opportunity and the resources to make it happen. But they flatly refused to make it happen yet they want to lament here as if they ever cared. How?

Stop the lip service. Hold your NAMs and Political Parties Accountable.

For The Gambia Our Homeland

From well established and enduring democracies to a nascent one like ours, we are confronted with an almost inescapable realization that democracy anywhere is messy but it is the best form of government there is and the most preferable to dictatorship and autocracy. Individual freedom, liberty and choice as well as freedom of the press guaranteed and protected by democracy are some of its most vital benefits. These choices include freedom of association but also involves freedom to dis-associate as and when deemed necessary.

Media houses play a very important role in supporting and strengthening democratic ideals and reinforcing its culture. They do so through fair, balanced and accurate reporting of events and people of vital public interests. They help in ensuring accountability, integrity and transparency in government and in service delivery through credible, investigative and fearless journalism. But by deviating from responsible norms, media can also be used for all the wrong reasons in fomenting division, anger and animosity in a society  – all of which are antithetical to democratic values.

So, the decision by the Fatu Network’s “Tonyaa Kesso” show host to invite a foul- mouthed individual known for hauling insults and for his serial vituperative attacks directed at Hon Ousainou Darboe may be acceptable under protected freedom of speech but could also be a  worrying sign of editorial weakness on the part of the Network and lack of total control and training on the part of the host. Such uncontrolled, unregulated and unrestrained programs could bring chaos and troubles beyond the four corners of the studios and into the general population. It is my expectation that any show that is hosted on a respected and widely reached platform like TFN should have a ground rules of basic decency, responsibility and substance. Anything that soils the Network’s reputation or threatens its credibility or have the potential to ishould be looked into with great urgency.

Gambians should not be interested in The Fatu Network or any  media platform only for election purposes. Our cultural fabrics and national identity should outlast any election or sentimental politics. We should not sell our souls neither debase our humanity just to win an election. The unity, peace,  security  and development of our country, recognition of our cultural values and the prosperity of our our people should be our collective central focus in this election cycle and beyond.

For those of you calling for a boycott, it is your inherent rights to disassociate yourselves from any media platform including The Fatu Network if you feel they do not add value to you but it is my firm believe that the current campaign smacks of impulse and therefore counter productive .Tonyaa Kesso is not the only show hosted on the Network and certainly the last episode is not the only episode you have ever watched on the platform. There are still so many others you may work together to achieve  in the interest of democracy and good governance in our country. I know  Hon Ousainou Darboe will not boycott the Fatu Network just because  someone used the platform to rain insults on him. Express your disappointment and disagreement and even lodge a formal complaint with the proprietor and the management of The Fatu Network but going as far as boycotting the entire platform is ill-advised, unnecessary and, quite frankly, ineffective!

All human beings are born equal with certain inalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Flying from Dubai to Accra, the ever-present EXPO 2020 displayed everywhere, with a good internet connection onboard Emirates flight EK787, one cannot but reflect on the ever used or misused word in The Gambia – SOVEREIGNTY!  Are we sovereign when we do not have a house we call our own? When our landlord is foreign, when we pay our rent in foreign currency, or when our more illustrious sons and daughters drive the economy across the aisle. Access to housing is a cardinal human right – not a privilege!

The real loss of sovereignty is being a tenant in your own country!

The Gambia land ownership (refer to local government and ministry of lands) has made it easier for anyone from anywhere to purchase a piece of land, own it, develop it, and earn money off of it. It is, therefore, both legal and within compliance and ethics to see non Gambians’ own land. It is quite logical if one is tempted to ask why home-based Gambians can’t buy land or develop their inherited lands.  Obviously, due to the better purchasing power of those abroad or non-Gambians, it’s not unusual to see them own lands in the commercial areas of The Gambia.

This beckons the question -are the foreign owners to be blamed? No! – indeed, some Gambians with strong purchasing powers are owning properties across the globe but with stringent measures applied by those countries for the benefit of the state and its people. In the Gambia, when were our land reforms and ownership last reviewed and legislated upon?

I would say – congratulations to our hardworking non Gambians in this country who are not only owning property but developing and employing our people.

Hence the question – Is our sovereignty being compromised by the poor legislation on land ownership and tenure system?  Yes – And this leads me conveniently to my subject of discussion- Gambian Real Estates – a compromise on our sovereignty!

