JOINT STATEMENT ON THE POST-ELECTORAL PHASE OF THE 25TH FEBRUARY 2023, NIGERIAN GENERAL ELECTION The Heads of the Election Observation Missions of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Africa Union (AU), note with concern signs of increasing tensions in the country following the 25th February general elections. As we follow the progressive collation and release of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), we wish to remind all stakeholders that the electoral process is still ongoing. While we recognize that the tallying of results at all levels is a critical part…
Author: Gainako
By Arret Jatta After a successful debut album, winning the 2022 WahSaHalat Music Awards Album of the year with his critically acclaimed Yalong Ngalong, Kombonka has released another album to cement his name in Gambian music’s folklore. Featuring The Gambia’s King of Kora Jaliba Kuyateh, Kombonka released his new album titled Silakang on 24th February 2023. Other artists featured on the album include Jizzle, Attack, Oboy, Musa Filly Jobarteh and Kaby. Jaliba is a household name in The Gambia, pioneering Gambian music for over two decades now. The Kora Maestro was recently awarded an honorary fellowship by Goldsmiths, University of…
Affiliate Status to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) By NHRC, 24th February 2023 The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) granted affiliate status to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) during the 40th Ordinary Session of the Committee held in November 2022. The ACERWC is the African Union human rights treaty body with the mandate to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children pursuant to the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which was adopted by the African…
By Binta S Jawo The Gambia’s Ministry of Health (MoH) held a press briefing on Friday 24th February 2023 informing the media of a 10-day nationwide Covid-19 vaccination campaign set to start on the 1st of March 2023. MoH officials say this will be the 9th national Covid-19 vaccination campaign. According to the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and Health Promotional Directorate, officials are targeting 70% coverage after their latest campaign with the highest Covid-19 vaccination coverage being 18% since the outbreak took hold in The Gambia on 18th March 2020. Senior Communications Officer under the Directorate of Health Promotion…
The Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA) was established in September 2002 with the goal “to ensure an enhance good governance, accountability and transparency in local administration in the Gambia”. The statement issued below is from GALGA on the Government’s announcement to constitute a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the loans incurred by Councils from 2018 to 2023. By GALGA VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND ELECTION INTERFERENCE – PRESIDENT ADAMA BARROW It is with great disappointment and concern that we write to bring to your attention recent actions taken by the President of the Republic of The Gambia that…
By PPLAAF (Johannesburg, February 21, 2023) – Malawi authorities must protect Chartered Accountant Biswick Kaswaswa, who blew the whistle on his employer in 2018 and was subsequently charged with criminal breach of trust, imprisoned, and tortured, the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) said today. A new report published today by US-based investigative group The Sentry shows that with the support of the South Sudanese Government, a loan deal between Trinity and a regional bank, “enabled powerful individuals to benefit personally from the manipulation of business worth hundreds of millions of dollars.” PPLAAF assisted Kaswaswa, a former finance officer for South…
By Arret Jatta Goods and properties worth millions of Dalasis were lost after a devastating fire engulfed Nasser Foam Manufacturing Factory on the morning of Tuesday 21st February 2023. Our reporter spoke to a number of devastated staff working at the company located a stone’s throw away from Denton bridge in Sarro. According to an eyewitness, the fire started around 4 to 5 am in the morning, however, the cause of the fire was not known. Nasser Foam Manufacturing & General Enterprises Gambia Co. Ltd. produced both wholesale and retail foam products. The company imports foam sheets that are manufactured…
By Tumbul Trawally I, for one, like any other West African economics/finance professional, was ecstatic when the heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced the launch of a common currency, the Eco, in June 2019, after nearly 30 years of discussion and multiple missed deadlines. The concept of a single currency has been delayed multiple times, in 2005, 2010, and 2014. The group announced the launch of their planned new currency would be in 2020. That is nearly 3 years ago! The debut of the currency has now been pushed to 2027. It was…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice held a hearing on 16th February 2023 in which one Nigerian filed a suit against the Gambia Government for the killing of his brother and a total of 58 ECOWAS Nationals back in July 2005. The Gambia Government has been given until 2nd March 2023 to respond after failing to appear at the court hearing. According to the press release the Plaintiff in the case, Mr Kehinde Enagameh could not reach a settlement with the Gambia Government and the case should proceed. In his arguments submitted Counsel to the…
By Our Nation Our Voice (ONOVO) Context Reparations are necessitated after a country emerges from political violence, armed conflict, gross human rights violations or a dictatorial government as in the case of The Gambia, which endured a 22-year dictatorship under the leadership of former President Yahya Jammeh who succeeded by current President Adama Barrow in January 2017. After former President Jammeh overthrew the democratically elected government of first President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara in 1994, the former Armed Forces Soldier oversaw over a thousand human rights violations from rape, torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and much more. President Jammeh threatened…