Mathew k Jallow's message to the youth and other young people of The Gambia

By Mathew K Jallow

Today marks the 45th anniversary of our country’s independence. I was still in high school on that day, and I and many others marched before our president, Sir Dawda Jawara and other dignitaries who came to wish us well. Among Gambians the day was filled with jubilation and the optimism was infectious. The broad smiles on the faces of Gambians projected the mood of the country. I was there to witness history. In the center of MacCarthy’s Square, high and secondary school students from the Banjul area stood rapt in military attention after marching to the beat of Gambia Field Force Band. One could hear a pin drop.

The highlight of the moment came with the inspection of the various school formations by the Duke and Duchess of York, representatives of Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Sir David Jawara. The children and students from each school, dressed in uniforms, proudly displayed their respective school badges, which were the envy and admiration of children who dreamt of a higher education. But the age-old legendary competition between St. Augustine’s Secondary and Gambia High schools was not manifest on that February 18, in 1965. On that day, we were not divided by loyalties to our schools, instead, we joined above all as brothers and sisters and fellow Gambians to make our country, our parents and guardians, and our new leader, Sir David K Jawara proud. On that day so long ago, as I stood somewhere in the middle of the St. Augustine’s school formation, and tried like other students, to make sense of what the day was about, I was oblivious of the dignitaries from around the world who were there to celebrate with us. But I had a hunch it was a big day in our country’s history.

Equally important, it was an Independence Day like no other. In the intervening years, this once backward country no one knew about, came a long way. And despite the endemic corruption that be-deviled Sir Dawda Jawara’s successive governments, everything The Gambia and Gambians became today, is owed to his tenure as our president. Many new initiatives brought material improvements in the lives of Gambians, and created a middle-class that hardly existed before then, but perhaps Sir Dawda’s greatest achievements are what is inculcated in the minds of those school children like me who proudly marched before him as he stood on the dais ready to deliver his first speech to us as our Head of State.

During his presidency, Gambia truly became the beckon of hope for many; a country where people came to revel in its peace and tranquility, but above all, a country that respected the dignity of man and left no stone unturned to ensure the law respected the rights and freedoms of citizens. But it all came to a screeching halt one fateful day in July 1994, with the ascendancy to power by a military regime that has wrecked havoc on our country since then. Today, merely uttering Yahya Jammeh’s name in public will land one in prison and at worst, cost one his or her life. Yahya Jammeh’s posters plastered all around the Greater Banjul area, watch menacing from mangled fences over clogged and stinking drainages and piles of garbage that will not go away. But even worst than that, the fear in the faces of people is palpable everywhere one looks, while the intimidating presence of uniformed and uninformed police, military and security officers has turned a once vibrant and boisterous population into a mute and docile people, with little hope and who see only a bleak future ahead for themselves and their children.

To control the population, police and military check points have sprouted all over the country, while civil servants cannot travel outside the country without government authorization, and scores of former civil servants have their travel documents confiscated, but nationals from Europe, the Middel-East and other African countries can traverse the world with Gambian diplomatic passports. As of today, nearly twenty Gambian journalists have fled to Senegal, the U.S.A and Europe and scores of some of Gambia’s most educated and skilled workers languish at home without employment, as barely literate and hardly educated replacements run the affairs of the country. And today, the nearly 350 million dalasis loan the Gambia owed in 1994, has ballooned to an incredible 20 billion dalasis, effectively making every man, woman and child in The Gambia owe more than 13, 333.00 in debt, yet hospitals and health centers are acutely short of drugs, schools lack text books, garbage overruns many areas in the Greater Banjul area, roads are in poor state of repairs, and while the glitter of street lights and new construction, give a false impression of development, the countryside has gone dark and desolate as the rural population has moved to crowd the twenty five square mile area of the Kombos most visitors see.

As I write, the National Assembly, in an unprecedented and surprising move, has launched a fund-raising effort to raise US $24 million to fund its programs, but it was only two weeks ago that Yahya Jammeh donated $10 million to the Gambia golf association, while medical institutions despair for drugs and other health related services and hardware. Inflation runs high, with everyday commodity prices hit the ceiling and Gambians struggle to feed their families. To make matters worst, NEWEC plans to increase electricity prices by 33%, a rate of increase which is so obscene, it is unheard of in the annals of rate increases. Worst still, money derived from the sale, transshipment, and storage of drugs over the past twelve years, has been laundered in the many fake banks that have come and gone in the past, and this has exacerbated the problems associated with dirty, illicit money circulating in the country.

