By Edrissa Jallow The misuse of the Sniper insecticide in Gambian homes reached a whole new level in early June 2022 when a viral WhatsApp audio featuring a woman’s voice claimed that vendors are using the poisonous insecticide to preserve smoked fish. That claim has been found to be true. When the June 5 audio which was first shared on WhatsApp and marked as “forwarded many times” went viral, it found its way on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms used by Gambians. What followed was a massive public outcry. The Food Safety and Quality Authority of The Gambia (FSQA), the Ministry of Health, and…
Author: Edrissa Jallow
Edrissa Jallow
Edrissa Jallow is a journalist with over three years of experience working for two online media platforms. Mr Jallow joined Gainako News during the Nomination process for the December 2021 Presidential Elections. Since joining Gainako, Mr Jallow has published over 50 stories in less than a year. He is currently a final year student at the Media Academy for Journalism and Communications (MAJaC), a leading journalism training institution in The Gambia. Mr Jallow is currently the Project Manager of The Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter and reports extensively on Parliamentary proceedings.
By Edrissa Jallow Claim: “…and this was the Management’s response, which, deliberately was ignored by the auditors and they decided not to incorporate it into the Audit Report” Source: Minister of Health, Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh Two months after the National Audit Office (NAO) released its Phase 1 Audit Report on the Government’s Covid 19 Response, the Minister of Health, Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, assembled members of the press to lament that his Management’s Responses to the audit findings were “deliberately omitted” from the report by the auditors. “…and this was the Management’s response, which, deliberately was ignored by the auditors and…
By Edrissa Jallow The Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG) under Blue Peace Financing Initiative, held a three-day regional consultation workshop on Phase 3 for the improvement of its Integrated Development Master Plan (PDDI). The event was held from Tuesday 19th to 21st of July 2022 at Coco Ocean Hotel in Bijilo and aimed to finalize and define possible development strategies for the OMVG area. The Initiative was supported by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Diplomats from member states including the OMVG High Commission were in attendance to share…
By Edrissa Jallow and Yusef Taylor The National Assembly Member (NAM) for Banjul North, Hon Modou Lamin B. Bah told Gainako Online News that he reported a case of arson at his residence to the Police for action. The incident occurred just days after Hon Bah celebrated his Parliamentary elections victory which took place on Saturday 18th June 2022. On 21st June 2022, the former Banjul City Council Spokesperson, posted on social media that “someone wanted to set my house on fire in the early hours of Monday 20th June 2022 in the Banjul. I urge the defence and security…
By Edrissa Jallow The National Assembly’s acting Chairperson for the Select Committee on Agriculture warned Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture that he would move a motion to set up a Commission of Inquiry if the delays in procurement of fertilizer occur in subsequent years. This was after the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Hassan Jallow shocked Parliamentarians of the Select Committee when he admitted that he had no idea of the latest fertilizer procurement to testify on the matter. According to PS Jallow, he is not aware of when the process of fertilizer procurement started. “I…
By Edrissa Jallow The National Assembly’s Select Committee on Monitoring and Implementation of Government Projects ejected four institutions working under the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MoW) on Wednesday 22nd June 2022 due to the absence of Minister Ebrima Sillah. Also missing from the meeting, much to the displeasure of the Committee were the MoW’s Permanent Secretary and the CEO of Gambia’s Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) Secretariat to name a few. The institution representatives who attended the meeting but were unceremoniously booted out of the meeting include the National Road Authority (NRA), Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), representatives…
By Edrissa Jallow Kanifing Magistrate court’s Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang, convicted and sentenced one Samba Faal to four years imprisonment with hard labour after finding him guilty of theft. According to Magistrate Jabang, Samba violated section 252 of the Criminal Code. Mr Faal’s first victim was a Police Officer who also doubles up as his Land Lord. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) represented by their Prosecutors sued Mr Faal on Monday 6th June 2022 and charged him for stealing three mobile phones from three different people. The judgement was swiftly delivered on the same day. Mr Faal accepted all charges…
By Edrissa Jallow The Central Bank of the Gambia (CBG) led by Governor Mr Buah Saidy presented its 2020 annual report before Parliament’s Finance and Public Account Committee (FPAC) on Monday 17th June 2022 disclosing that, the CBG’s total assets increased by 15.6% (D58.8 billion) at the end of December 2020. According to the Governor, the financial sector is still fundamentally sound with a high level of capital, liquidity, and profitability. “The total assets of the banks expanded by 15.6 per cent to D58.8 billion as at end-December 2020 from 50.9 billion a year ago,” revealed Governor Buah Saidy during…
By Edrissa Jallow, @EdrissaJallow10 Parliament’s Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) held a briefing session with representatives of Ministries, Public Enterprises and Agencies on Tuesday 7th June 2022 warning them to submit their report or face sanctions and contempt of Parliament. The meeting featured heads of Government Ministries such as the newly appointed Vice President Hon Alieu Badara Joof, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) Hon Seedy Keita and the Minister of Interior Hon Seyaka Sonko to name a few. The main purpose of the briefing was to highlight the new policy direction of Parliament’s FPAC in relation…
By Edrissa Jallow The Auditor General of Somalia and the Gambia, Mohammed Ali and Karamba Touray urged Parliamentarians to act on audit reports to hold the government accountable and implement audit recommendations in Africa. Present at the meeting were National Assembly Members (NAMs) from Parliament’s Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC). Hon Alhagie Mbow of Upper Saloum who also doubles as the Vice-Chairperson of Parliaments FPAC delivered a statement on behalf of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Fabakary Tombong Jatta at the seminar. His speech solicited reactions from the Auditor General and representatives from various African countries on…