By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT At least three (3) African Presidents have landed in the Gambia to witness the Presidential Inauguration of President-Elect Adama Barrow on 19th January 2022. A video published by the State House Twitter page notes that up to eight (8) African Heads of State will be grace the occasion for President Adama Barrow’s second Inauguration. Senegal’s Macky Sall, Sierra Leone’s Julius Mada Bio, Guinea Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embalo, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, Ghana’s Nana Akufo Addo, Liberia’s George Weah, Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al Ghazouni and Togo’s Faure Essozimma Gnassingbe. So far the State House Twitter page notes that…
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 The Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has called for a change of voting system from marble tokens to paper ballots while lamenting that marble tokens cannot be taken abroad. IEC Chairperson Alieu Momarr Njai made these statements on Saturday 15th January 2022 at a consultation meeting with National Assembly members organised by the Gender Platform. The IEC has been calling for a change in the electoral laws to migrate from marble tokens to paper ballots for some time now. It can be recalled the IEC shared some sample paper ballots as shown in the…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia’s media fraternity is mourning the demise of two journalists Pa Momodou Faal and Musa Ndow who worked for the Ministry of Health. Pa Modou (as he is fondly called) and Musa Ndow died along with another health worker named Kawsu Bayo in the early hours of 17th January 2022 from a car accident in Jarra Soma. An update on the funeral arrangements of both journalists indicates that Pa Modou will be laid to rest today (Monday) while Musa Ndow will be laid to rest tomorrow (Tuesday). Pa Modou is a journalist who is well…
By Yusef Taylor and Edrissa Jallow Bakeries around the Greater Banjul Area including Tallingding, Coastal Road and Bijilo have experienced a hike in the price of flour causing a shortage of bread today 12th January 2022. The bread shortage comes only three weeks after the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Regional Integration intervened to announce that an “agreement has been reached with Nessim Trading Company Limited for the price of Ferry brand to be restored to D1,425 per bag, Bridge brand at D1,385 and Golden Brown maintained at D1,350 with immediate effect.” The Government’s press release was published on the…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs has written a letter dated 4th January 2022 to the Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) notifying them of a “Commission of Inquiry into allegations of fraud and malpractice at the KMC from April 2018 to date”. According to the letter the Commission of Inquiry is constituted “in accordance with section 151 (1) (a) of the Local Government Act, 2002″ will also look “at other connected matters as reported to his office by the Lord Mayor, the CEO and the special inspection report”. UDP Petition Indicts Lands…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT A claim being widely circulated on social media platforms including WhatsApp and Facebook is suggesting “300K votes obtained by Jammeh in 2011 but lost in 2016 [were] re-added to the register in 2021”. The claim is raising concerns about the credibility of the 2021 presidential election which has already been disputed by some opposition parties – the Gambian Supreme Court recently dismissed a legal challenge to President Adama Barrow’s recent election victory. FactCheck: The data used in this Fact Check starts with the 1996 Presidential Election and ends with the 2021 Presidential Elections. The IEC…
By Yusef Taylor A widely circulated claim that “two German nationals believed to be mercenaries” have been arrested in the Gambia is being shared on multiple social media platforms including WhatsApp and Facebook. Screenshots of the claim originally made by a Gambian social media blogger on Facebook alleges that “two German nationals [who were] heavily armed” were captured at sea by the naval forces of the Gambian army around Denton Bridge. This comes a few weeks after some opposition parties in the Gambia rejected the outcome of the Presidential election that included some six (6) contesting candidates including incumbent Adama…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved the financing of US$ 21 million for two of The Gambia’s development projects. In total, the IsDB has approved a total of US$ 1.6 billion for 24 new projects in 19 member countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Other West African countries which will benefit from the latest IsDB fund include Senegal (EUR 100.00 million and US$5 million), Guinea (EUR 159.56 million and EUR 23 million), Cote d’Ivoire (US$ 47 million and EUR 115 million), Burkina Faso (EUR 17.39 million), Nigeria (US$ 29.75 million and US$ 150.52 million) and…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT A screenshot purportedly from a Facebook page named “UDP TV& MEDIA” calling for a boycott of QTV and QCell has been making the rounds. The post, which was shared 17 times from 14th December, 2021, states “To all our supporters we boycott QTv and QCell .Unsubscribe now” and is purportedly signed by “UDP Media communication Dr. Amadou Scatter Janneh”. The post has been shared here, here, here and here Fact Check: A counter post by Amadou Scattred Janneh debunked the boycott claims, saying “This is fake. I have never called for any boycott in my personal capacity or as chair of UDP’s Media…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT President Adama Barrow promised to build a road costing $1 million US Dollars per kilometre when he spoke to the “Serer Community from Jeshwang Ndangan” in a televised meeting live on EyeAfrica TV. The meeting was overshadowed by the President’s statements that he would instruct the Inspector General of Police to clamp down on rallies and political gatherings after the 4th December 2021 Presidential Elections. Understandably, so President Adama Barrow’s promise that the road going through Jokor and connecting to Abuko “will cost $1 million USD per kilometre. This will be D50 Million for one kilometre…