Government institutions have all but become dysfunctional and the income generating parastatal agencies, such as Gamtel/Gamcel, The Ports Authority and Customs and Excise are used exclusively fund Yahya Jammeh’s many lavish festivities mostly in Kanilai, but also at the State House and Independence Stadium, while The Gambia’s military and poor farmers around the country establish and labor as slaves for Yahya Jammeh on scores of farms whose proceed Yahya Jammeh uses to feed the thousand of Casamance citizens who cross the border or are camped in Kanilai village and diverse areas in the St. Mary’s Island and the Kombos. Yahya Jammeh has tried all he can to divide us by tribe, by generation and by gender and until two years ago, he put his fellow Jolas in charge of every high ranking position in The Gambia; from head of the army, NIA, Police and all the director and senior government jobs, but he fired them all because they lacked the qualifications to handle their jobs. But now he has fired most of them, killed others and imprisoned others, and now because there are no more Jolas to hire, he is replacing them with people from other tribes. For the past ten years or so, there have been no Fulas and Mandinkas in any high position in government, and no one from the provinces either. I know even at your age, you know dividing us is not healthy for our country. After that has organized the women of our country; your mothers, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers against the men who are your fathers, uncles, brothers and your father’s friends and former school and classmates. I think many of you will remember when 16 students your age were massacred by soldiers on the orders of Yahya Jammeh. How do you think the mothers, fathers, brothers, uncles and sisters of these innocent students who were shot to death feel? And imagine the dead were your own brothers and sisters. It is impossible to list everything Yahya Jammeh has done to destroy our country since he took over the reins of power.

I can also tell you that in every country in the world, the leader of a country is not allowed to engage in business, but Yahya Jammeh has ignored that law of government, and today he owns public transportation, owns bakeries and sells and supplies bread, and he is in the construction business and quarries and sells sand as well among many other businesses. That is an illegal thing to do. Jammeh took all the land that belonged to the people of Kanilai to farm on and made the land his own. But we understand that some of the youth are going to have a solidarity march from the Independence Stadium to the Arch, but some of us are baffled and want to know what solidarity they are marching for. And if they do march, I urge them to stop outside Mile 2 Prison where more than 80 Gambians have died of disease, hunger, torture and lack of medications. Others are chained and beaten from time to time because they oppose the way Yahya Jammeh is killing, intimidating and imprisoning our fellow citizens. So when the marchers come to Mile 2 stop and remember your fellow citizens suffering behind the high walls of the prison. In addition, as Gambians celebrate this 45 year independence anniversary, it is also worth remembering the Senegalese soldiers who are continually dying because Yahya Jammeh decided to arm the Cassamance rebels in that long drawn-out struggle, but above-all, fellow Gambians who have been executed, murdered, tortured to death, disappeared or continue to languish in our prison system. So as you make merry or jubilate, you ought to remember that there are many, many Gambian families whose sons and daughters, fathers and uncles, brothers and nephews have been executions, murders and disappeared and they are husbands, fathers, sons, daughters and neighbors and co-workers. And as you celebrate, remember also the several thousand fellow Gambians in Senegal, Europe, America and other countries in Africa who cannot come home and to be with their families, because if they come Yahya Jammeh will kill them ot imprison them. Below I give you an incomplete list of Gambians and non-Gambian nationals, who have been executed, killed, arrested and jailed, tortured and fled Gambia to escape Yahya Jammeh and his murderers. And thank you young fellow Gambians for reading this address. And God Bless you always.

Executed and Murdered Civilians


Ousman Koro Ceesay
Deyda Hydara
Sidia Sanyang
Ebrima Chief Manneh
Omar Barrow
Lamin Sanneh
Ousman Ceesay
Sarjo Kunjang
Ebrima Barry
Ousman Ceesay
Saja Kujabi
Haruna Jammeh
Yaya Jammeh
Daba Marena
Staff Sergeant Manlafi Corr
Sergeant Major Alpha Bah
Lieut. Ebou Lowe
Lieut. Alieu Ceesay
Sgt. Fafa Nyang
Lieut. Basiru Barrow
Cpt. Sadibou Hydara
Lieut. Almamo Manneh
Lieut. Abdoulie Dot Faal
Lieut. Bakary Manneh
Lieut. Buba Jammeh
Lieut. Momodou Lamin Darboe
Cadet Officer Sillah
Lieut. Basiru Camara
Corpl. Mendy
Lieut. Gibril Saye
Sergeant Dumbuya
Momodou Sowe