When one takes a drive either on the coastal road to Brusubi to Fajara to Westfield to Brikama, there are perhaps over one hundred real estate companies or must I say, land agents as they are involved in buying a plot of land for A, they then demarcate and sell for profit. Some of those agents are nothing but scammers, and sadly – nothing comes out of it  – it’s a subject of another article……! But this conveniently leads to another inconvenient question – do we have proper legislation in place for someone to operate a real estate agency? What are the terms and conditions- I dare say – a process like Banks needs to be applied and urgently – the number of land cases in courts would not end for the next century! I would argue that Perhaps 4 to 5 of the real estates in The Gambia are compliant and serious business-minded. The rest, I do not know what to call them! Still on the Real estates, when one looks at the prices quoted for places around the airport, Jabang, Sanyang – forget waterfront as those bring a different mix to the table- the Local Gambians are simply priced out of the equation!

Imagine a 3-4 bedroom house going for USD120,000 to USD200,000 payable in 2-3yrs! Who are they targeting? This is D6m to D10m! How many Gambians can afford that? Besides the lack of legislation on land ownership, are the real estate agencies not part of those making us foreigners in our country? Imagine being a tenant to a Senegalese as she or he has been able to purchase and build and you couldn’t! The rent is also in USD or even CFA or EURO – mortgages are in hard currencies- Hygiene is needed in the real estate industry if we do not want to forfeit our sovereignty as Gambians.

SSHFC was, in my view, and I don’t claim the monopoly of knowledge is supposed to be the main driver to step in and help out on those contributions to the fund (provident fund). This will ease access to affordable housing but this is not the case – the last time I checked – SSHFC was selling a 15m x 20m in Brusubi for D650-800,000! Who can afford that unless the targets are Gambians abroad or foreigners? The very people who contribute to the fund are forgotten – what a shame! It’s not unusual to see a retired official engaged in civilised begging – no house to call their own! Sad! I can go on and on, but what is the point, the more I think of The Gambia and her people, the more I am inclined to give my view and hope someone somewhere in the corridors of power picks and apply them.

So, what’s my prescription,  knowing that we are in a global village, global citizenship, and need to encourage diversity and inclusion, investors, and advancement? I submit to us the following: –

1- Land reforms including but not limited to per sqm charge per zone to reduce the over pricing of land.

2- Real estates or agents need to have a deposit of at least D100m or have a bank guarantee of that equivalent. This will remove all the scammers from the system. The buyers will be at ease

3- The GMD is the legal tender -it must be respected, all rents, mortgages, and sales need to be in GMD- this will reduce the mass inflation.

4- SSHFC to build low-cost housing for contributors to the fund with D500K and above in their provident fund accounts. This reduces the stress on rent and land ownership.

5- Physical planning to have roads well-demarcated before the land is allocated to avoid our narrow roads and selling some parts of the road. No doubt, the OIC road project has its work cut out for them.

6- Alkalo and chiefs cannot sell lands prior to approval from the lands ministry, and the land should be leased to avoid the double or triple sale of the same property.

7- GoTG to push for the establishment of a building/housing bank- Bank d’ habitat as is in Senegal to help middle/low income earners build their dream homes.

8- Government reserve lands to be sold only by an act of parliament – we need to reserve space for recreational activities for our children and generations yet unborn, not to mention greenery.

9- Invite investors to invest along our coastline – limit the powers of the GTB! It’s certainly not working! Any Gambian who wants to build or develop for business should be given the opportunity- even a 10x15m! Same applies for foreign investors – this creates jobs!

10- Advocacy and awareness talks on land – it’s a limited commodity, and if we don’t guard it jealously- we can expect another South Africa and Zimbabwean land issues.

To conclude- our flawed and defunct land legislation is degrading this country’s sovereignty, sacrificed at the altar of greedy Gambian real estate agencies and its agents. Without shelter for our people – a fundamental human right- we are invariably violating a sacrosanct and inviolable human right! Hygiene is needed in the Real estates, land reforms and sovereignty!

Thanks,

Ismaila BADJIE

MBA – University of Liverpool – Shipping & Logistics expert

By Pa Malang Ndure Fatty

One could characterise Barrow as having idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder or even delusional paranoia.

Based of his faulty judgement; mistaken. ‘’His delusional belief in the project’s merits never wavers.’’

Barrow was politically implanted at the statehouse to make the political ground fertile for political cultivation and he has no photosynthesis to help the political plants grow. All the aims and the intentions around Barrow were good of the people but Barrow has already possessed his unknown intentions that would shock the nation and beyond. When a nation with broken hopes, no inspiration no future for the population anyone who projected themselves to give them hope even as low as my little puppy at home in 2016, Gambians would vote for them. It was difficult to identify, scrutinise or establish what type of person Barrow was in 2016 because all we want was change of regime and hope the new Emperor Barrow would be much better.

