Author: Yusef Taylor

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Gainako has obtained a copy of the Inspection Report on “the Fraud Allegations at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC)” commissioned by the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs (MoLRG), then under the leadership of Minister Musa Drammeh. Back in June 2021, KMC Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda revealed that the Council had suspended four staff in relation to a fraudulent D12 million loan taken in the Council’s name without their approval. Council is composed of elected Councillors, Mayor and Chairpersons; however, council staff are employed by the Government. In The Gambia apart from one council,…

By Yusef Taylor and Binta S Jawo After being suspended from work for over eighteen months, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Assistant Waste Manager reported to the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) after a letter from the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs demanded that the suspended staff should “report to work on Tuesday 21st February 2023”. Our reporter was stationed at KMC where they witnessed the arrival of the KMC CEO and others who boldly engaged the media on the situation. The suspended CEO confirmed receiving her salary and allowances every month after her suspension. Significant attention…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT A research paper published by Gambia Participates (GP) highlights that The Gambia Government’s Salary lags behind Sierra Leone and Nigeria by over 169% and 206% respectively at the lowest grade. The research paper which includes analytical comparisons of The Gambia’s current pay scale highlights that increasing “compensation can dissuade corruption”. One key recommendation highlights that “a 10% increase in employee compensation will lead to a decrease in corruption by 6%”. GP is a pro-fiscal transparency organisation that gained National recognition with projects like “Follow the Money”, the Marble Elections App and winning two lawsuits against the…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Just months after publishing another seismic investigation “Galamsey Economy”, Anas Aremeyaw Anas flew into The Gambia to train journalists in Investigative Journalism. Gainako’s Editor seized the opportunity to interview the masked undercover Ghanaian journalist about attempts to silence him, lawsuits, the source of his bribe money and some of the most impactful work he has done unmasking corrupt officials across the globe. Also, a Lawyer operating his own legal firm, Anas delivered a passionate tribute to his lost comrade, Ahmed Suale who died some years back while working on an investigation. In the same vein, he…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Last year, 2022, marked a tumultuous year for the Gambia’s Fuel and Petroleum sector, beginning with the Government sanctioned investigation into the missing US$20 Million Gam Petroleum Fuel stockpile in January 2022. The rest of the year was marked by fuel price increases over the first half of the year, commercial driver strikes and threats from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to shut down fuel pump stations. Even though fuel prices have gone down this month featuring a record drop for petrol over the past year, transport fares have gone up by 30 to 12 per cent…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT A packed room of civil society actors, Victims, authorities and other stakeholders of the Gambia’s Transitional Justice process went on an emotional roller coaster ride on Friday 20th January 2023 during the premiere of a Docu-Drama focused on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) aspects of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). The TRRC was pioneered by the Government of President Adama Barrow to investigate human rights violations that occurred during the 22-year-long misrule of former President Yahya Jammeh from 1994 to 2016. After the commission completed its work and submitted its report and recommendations to…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia Transport Union (GTU) has announced a complete list of New Transport Fares set to come into effect tomorrow 20th January 2023 after agreeing on price increases with the Government. In their short statement published on Facebook, the GTU noted that “the implementation of the route licensing scheme in the Greater Banjul Area and West Coast Region the General Transport Union, Ministry of Transport Works & Infrastructure and other relevant stakeholders have worked on a National Transport Fares Tariff for all official routes across the country”. The GTU also seized the opportunity to “urge all…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia’s Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MoTWI) announced the price increase in transportation fares and a new tariff for the transportation of containers across the country on 16th January 2023. The announcement indicated that price increases become “effective 20th January 2023”. Speaking to the President of the Gambia’s Transport Union (GTU) he informed Gainako that the price increases are percentage-based ranging from 30% for Town Taxis down to 12% for fares above D100. The details according to GTU President Mr Omar Ceesay are as follows. Transport Fare Increases are based on percentages (Source GTU…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Only three days after the Government Spokesperson announced that two civilians and one Police Officer were charged for their alleged involvement in the alleged foiled coup, another eight soldiers were charged with Treason and Conspiracy to commit Felony on 6th January 2023. Rumours of an attempted coup started to make the rounds on the night of Tuesday 20th December 2022 and in response, Government Spokesperson Ebrima G Sankareh released numerous press releases updating the public. In addition, the newly appointed National Security Advisor held a press briefing with the media on Thursday 29th December 2022. President…

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Gambian Christian Leaders have condemned Corruption and urged believers to resist falsehood in their new year message delivered over the final weekend of 2022. Aired on West Coast Radio’s Coffee Time on 1st January 2023 the Bishop of the Methodist Church and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Banjul were both featured. Bishop Bannie EF Manga who is also the Chairperson of Gambia Christian Council declared that “we cannot continue to look at poverty, greed, wickedness, selfishness and sufferings in their various shades continue to flourish within our national walls”. Meanwhile, the Bishop of the…