By Yusef Taylor and Edrissa Jallow Alleged Coup Plotters Targetted State House and Other Government Institutions says Newly Appointed National Security Advisor President Adama Barrow’s newly appointed National Security Adviser, Mr Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng, revealed to the press that alleged coup plotters targetted State House and key government institutions in a “botched plan”. Speaking to the media on 29th December 2022 Mr Jeng says the coup plotters had support from outside the country and planned to take Cabinet Ministers hostage to avoid foreign intervention. Mr Jeng who appeared nervous during his speech revealed that “reports are pointing to the suspected…
Author: Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor, commonly known as Flex Dan is an editor and practising journalist based in the Gambia with a keen interest in human rights, the economy and good governance among many others. He continues to break news on the economy, human rights violations and is highly engaged in security sector reforms, constitutional reform and the transition of the Gambia from dictatorship to a democracy, the NewGambia. Yusef has been working with Gainako as a media practitioner from 2015 to date. He has a degree in Civil Engineering with 5 years of Design Consultancy experience.
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT A communique by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) disclosed that the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG) has extended its mandate for another year, until the end of 2023. The communique was published soon after President Adama Barrow and 11 other ECOWAS Heads of State flew into Abuja, Nigeria for the 62nd ECOWAS Ordinary Session of Heads of State which took place on 4th December 2022. The Gambia’s first President and now late, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara was also awarded a post-humus award alongside three other persons. According to the citation: “H.E. Sir…
By Yusef Taylor and Arret Jatta The road construction around the turntable area commenced in September 2022 and has started progressing towards Senegambia, disrupting already slow traffic along that route. Our reporter went on a trip from Senegambia to Turntable on 23rd December 2022 to engage commuters and drivers along this route. The first thing that’s easily noticeable is the dusty environment caused by the ongoing construction work and the lack of adequate alternative routes to ease the congestion. Feeder roads which could have been used had they been constructed prior to the commencement of construction of such a critical…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The 2023 Executive Budget is the focus of the Sixth Edition of the Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter (GPN). GPN was initiated in April 2022 with the First Edition published in May 2022 depicting all the Parliamentarians elected and nominated into the Sixth Legislature. The Executive Budget is the Government’s proposal submitted to Parliament and is often referred to as the Draft Budget. This edition highlights numerous government plans for the year 2023. Download the Sixth Edition here. 2022-10-GPN 6th Edition The latest edition highlights Parliament’s proposal to increase the salaries of National Assembly members by 30% with…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Gambian National Assembly members have questioned Finance Minister Hon Seedy Keita on the provision of reparations for victims of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) and funds to implement the recommendations of the Commission in the 2023 Budget. The TRRC is a Commission enacted by the Fifth Legislature in 2017 to investigate the Human Rights Violations of the former Regime of President Yahya Jammeh. The current administration of President Adama Barrow accepted most of the recommendations of the TRRC in its White Paper issued on 25th May 2022. To implement the recommendations, member for Banjul…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The National Assembly member for Banjul North, Hon Momodou Lamin B. Bah has responded to President Adama Barrow’s plans to appoint a Governor to rival the Mayors of Banjul City Council (BCC) and Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC). The former BCC Spokesperson who worked under Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe believes the President’s statement “is a clear manifestation of Political dishonesty”. President Barrow told Gambians during his Meet the People’s Tour in Talinding’s Buffer Zone that his government would appoint Governors for KMC and BCC which traditionally had Mayors instead of Governors. The President made these statements…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Gainako Online Newspaper editor Yusef Taylor (Flex Dan) spoke to The Trumpet Newspaper editor Fabakary B. Ceesay via telephone after receiving a text message raising the alarm on his alleged arrest. Mr Ceesay explained that he is being taken to Police Headquarters Special Investigation Unit. The news first came to the attention of Gambian Journalists after Mr Ceesay sent a text in a WhatsApp Group forum saying “colleagues I am been arrested by police taking to police headquarters”. In reaction our medium called to enquire about his arrest, however, Mr Ceesay only had enough time to…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Lawyer Ousainou Darboe the current leader of arguably the largest opposition, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has been re-elected for a four-year term after the party changed its constitution. The three-day congress which concluded on Sunday 11th December 2022 saw a number of resolutions passed and a party executive elected unopposed. According to a UDP press release issued yesterday, “all the Executive members finally went unopposed after some negotiations”. This meant that Karafa Sonko (Former Campaign Manager), Dr Scrattred Janneh (Media and Communications) and Kemo Bojang (Former Secretary General of UDP’s youth wing) didn’t contest for…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Minister of Justice Hon Dawda Jallow responded to a Parliamentary question on the steps taken by the Government to implement some of the recommendations of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). The TRRC was enacted by the Fifth Legislature and concluded its work in 2021. After the Commission submitted its Report to the Government, it accepted most of the recommendations in its White Paper published in May 2022. The TRRC found former President Yahya Jammeh responsible for the human rights violations orchestrated under his 22-year rule. Speaking on the TRRC Implementation Plan, Justice Minister…
By Yusef Taylor and Edrissa Jallow The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon Dawda Jallow disclosed to Parliamentarians that over one billion dalasis has been recovered after selling about forty-four assets belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh. Although the Justice Minister reported that over one billion had been recovered he did not reveal what has happened to the recovered funds. The Government of President Adama Barrow who took over from former President Yahya Jammeh in January 2017 launched an inquiry into the financial dealings of “former President Jammeh, his family members and close associates, his financial and business affairs,…