Gambians Detained and Released, in Jail or Dead 1994-2009

RSM Alpha Bah
Major Ebrima Bah
Lt Momodou Alieu Ba
Corporal Samba Bah
Tijan Bahoum: Power Supply Director NAWEC
Kemo Balajo: ex-National Intelligence Agency
Foday Barry: ex-NIA; director of Intelligence
Ourani Barry: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Lamin Bojang: Medical Research Council
Ebrima Camara: ex-police officer
Omar Barru Camara: ex-MP APRC
Captain Wassa Camara
2nd Lt Alieu Ceesay
Lamin Ceesay: Politician
Madi Ceesay: President, Gambia Press Union
Awa Darboe Cham: wife of alleged coup leader Ndure Cham
Lamin Cham: ex-Daily Observer, BBC correspondent
Lamin Cham: Politician
Momat Cham: former minister
Momodou Cadi Cham: former politician
Superintendent Abdoulie Colley: ex-police officer
Retired Colonel Abdoulie Conteh: former KMC Mayor
Staff Sergeant Manlafi Corr
Captain Bunja Darboe
Lamin R. Darboe: Politician
Lamin Saiba Darboe
Captain Yaya Darboe
Adama Deen: former Managing Director Gambia Ports Authority
Demba Dem: ex-MP APRC
Momodou Demba: Politician
Mariam Denton: Human Rights Lawyer
Raif Diab: Businessman
Ramzia Diab: former nominated MP, APRC
Musa Dibba: ex-NIA Director of Finance
Sheriff Mustapha Dibba: ex-Assembly Speaker
Baba Drammeh: ex-Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) officer
Omar Faal: Marabout
Ansumana Fadera: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Jerreh Fatty: Politician
Lamin Fatty: journalist, The Independent newspaper
Mariama Fatty: Politician
Kebba Faye: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Tamba Fofana: Head Master
Abdou Gafar: journalist, Daily Express newspaper
Lamin Gassama: Security Manager, Banjul International Airport
Antouman Gaye: Lawyer
Pa Njie Guirigara: General Manager, VM
Sarane Hydara: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Captain Abdoukarim Jah
Karamo Jaiteh: former Managing Director, Gambia Roads Authority
Suruwa Jaiteh: former Permanent Secretary
Staff Sergeant Buba Jammeh
Haruna Jammeh. Villager
Kebbaringo Jammeh: Councilor
Marcel Jammeh. Villager
Lance Corporal Babou Janha
Amie Jarju. Villager
Cherno Ndure Jarju: Politician
Lamin Jarsey: Politician
Tamsir Jassey: ex-Deputy Inspector General Police, Director of Immigration
Dudu Kassa Jatta: Politician
Ousman Rambo Jatta: Councilor
Colonel Vincent Jatta: ex-Chief of Defense Staff (deceased)
Momodou Jaw: ex-IEC officer
Abdoulie Kanaji Jawla: MP, APRC
Baboucarr Jobarteh: ex-Protocol Officer
Maimuna Jobarteh: Politician
Abdou Jobe: Managing Director, NAWEC
Alieu Jobe: ex-Accountant General
Duta Kamaso: ex-MP, APRC
Kanyiba Kanyi: Politician
Lamin Keita: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Nato Keita: Politician
Abdoulie Kujabi: ex-Director General, NIA
Jasaji Kujabi
Dr. Badara Loum: ex-Permanent Secretary
Lt Ebou Lowe
Mustapha Lowe: College student
Bamba Manneh: ex-NIA operative
Chief Ebrima B. Manneh: journalist, Daily Observer newspaper
Fatou Jaw Manneh: journalist
Kebba Yorro Manneh: Politician
Daba Marena: ex-Director General, NIA
Malick M’boob: ex-Daily Observer, RV
Sulayman Sait M’boob: ex-Minister, IEC Commissioner
Sergeant Buba Mendy
Captain Pierre Mendy
Omar Ndow: former Managing Director of Gamtel/Gamcel
Ndondi S.Z. Njie: former Chairman of IEC
Alhagie Nyabally: ex-President, Gambia Student Union
Alassan Nyassi
Balla Nyassi
Private Alagie Nying: Gambia National Army
Sam Obi: Daily Express, RFI correspondent
Baba Saho: ex-NIA director, External Security
Musa Saidykhan: former Editor-In-Chief, The Independent newspaper
Betrand Sambou
Dodou Sanneh: former journalist, GRTS
Ebrima Sillah Sanneh: ex-IEC officer
Lamin Sanneh: former Permanent Secretary
Sergeant Abdoulie Sanyang
2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang: Gambia National Army
Commander MB Sarr: Gambia National Army
Lt M. Savage: Gambia National Army
Ebou Secka: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Nourou Secka: ex-NIA operative
Momodou Senghore: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Ousman Sey: Marabout
Musa Sheriff: journalist, Gambia News & Report magazine
Amie Sillah: journalist, women activist
Alieu Singhateh: ex-NIA operative
Kebba Singhateh: Politician
Modou Sonko: journalist, Daily Observer newspaper
Private Ebrima Sonko
Juldeh Sowe: journalist, The Independent newspaper
Issac Success: journalist, Daily Express newspaper
Azziz Tamba: Politician
Ebou Waggeh

Arrest and Detention of Journalists

October 2005: Abdoulie Sey
2005: Musa Saidykhan
March 2006: Musa Saidykhan
March 2006: Madi Ceesay
April 2006: Lamin Fatty

