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…
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 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,…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT An analysis of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) September 2022 Expenditure Report shows that seven Government Institutions have overspent while twenty-five underspent. The September 2022 Expenditure Report also highlights that the Government’s Local Fund (GLF) Expenditure exceeded D16 Billion Dalasis from January to the end of September 2022. It can be recalled that the Government cut D923 Million from the 2022 Approved Budget back in late July 2022. Parliamentarians approved the Revised 2022 Budget which authorised the Government to spend D22.7 billion instead of D23.7 billion. It’s important to note that the MoFEA’s…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter (GPN) has issued its Fifth Edition of its monthly newsletter focusing on the National Assembly Proceedings with particular emphasis on the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Adama Barrow and the subsequent debates. Download the Fifth Edition in the link >>> 2022-08-GPN 5th Edition The Fifth Edition features a lively exchange between the Speaker and Hon Sulayman Saho who attempted to move a motion that will see the President attend the SONA Debate. Another lively exchange is captured between the Speaker and two Hon members in the article titled “You…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Gambian National Assembly members of the Sixth Legislature have proposed an increase of almost D9 million in Basic Salaries for 2023. National Assembly members commenced the debate of the 2023 Draft Budget yesterday 24th November 2022. According to a document released yesterday, showing the proposed increase of Basic Salaries and Allowance of National Assembly Members for 2023, all members’ Basic Salary is proposed to increase by 30% while the Speaker’s Basic Salary is proposed to increase by over 136%. Hon Fatoumatta Njai of Banjul South who sits on Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance and Public Accounts…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Hon Fatoumatta Njai of Banjul South has travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on a three-day training of trainers on the “ratification and domestication of international and regional human rights instruments on ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG)”. The training which started yesterday 17th November is due to end on Saturday 19th November 2022. Hon Njai believes that “our problems are not ratification, they are mainly the implementation and most times the problems are people’s lack of understanding and even knowing that our countries have signed those agreements”. Speaking to Hon Njai she explained that “after…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Hon Abdoulie Ceesay of Old Yundum who happens to be the Deputy Majority Leader of the Sixth Legislature has disclosed to this medium that the Gambia Government has submitted a written commitment on the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution on weapons of mass destruction. The UN Security Council Resolution 1540 which was adopted in 2004, states that “the Security Council decided that all States shall refrain from providing any form of support to non-State actors that attempt to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Hon Seedy Keita laid the 2023 Draft Budget at the National Assembly featuring a Budget Deficit of D3.93 billion Dalasis on 14th November 2022. The total Revenues and Grants estimated for 2023 are projected to exceed D31.4 billion while total Expenditure and Net Lending are expected to exceed D35.4 billion. Budget deficit refers to the amount of funds that the government needs outside Revenue and Grants to fund its Expenditure and Net Lending. Whenever Revenue and Grants exceed Expenditure and Net Lending then the Gambia will register a Budget Surplus.…