When the formation of the Coalition 2016 was announced majority of Gambians have hopes and confidence for unity and oneness they have never had before in their all lives but that hopes would last for only 3 months. Barrow in Office immediately realised the powers and resources under his command too much he can do a lot more for himself and his families than he previously thought.

Barrow feels insecure and feel threatened by the people he should be making their dreams of better Gambia a reality. He would now have to distinguished between people under different categories depending which variant they are. Body cells and nerves in his head are not too galvanised and sophisticated enough to carry the load assigned to him by the people of The Gambia but he finds it extremely easy to focus on his own personal projects and his microscopic eyes identified types of people who would stand by his side to establish his desired Barrow Empire, but they will not last long with him. Our hopes for better Gambia have now become a despair and fact for new Gambia.

He is often irritated when citizens exercise their citizenry rights as prescribed in laws of The Gambia simply because he did not understand why we did regime change in 2016. In his own world he believed he is elected as a president to sit in that chair and citizens will watch him as an attracting object. He did not understand we elected him to office so he could apply the laws of the country where we can do lawful things that we could not do during the 22 years of dictatorship era. He did not understand that those laws are not owned by him, but he is only there to guard and supervise the full implementation for the public interest. He did not understand holding regular press conference to address any concern issues is a fundamental responsibility of any successful leadership thereby citizens are UpToDate in state affairs. Barrow is scared and paranoid whenever citizens speak about the challenges facing the state and the people. Instead of engaging the people, he embarks of attacks and defensive game, and he ended up ‘neither scoring a goal nor defending a goal.’

Barrow is very primitive and raw in politics and in lifestyle, and he is not inspired by good leaders for the good things they did for their people, but he is inspired by bad leaders and the quantity of wealth and power they possessed. Barrow is greedy, selfish and untruthful in all engagements that he has to do with The Gambian people. From the look and evidence, he possessed and owned more valuable resources than the country he hypothetical to serve. He earns more than the country. The only thing he did not earn more than us is our breath.

Barrow has politically grown in untruthfulness, deception, manipulation and above all divide and rule policy. His delusional behaviour is evident anytime he speaks to the public. He narrates extraterrestrial stories that never fits in the reality. He acts confused, he speaks confused and he does not understand the feelings and desires of The Gambian people. He is lonely and isolated. The only people surrounding him are only safeguarding their economic survival lines.

Barrow is politically bankrupt and falling apart. He misjudged the people and he believed in the old primitive politics that automatically put the incumbent at the advantage not realising we are in the 21st century politics where incumbency often suffers defeats in the hands of the oppositions. He calculated in his own way that he can move on easily and established his political party and win elections. But as soon as he realised this is not The Gambia he used to know, he changed his tactics to influence people, ‘money, regions and tribalism.’ The people around him could not help him win over peoples’ mind. The continuity of Barrow’s administration could mean a potential tribal and communal chaos is certain as that the only backbone for his political survival. Since Barrow became president, the only time he speaks the truth is ‘when he is not speaking.’ All his remarks are contradictory, abusive and often absurd. He often gives remarks in tribal appreciation to endorse a specific tribe. Barrow does not represent the core interest of the population and he does not care who feels it hard if his person enterprises are intact.

Barrow was elected to serve three years in which he was to create a new white blank page for The Gambia, but he has now entangled himself in a ‘filthy shallow hell’ awaiting harsh judgements.

I hope Gambians would comprehend by now that Barrow is incompetent, inconsistent, ignorant and he does not understand his job and he will not quit. He has loss hopes and he is psychologically accepting defeats on December 4th presidential elections.

By Zakaria Kemo Konteh

In his meeting with local authorities, President Adama Barrow used the pulpit to paint a misleadingly dangerous and incendiary picture of   the efforts of a group of citizens who tasked themselves of monitoring the ongoing voter registration exercise. Describing them as thugs, the diatribe reminded me of how former President Trump labeled Black Lives Matter protesters when he was setting the stage for a violent crack down in Washington DC just so he could walk down for a photo-op in front of a Church. Difference, though, is that those Barrow referred to as thugs are actually law abiding citizens observing and recording an important process that will decide the fate of our country. Barrow’s ill-advised comments come on the heel of violent and cowardly attacks on UDP registration observers by some wayward Youths of Kanilai who are still bitter about the outcome of the last Presidential election nearly 5 years ago.