Journalists on Exile in Senegal, Europe and the US

Pa Ousman Darboe
Alieu Badara Sowe
Pa Ousman Darboe
Musa Saidykhan
Sulayman Makalo
Omar Bah
Alhagie Mbye
Ebrima Sillah
Augustus Mendy
Bankole Thompson
Papa Colley
Sulayman Darboe
Fatou Jaw Manneh
Pa Omar Jatta
Momodou Thomas
Musa Saidykhan
Ansumana Badjie
Pa Samba Jaw
Sarjo Bayang
Pa Nderry Mbai
Cherno Baba Jallow
Ebrima Ceesay
Baba Galleh Jallow
Ebrima G. Sankareh
Yankuba Jambang
Mathew K. Jallow

Military/Security Mysterious Deaths

Captain Tumbul Tamba
Captain Musa Jammeh
Colonel Vincent Jatta
Lieut. Solomon Jammeh
Pa M. Jallow
Manlafi Sanyang
Boye Bah
Momodou Bah
Illo Jallow

Military/Security/Civilian Recently Detained

Lang Tombong Tamba
Bore Badjie
Omar Bun Mbye
Demba Njie
Lamin Fatty
Yankuba Drammeh
Malamin Jarju
Kawsu (Bombardier) Camara
Ngorr Secka, NIA
Ensa Badjie
Bun Sanneh
Sarjo Fofana

Military/Security/Civilians: Detained, Released, Fled

Captain Bunja Darboe
Capt Yahya Darboe
Capt. Wassa Camara
2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang
Alieu Jobe
Tamsir Jasseh
Omar Faal
Demba Dem,
Col. Ndure Cham
Abdoulie Kujabi
Kemo Balajo
Alieu Singhateh
Foday Barry
Landing Sanneh

Military and Security Executed in 2006


Daba Marenah
Alieu Ceesay
Alpha Bah
Manlafi Corr
Ebou Lowe

Students Massacred April 11th. 2000

Reginald Carrol
Karamo Barrow
Lamin A. Bojang
Ousman Sabally
Sainey Nyabally
Ousman Sembene
Bakary Njie
Claesco Pierra
Momodou Lamin Njie
Ebrima Barry
Wuyea Foday Mansareh
Bamba Jobarteh
Momodou Lamin Chune
Abdoulie Sanyang
Omar Barrow
Burama Badjie

Gambians Missing and Disappeared Since 2005

Ebrima (Chief) Manneh: arrested July 2006
Kanyiba Kanyi arrested September 2006
Haruna Jammeh arrested in 2005
Marcie Jammeh arrested in 2005
Alfusainey Jammeh arrested in 2005
Momodou Lamin Nyassi arrested in 2005
Ndongo M’boob arrested in 2006
Buba Sanyang arrested in 2006
Alieu Lowe arrested in March 2006,
Sgt. Sam Kambai arrested in 2006
Bakary Gassama arrested in 2007
Kebba Secka arrested in 2007
Ebrima Dibba arrested in May 2008,
Ebrima Kunchi Jammeh arrested in May 2008

Cases of Regime ordered Arsons.

August 8th. 2001, Radio Station 1 FM, was set ablaze around 2 a.m. in the morning, after proprietor George Christensen and his watchman were doused with hazardous chemicals in the hope of incinerating them. The two victims survived the ordeal, but the station was a total loss.

August 10th. 2001, the home of Alieu Bah, Radio I FM journalist, who moderated debates and discussions between prominent personalities, was set ablaze around 3 a.m. while he, his wife and children were asleep. The family narrowly escaped death, but the house was gutted to the ground.

October 17th. 2003, The Independent Newspaper premises were set on fire around 3 a.m in the morning when three unidentified masked men stormed the building, assaulted the night watchman and then sprayed him with fire hazard chemical in the hope he would burn to death. But he luckily survived the assault. The premises were destroyed beyond recognition.

April 13th. 2004, the Kanifing printing facilities of the Independent Newspaper was set on fire around 2 a.m. by six individuals dressed in military fatigue. The printing machinery and other hardware equipment were completely destroyed.

August 15th. 2004, the home of B.B.C reporter, Ebrima Sillah was set on fire as he slept. He narrowly escaped.

Arrests and Detentions of Journalists.

September 19th. 2003, around 6 p.m. Abdoulie Sey, the Editor-in-Chief, The Independent Newspaper was arrested from his office by intelligence agents and held incommunicado. He was released four days later.

September 2005, Musa Saidykhan, Editor-in-Chief, The Independent Newspaper, was detained for interrogation for a brief period of time shortly after returning from a South African journalist conference.

March 27th. 2006, Musa Saidykhan, Editor-in-Chief, The Independent Newspaper, was arrested again by security agents a few days after publishing an article critical of Yahya Jammeh’s reactions in the wake of an alleged coup attempt on March 21, 2007. He was released after three weeks in detention.

