Author: Edrissa Jallow

By Edrissa Jallow, @EdrissaJallow10 A row between the Gambia’s Vice President Dr Isatou Touray and the National Assembly member for Banjul South, Hon Fatoumatta Njai erupted on Monday 21st February 2021 minutes after the Speaker of the House Hon Mariam Jack Denton ruled that the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021 will be removed from the National Assembly agenda. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021, referred to as the Bill aimed to; maintain the fifty-three (53) Constituencies, provide for an additional fourteen (14) seats for women National Assembly Members (NAMs), provide for an additional two (2) representatives for persons with disabilities and reduce…

By Edrissa Jallow, @EdrissaJallow10 The spokesperson of Brikama Area Council (BAC) Lamin Singhateh, has told Gainako News that businesses that failed to clear their debt, referred to as defaulters will be summoned to court. Mr Singhateh disclosed this to our reporter at the BAC Headquarters in Brikama on 10th February 2022. In 2020 BAC collected a total of D90 Million in revenues. Prior to the court action, BAC published a press release dated 13th January 2022, warning defaulters to settle their debt before 2nd February 2022. According to the spokesperson legal actions have commenced and defaulters have been arraigned at…

By Edrissa Jallow, @EdrissaJallow10 The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Emmanuel D Joof told delegates at a conference on “Monitoring the Implementation of the TRRC Recommendations” that the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) is not a witch hunt. The two-day conference which started on 16th February and ended on 17th February 2022 took place at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference centre focusing on the recommendations of the recently submitted TRRC Report tasked to prepare an impartial record of the Human Rights Violations that took place during the 22 years of Dictatorship spearheaded by former President…

By Edrissa Jallow Women-led civil society organization, Fantanka with support from the Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation and the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience validated a showdown report on the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on 4th February 2022. The report which was presented via two presentations followed by discussions include additional findings of human rights violations against youths during the 22-year dictatorial regime. The TRRC is a Commission enacted by the Gambia’s National Assembly in 2017 to investigate the human rights violations orchestrated under the leadership of former President Yahya Jammeh. The report and recommendations…

By Edrissa Jallow The Head of Programmes and Grants of the Open Society Platform the Gambia (OSPG) Mr Abdoulie Jadama has called on the government to take decisive action to combat corruption in the country. Mr Jadama made these remarks at the launching of OSPG’s first Newsletter series focusing on Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption held on Friday 28th January 2022 at The Association of Non-Governmental Organization (TANGO). Download the Newsletter by clicking this link. OSPG Fist Newsletter (Nov to Dec 2021) At the press briefing with members of the media, Mr Jadama called on the government to take a “decisive…

By Edrissa Jallow Open Society Platform the Gambia (OSPG) with the support of the National Democracy Institute (NDI) launched the first edition of its “Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption” newsletter at The Association of Non-Governmental Organization (TANGO) on Friday 28th January 2022. Download the Newsletter by clicking this link. OSPG Fist Newsletter (Nov to Dec 2021) The OSPG first edition Newsletter focused on Accountability, Transparency and Corruption and monitors the print newspapers and online newspapers covering the months of November and December 2021. OSPG is a local Non-Profitable Civil Society Organization with a membership comprising of individuals and organizations. Head of…

By Edrissa Jallow A screenshot purportedly from a Twitter page named @CAF_Online alleged that “7 Players in the Gambian Team including the Captain and 4 Team management members have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been placed in isolation effective immediately”. Fact-Check: the claim has gone viral on social media, however, The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) posted a statement on their Facebook website responding to the allegations and confirming that all 27 Gambian Players had tested negative for COVID-19 and the team are in good spirit. “The News that seven of our players and four managers testing positive and currently…

By Edrissa Jallow During the shortage of bread in the Gambia, our reporter engaged a number of people in the Greater Banjul area to ascertain how they have been adapting to the situation. Bread is a common staple food for most Gambians, especially during breakfast and dinner. Speaking to our journalist over the week Bakers disclosed that the cause of bread scarcity is down to the increase in the price of flour in the factories. This has caused a hike in the price of bread from D7 to D10 across the country. Three people we engaged noted that the bread…

By Edrissa Jallow President Adama Barrow after assuming office during his first term assured that his government’s immediate priority was to address the frustrations and lack of opportunities for the Gambian youth. At the launch of the National Development Plan (2018-2021), the government said it was committed to implementing projects and programs that will contribute to transforming the country into a more progressive, vibrant and all-inclusive society. One of the key outcomes for Youth Empowerment and Development in the National Development Plan was the need to produce “[a] revised National Youth Policy and Act”. The National Youth Policy is a Cabinet document while…

By Edrissa Jallow Claim: Cost of Flour Reduced to Maintain the Price of Bread An online Social Media Page named “NPP In Perspective: Banjul” has claimed that “the Ministry of Trade has reached an agreement with stakeholders in the bakery industry to reduce the price of flour and maintain the price of a loaf of bread at D7”. The social media post also claims that “this Monday [13th December 2021] some bakeries across the country were closed in protest of the rising cost of flour”. Fact Check: Speaking to a local bakery owner located at Tallinding next to the Cemetery, the cost of…