From every indication, President Barrow is paranoid, uncomfortable and angry. The president is facing the increasingly apparent prospect of defeat and humiliation at the polls on account of his irreconcilable failures in governance. The nervousness and bitterness may become more pronounced as we get closer to the election and as the electoral shock becomes inevitable. However, none of these psychological manifestations excuses or sanitizes the behavior of a sitting President especially when his remarks or conducts incite violence on his political opponents.

For several months, our country has been gripped by wave of banditry, petty crimes and other violent acts of robberies. This is compounded by a government so immersed in dysfunction and a President who has lost total control and focus. We have read extensive investigative reports of corruption, embezzlement and other nefarious activities involving public servants and institutions under his stewardship. Yet, President Barrow was never animated and forceful in addressing these vices as we have witnessed him do in condemning his political rivals – a clear distinction of where his priorities lie.

Accordingly, I would like to remind  President Barrow of his sworn responsibilities as the President of the Republic of the Gambia until the very last minute of his term. He should be presidential in his conducts and his actions and words should be guided by the Constitution and laws of the Gambia with emphasis on peace, security and protection of every Gambian and non Gambians resident in the Gambia. Being the highest office of the land, the Presidency should be above and beyond petty politics and division.

By Madi Jobarteh

Since 2018 the number of strikes in our institutions of higher learning indeed call for concern as to the kind of leadership and management that these institutions are obtaining from the President, the Minister for higher education and the various management heads of these institutions. It is either students are protesting or lecturers and other staffs are on strike against their deplorable working environment including undesirable learning and teaching facilities and services and low welfare. These actions are indeed a major challenge to the education of students and the welfare of staffs which also affect the overall development of the Gambia.

The fact is that the state of public higher institutions leaves much to be desired. Visit the Gambia College and UTG campuses in Brikama to see the poor facilities and services there as if these are not learning and knowledge centres and inhabited by human beings. As institutions of higher learning, it means they are the primary producers of the thinkers, inventors, engineers, technicians and policymakers of the nation. Hence, the place where we mould minds to create new possibilities for the present and future of society indeed deserve utmost attention and quality.

When you visit the auditorium at the law Faculty, it is obvious that that hall does not fit for a university hall. The basic tools necessary for a university hall to allow for convenient display and sharing of information and teaching do not exist. There are no permanent presentation tools installed nor are there any public address systems, not to mention strong Wi-Fi, among other services. Overall, the set-up of that hall and the entire faculty facilities are just substandard. From Brikama campuses to MDI, GTTI and UTG Law Faculty including RDI in Mansa Konko, toilet facilities, classrooms, dining halls and dormitories are so poor and dilapidated that they are an insult to students and staffs.

Coming to the current strike by UTG staff, it is obvious from the issues they raised indicate failure of leadership from the President as the Chancellor, and the Minister of Higher Education, the Vice Chancellor as well as the National Assembly committee on higher education and the Governing Council including the Vice Chancellor. The various operational, management and leadership issues raised should not have occurred in the first place if indeed higher education has been managed responsibly by these authorities. But it is clear that these issues have never been prioritised to ensure that the needs, welfare and progress of UTG is guaranteed.

The Gambia cannot afford to have poor quality university and college education which will not only be a waste of public resources but also a severe retardment of national development. Poor quality infrastructure, inadequate facilities and erratic services coupled with poor leadership undermine the quality of education of a university. These are what demotivate staffs especially the lecturers hence weaken learning and teaching to a level that citizens lose the urge and need for higher education altogether. That would be a national disaster!

Therefore, the National Assembly should summon the Minister of Higher Education Badara Alieu Joof to find out why public institutions of higher education are in shambles. Why is his Ministry not providing the right leadership to ensure that there is viable and enhanced higher education in the country? It is absolutely clear that UTG and other public higher education institutions are not on the right footing simply because of the failure of leadership from his ministry and the UTG. The fact is quality is dwindling in the University of the Gambia in every respect, and this must be arrested now and not later. The striking UTG staffs must therefore be heard and their concerns must be addressed.

No country must joke with higher education because it is in higher education that the builders of the nation are produced. A university is a national asset that must respond to the needs and future of the nation. There is no society that has advanced in modern times without university education, whose purpose is to conduct research and provide learning in order to mould minds, generate enlightened ideas and change society. But a university can only serve that purpose if the necessary investments are made within the framework of proper management that is transparent and accountable. Unfortunately, UTG is hugely underserved, poorly managed and led and neglected by the Government. This is unacceptable.

For The Gambia Our Homeland