March 2006, Madi Ceesay, The Independent General Manager, arrested by the regime’s agents, was released after three weeks of detention.

April 10th. 2006, Independent reporter, Lamin Fatty was arrested from his home by NIA agents and released after two months in detention and charged with false publication.

April 25th. 2006, Independent receptionist, Juldeh Sowe, was arrested and released after several hours.

July 7th. 2006, Daily Observer journalist, Ebrima Chief Manneh, was arrested by NIA officials from the Observer premises, was seen in public once after two years detention, at the Royal Victoria Hospital, sick and emaciated. Six powerful U.S Senators; Edward Kennedy, Richard (Dick) Durbin, Russell (Russ) Feingold and Joe Lieberman among others wrote to Yahya Jammeh asking him to release Journalist Manneh after being held for nearly three years. Manneh has since been confirmed murdered by Jammeh’s agents.

May 24th. 2006, following the hacking of the online, Freedom Newspaper, five Gambian journalists whose names appeared on the paper’s readers list were arrested and detained for different lengths of time. After several months they were released. They are:

Musa Sheriff
Pa Modou Faal
Lamin Cham
Sam Obi
Malick M’boob

Other arbitary arrests


September 2006, a Gambia Radio and Television Services reporter, Dodou Sanneh, was arrested and detained, and later fired, rehired and fired again from his job government job.

March 28th. 2007, Fatou Jaw Manneh, a U.S. based Gambian journalist, was arrested at the airport, her traveling documents seized and charged with sedition. Her Kangaroo trial lasted more than a year. Her heavy fine was paid with donations from family and friends from all around the world.

December 16th. 2005, police ruffed Ramatoulie Charreh up after the participants in a conference she attended, attempted to visit the spot where journalist Deyda Hydara was gunned down.

In mid 2006, Njaimeh Bah, Point Newspaper reporter, attacked by unknown assailants, was severely beaten.

December 12. 2006, Baron Eloagou, reporter for the Daily Express, was severely beaten by unknown assailants.

December 2006, Abdougafar Olademinji, reporter for the Daily Express, was attacked by unknown assailants and beaten severely.

June 14th. 2009, seven journalists and members of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), were rounded up from various locations by heavily armed paramilitary agents and detained at NIA headquarters before being transferred to the notorious Mile 2 prison outside Banjul. The group listed below, were granted bail and charged with publishing seditious material and their case is ongoing despite protestations of regional and international organizations such as Media Foundation for West Africa, Amnesty International, Community to Protect Journalists.
Emil Touray, Secretary General Gambia Press Union
Sarata Jabbi Dibba, Vice President, Gambia Press Union
Pa Modou Faal, Treasurer, Gambia Press Union
Pap Saine, Managing Director, The Point Newspaper
Ebou Sawaneh, Editor, The Point Newspaper
Sam Sarr, Managing Editor, The Foroyaa Newspaper
Abubakr Saidy-Khan, journalist, Foroyaa newspaper.


June 16th. 2009, Abdulhamid Adiamoh, Publisher of Today Newspaper, was arrested for false publication and detained at National Intelligence headquarters. Forced to plead guilty or face deportation back to Nigeria, he was fine an extortive amount of money or face six months jail time.
June 22nd. 2009, Augustine Kanja, a reporter for The Point Newspaper, was arrested and detained by security agents. He was released June 25th, 2009.


Attempted Murders: Fled Gambia


Ousman Sillah: Attorney/Lawyer
Mai Fatty: Attorney (Attorney/Lawyer
Foreigners Massacred in The Gambia
44 Ghanaians
2 Senegalese
1 Togolese
2 Nigerians

72 Ministers: Appointed and Fired

Mass Axi Gai
Angela Colley
Kanja Sanneh
Neneh Macdoual-Gaye
Therese Ndong-Jatta (resigned)
Maba Jobe (hired & fired before taking office)
Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe (resigned)
Joseph Henry Joof (resigned)
Satang Jow (retired)
Yankuba Kassama
Margaret Keita
Ousman Badjie
Samba Bah
Lamin Kaba Bajo
Musa Bittaye
Amie Bensouda
Fatou Bom Bensouda
John P. Bojang
Momodou Bojang
Nyimasata Sanneh
Bojang Mamat Cham
Ebrima Ceesay
Momodou Nai Ceesay
Ousman Koro Ceesay (murdered)
Sulayman Massaneh Ceesay
Bakary Bunja Dabo
Fasainey Dumbuya
Samba Faal
Omar Faye
Sadibou Haidara (murdered)
Sheikh Tijan Hydara
Blaise Jagne
Balla Garba Jahumpa
Momodou Sarjo Jallow
Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh
Manlafi Jarju
Tamsir Mbowe
Dominic Mendy
Alieu Ngum
Bakary Njie
Omar Njie
Susan Waffa-Ogoo
Hawa Sisay Sabally
Sana B. Sabally
Abdoulie Sallah
Hassan Sallah
Momodou Sallah
Sidy Morro Sanneh
Kebba Sanyang
Samsudeen Sarr
Cheyassin Secka
Musa Sillah
Edward Singhatey
Raymond Sock
Amina Faal Sonko
Baboucarr Jatta
Famara Jatta
Kumba Ceesay-Marenah
Mustapha Marong
Fafa Mbai
Musa Mbenga
Sulayman Mboob
Bolong Sonko
Bai Mass Taal
Fatoumatta Tambajang
Bemba Tambedou
Yankuba Touray
Crispin Grey Johnson
Antouman Saho
Lamin Bojang
Marie Saine Firdaus

Gambia:Prices Of Basic Commodities Hike While BAC Increases Daily Duty Collection

People in Brikama and surroundings complain of the price increases of basic commodities which coincided with the recent increase of duty paid to the Brikama Area Council by vendors on a daily basis. 
Conducting interviews at the markets with concerned persons, it is discovered that apart from the price increases, the Brikama Area Council has also increased the daily duty to be paid by vendors at markets in the region.
Two ladies namely; Aminata Jabbi and Amie Jarsey, dealers in imported chicken said the market has experienced huge increases in many basic commodities making it difficult for them to meet their daily needs. The two women who sat closely together at the market said though many commodities have increased, they have not yet increased their prices which make it difficult for them to make profit after selling their product. The two women revealed that whatever they gain from their sales they spend it on family matters such as feeding and paying of school fees for their children. They also disclosed that the usual sales they make before have really gone down even though they have not yet increased their prices. They gave an example and said that each of them used to sell two cartons daily but now they find it difficult to even sell one carton in a whole day.
Sainabou Bajan, Fatou Darboe and Fatoumata Kandeh, all vendors dealing with fish informed this reporter that the hike in prices of fish depends on what price they (vendors) get from the fish mongers. They said in the previous months the container they used to buy at D150 has now increased to D400.00. The women vendors in fish said due to the hike in prices of fish, most of their customers ran away. The fish vendors argued that the recent increase on the daily duty from D3.00 to D5.00 by the Brikama Area Council could not also allow them to bring down their prices. Many vendors at the market complained that the council has taken a decision without informing them.
“We prefer to sell our fish outside the fish market as we pay less to council compared to the duty of D10.dalasi we pay to the fish market management daily”, said Fatoumata Darboe and Fatoumata Kandeh, two fish vendors at the Brikama fish market.
Mr. Abdoulie Camara said that the scarcity in fish has been the main source of the increase in prices on fish in recent days. He said due to the cold season and the heavy winds blowing everywhere the tonnage of fish that could be caught at sea has reduced. Camara further explains that they used to load up to 4 vehicles of fish daily from Tanji but now it is not possible to have two vehicle loads in a day. He said in previous months they found it difficult to get ICE block to keep the rest of the unsold fish but now he said that is not what is happening. He went on to add that even at the sea fishermen are seen coming back empty handed with their boats after spending hours fishing.
Mamadou Wury Jallow, a canteen owner expressed that the increase in prices on such basic commodities is not their fault but is based on how they purchase them from the wholesale shops. He said sometimes he finds it difficult to convince his clients or customers on the daily increase of prices. He said in the previous 6 months he used to buy a bag of onion at less than D300.00 but as at now he said a bag of onion cost him D400.00. He said imported Irish potatoes used to cost D570.00 and the local one cost D470.00.
Mr. Jallow said price of cooking oil in less than six months ago was between D6.50 per cup to D11.00. He also reveals that all categories of beans have also increased within these days.
Binta Marong dealer in ingredients also confirms the recent increase on the daily collection by council from D3.00 to D5.00. She said council did not tell them much about the reason for the increment and they were not formally informed by council. She said it is recently that they noticed in the tickets issued by council that it is increased and it is only then that the collectors started to inform them. She said for her part the vegetables she is selling has reduced in price almost by 50 percent because she said almost all gardeners are now harvesting the vegetables at the same time thus flooding the market.
Consumers also express concern on the high prices of commodities. The house wives said even salt that used to be D10.00 per cup has now increased to D30.00 and the usual D5.00 cup has increased to D17.00. Tumbulou Sanneh a salt dealer in the Brikama market confirmed the increase in the price of salt, saying that the bag they used to buy at D225.00 has now increased to almost D600.00. She said this is the main factor in the increase on price of salt.
Some husbands or family heads responsible for giving fish money also narrated that the recent increase in price of basic commodities have made life very difficult for many of them even for those who are employed. They said whosoever used to give D50.00 as daily fish money must today give nothing less than D75.00 and those of them who claim to have been giving D75.00 have increased to D100.00 daily. This, they said excludes rice and firewood not to talk about breakfast, they posited. They called for a proper solution to this daily increase on basic commodities.
Reacting to the complaints made by vendors on the recent increase by council on the daily duty collection, the senior Administration Officer and also the Public Relation Officer at the Brikama Area Council, Modou Jonga confirmed the increase. He further explained that the increase came when council recently held a meeting and finally decided to increase the price on daily collection from the usual D3.00 to D5.00. He said this affects all markets in the West Coast Region.
Asked what motivated them to increase the price, Jonga said this is all meant to improve services in all the markets in the region, such as water and sanitation.
Also answering to the queries by many vendors that they were not formally informed by council, PRO Jonga said that all market committees were sensitized on the subject matter and were asked to inform all concerned vendors. Jonga said so far he has not received any complaint from vendors on the decision taken by the council. 


Source:foroyaa.gm

Gambia marks 46th independence anniversary as Jammeh dreams super power status.

Banjul , Gambia - On the occasion of the 46th independence anniversary of his nation,  Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh declared here Friday that his country 'would soon become an economic super power as we are endowed with all that is needed to propel us into greatness'.

“A nation that is united because of the patriotism of its citizens is a nation that will always succeed in the 21st Century and beyond. We are united by purpose, patriotism and faith,' Jammeh said in his independence-day message read to Gambians by various Council and Regional Administrative heads across the country.

PANA reports that the theme of this year’s anniversary is “Unity through Patriotism, We can build a Better, more Prosperous Gambia.”

In the message, President Jammeh said his government’s objective was to make The Gambia the best country in the whole world, placing “my faith and conviction in greatness and benevolence to the Almighty Allah and a united and patriotic honest citizenry.”

'No divided nation can ever be a great and prosperous nation or an economic super power,' he said, urging Gambians to 'forget tribes, religions and politics and unite to build a better Gambia that the whole world would be envious of.

“While we appreciate external support, especially from our traditional friends and partners in development, it is simply suicidal for us as a nation to rely entirely on these sources, with arms folded and expect that we will become an economic super power and the best country to live in,” said the message.

He added that people who had witnessed Gambia's colonial era, the first and second republics were living witnesses to the progress made so far in the country.

He said “Youths constitute the prized gem of any nation. I am happy that despite the slow pace and the fact that a lot remains to be done, the youth of this country are gradually coming out to assume their responsibilities in nation-building.”

To students, President Jammeh said 'You should take your studies seriously, and remember that for as long as you are ready to study, the sky is the only limit his government would provide.'

Pana 19/02/2011

COMMISSIONER JATTA CONTINUES TESTIMONY IN BILLION DOLLAR COCAINE CASE

Commissioner Yusupha Jatta of the National Drug Enforcement Agency on Tuesday continues testifying before Magistrate Alagbe Taiwo Ade of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, in the on going one billion dollar cocaine case. 
When the case was called, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mikalive Abdullah announced his appearance for the State, while Lamin Camara appeared for some of the accused persons and Emmanuel Chime represented the eight accused person ,Ephraim Michel Chiduben.
Jatta told the court that they discovered fire arms and ammunition at Baobab Island in room seven. These arms and ammunition, he said, were Ar 15 A2 Rifle American Caliber 223 with a serial number 0458457, a short gun Russian serial number 050028036 and a Gluck hand gun- pistol AGG Austrian type AGG 116 No EDR and the rifle ammunitions. He said these are life round ammunitions together with the guns, the total quantity of which is 80 life round ammunitions.
Commissioner Jatta said after the discovery and identification of the arms they took them to National Drug Enforcement Agency Headquarters (NDEA). He said the said arms and ammunition were sent to the Military Headquarters for ballistic analyses which, he said, was done by one Captain E. Krubally, who sent the analyses report to their Headquarters (NDEA) through the Director General Benedict Jammeh. The witness said that since then the arms were kept at the NDEA headquarters by the exhibit keeper until he (Jatta) was asked to bring them to court. He added that the ammunitions were 5.56mm life rounds which totaled 51 and one hunting bullet 9mm life round which totaled 20. He said he collected them from where they were kept and that if shown he will be able to identify them by their serial numbers.
At this juncture, the DPP applied to tender the fire arms and ammunition as exhibits in evidence. No objection was raised by the defence counsels. The arms and ammunitions were then admitted and marked as exhibits R1-R6.
Jatta further testified that the assertion of the first accused (Ghazi) that room seven at Baobab Island was occupied by the second accused person (Sanchez) was verified and that the second accused has stated in his statement that he was the one occupying the said room; that he also admitted owning the said arms and ammunitions.
When asked by the DPP whether the second showed an authority to them for having the said arms, Jatta said that the accused did not show them any authority. He added that exhibit Q (Memory card for a Camera) was brought by him for safe keeping and he gave it to Inspector Lamin Gassama to go through it in a computer so as to find out the content of exhibit Q. He said the said exhibit was examined by Lamin Gassama in his presence at his office and they came to see many photos including those of the warehouse at Bonto from the foundation up to finishing. “I instructed Lamin Gassama to print out the photos that will be reliable for our investigation”, said Jatta.
He said after the printing of the photos they put them in the case file and he will be able to identify them in court through work done at the warehouse.
“We humbly applied to tender the pictures for ID purposes only”, DPP submitted. 
No objection was raised by the defence and the said pictures were marked as IDA1-A18. 
Jatta said the ballistic report issued by the Gambia Armed Forces was also put in the case file and he will be able to identify it through the logo of the said force and it was made under the hand of captain E Krubally . The said report was tendered and marked as IDB. 
He said they later found out that there was a bunker running at the back of the warehouse and on the 5th of June 2010, he (Jatta) and Inspector Gassama went back to the Ware House at Bonto and they found out that there was a big slab in one of the rooms in the warehouse and that they went through the slab into the room of the bunker and they made a hole by using a chisel and a hammer that was found in the said warehouse; that making that hole they met rice sacks/ bags and he called the DG of NDEA to tell him about the discovery in the bunker. He said the sister forces were invited namely the NIA, Customs, Police, Army, and the NDEA to go to Bonto. The first accused person (Ghazi) and Sanchez (2nd accused) were brought to the warehouse in order to show them the discovery in the bunker.
He said they found out that the content of the bags was suspected cocaine; that each bag was containing 25 stones/blocks and some loose bags were also found; that when they look at the actual thing 85 bags of cocaine were brought out of the bunker into the warehouse and then they transported them to the NDEA headquarters for analyses by using three pickups with an armed escort. 
He said after this the accused persons were then taken back to where they were detained. 
Jatta indicated that at the NDEA headquarters the bags of the suspected cocaine was analyzed and it was proven to be cocaine and they were kept in a store guarded by armed men; that the door to the store has four to five padlocks and the keys were kept by the sister forces so that one cannot go into the store without the others; that the store is still under guard by armed men.
When asked by the DPP whether he would be able to identify the 85 bags of cocaine if shown, Jatta said “certainly”. 
At this point, the DPP said that the 85 bags containing the cocaine cannot be brought before the court and in that circumstance he is applying for the court to go and look at them for identification purposes so that they can tender the lot in evidence. The DPP said the keys are with the sister forces and that in this circumstance he would like to apply for an adjournment so that he can write to the said forces for them to know the time the court intends to go and look at the said bags.
Camara said that the DPP has made two applications before the court i.e. an adjournment and also for the places where the drugs are kept to be visited. He said he is not opposed to both applications but his concerned is that the DPP said that he want to write to the sister forces but he preferred for the court to make an order for the visit to be conducted.
The DPP was quick to consult his witness and he told the court that it is not necessary for the court to make an order since they can access the place on the next adjourned date. 
The case was then adjourned to Thursday, 17th February, for the place to be visited

Source:foroyaa.gm

PROUD TO HOST THE AU SUMMIT, WHAT ABOUT THE REGISTRATION OF VOTERS?

The vote is what shows that the citizenship of a Gambian counts. All votes must be counted in an election. Each vote counts. It is the vote alone which makes every Gambian equal. No matter whether one occupies the post of a President or messenger one has only one vote. Any Gambian who is qualified to get a voter’s card but fails to do so must be seen as an animal occupying space without a homeland. The only person who has a say on how the country is governed and could add his or her voice to shape things is one with a voter’s card. The voter’s card is a citizen’s power. Sell it and you become a slave. Give it away and you surrender your right to demand for accountability. Entrust it to your best choice and you continue to retain the right to demand for accountability. 

Five years is about to elapse. Section 63 of the Constitution states that: “the term of office of an elected president shall, subject to section 3 and subsection 6, be for a term of five years.“

No body could stay in office for five years without rendering account to the people. The National Council for Civic Education should have been having radio and television programmes free of charge to educate the citizenry to know their powers and the functions of the Public trustees like the President. However, they are allocated a budget that is sufficient mainly to pay for salaries but not to launch a significant civic education programme.

2011/2012 is election year. It should be preceded by registration of voters. However, no civic education has started on who is qualified to be registered as a voter and how the exercise is to be conducted. A date is yet to be set for the exercise.

All Gambians should begin to ask for the reasons for the silence. Foroyaa will contact the IEC to find out why nothing has been said about the registration of voters.

The IEC should not have problems with funds since it is the National Assembly that should allocate the funds based on request. Section 44 of the Constitution states that “The Independent Electoral Commission shall submit its annual estimates of expenditure to the president for presentation to the National Assembly in accordance with this constitution. The president shall cause the estimates to be placed before the National Assembly without amendment, but may attach to them his or her own comments and observations. 
Nothing is more important than elections. A government which is proud to host an AU summit should not lack the funds to finance its own election.

Source:foroyaa.gm