By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
All candidates who contested at the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Board Elections on 2nd September 2022 were declared unopposed winners after the only position to be contested was also declared unopposed. Current President Mr Edrissa Mass Jobe won his second and last term as President of the GCCI after one candidate was declared illegible to contest in the 2022 GCCI Elections held after the GCCI Annual General Meeting at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre. Two other candidates were also declared ineligible to contest with one other rescinding their decision to contest halting the only elections to be conducted dead in its tracks.
Former GCCI President Mr Bakary Touray took over the Elections proceedings and explained that “the three of us, myself, Kebba Njie and Almami Taal constituted the IEC. The first thing we did was to have a meeting to understand and digest the very important task that was given to us”. He elaborated on a press conference held in August 2022 which announced the criteria for qualifications.
Chairperson Touray reiterated the requirements for candidates to be eligible for election to the GCCI Board of Directors as published in an earlier Gainako article. One of the requirements he highlighted states that “a candidate must be a fully paid-up member of the chamber and must not have been in arrears in their annual subscription fees within the three years prior to date of elections”. At least three candidates were disqualified from the nomination process.
Read about the first press conference in the link below.
GCCI Elections for Board Members Scheduled for 2nd September 2022
First Three Board Members
Chairperson Touray explained that “Mr Kebba Njie was designated as the Returning Officer for the Positions of President, Vice President and the Treasurer, responsible for screening the process and the eligibility of candidates”. The qualifying criteria for these positions include three years of audited accounts and nominations by five members in good standing.
According to Returning Officer, Mr Kebba Njie there were two applicants for the position of President however “by virtue of her failure to meet the criteria required by the constitution has been disqualified and communicated to accordingly. The other two positions for the Vice President and Treasurer we received only two candidates” who were declared unopposed. The first three Board of Directors were announced as follows.
- Edrissa Mass Jobe (EM Holdings) – President,
- Alhagie Conteh (Dabanani Group) – Vice President, and
- Njundu Fatty (Supersonicz Microfinance) – Treasurer.
Additional Six Board Members
An additional six directors are also elected from different sectors. Candidates for these positions were screened for eligibility by Lawyer Alamami Taal a former GCCI CEO. These six positions represent various sectors of the Economy and Business. For this category, the Chairperson noted that candidates should submit an income tax clearance and a nomination by one member in good standing.
In contrast to Mr Kebba Njie who only received one application Mr Almami Taal noted that “unlike my brother and mentor CEO Kebba Njie I have had a few more applications under the category of Directors however, it is possible to say that apart from only one position [Importers, Traders, retailers and Transport Sector] is the only contested position that we have”.
Mr Taal noted that another application was received “for the Banking Insurance and Financial Services where we had an application but owing to non-compliance to the rules of the GCCI the person was disqualified but maybe next time she will come better prepared”.
Another applicant who submitted an application for the Agriculture, Agribusiness, Manufacturers and Exporters Director Position also decided to rescind their application before the elections were conducted said, Mr Taal. The remaining positions were declared unopposed.
It appeared that only one election was to be held between Mr Alhagie Cherno Jallow of AMC Trading and Mr Salifu Jaiteh of SA Jaiteh and Sons. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Mr Jaiteh rescinded his application in a public announcement before the elections allowing his only rival to be elected unopposed alongside five others.
- Saul Frazer (Global Properties) – Tourism, Construction and Real Estate,
- Lassana Tunkara (QGroup) – Large Employers with over 100 Employees,
- Sulayman Mboge (Radville Farms) – Agriculture, Agribusiness, Manufacturers and Exporters,
- David Jeng (Bliss Executives) – Youth below 30 Years with at least 50% shares in a Business,
- Alhagie Cherno Jallow (AMC Trading) – Importers, Traders, Retailers, SMMES and Transport,
- Mrs Fatou Jallow (Takaful Insurance) – Banking Insurance and Financial Services.
Additional Positions
The remaining positions to complete the GCCI Board of Directors are two Ex-Officio members from the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) and the Gambia Import Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) and the GCCI CEO. The current GCCI CEO is Ms Sarata Conateh.
During the elections, it was recommended for the single Position of Agriculture Agribusiness, Manufacturers and Exporters to be split into two to allow Exporters and Importers to have a position. Mr Salifu Jaiteh recommended for this to be considered in the constitution. However, given that the Annual General Meeting was already concluded prior to the Election, Chairperson Touray recommended for this to be considered by the incoming GCCI Board of Directors.
Another point noted by the Chairperson was the Gender Quota which currently stands at one female from nine elected Board of Directors. According to his explanation more women Board of Directors will be recruited from the remaining three Ex-Officio positions to meet the gender quota.
However, from the proceedings of events, it appears that at least two female candidates were disqualified through the nominations process for the position of President and Banking, Insurance and Financial Services Board Member.
The nine elected positions are as follows;
- Edrissa Mass Jobe (EM Holdings) – President,
- Alhagie Conteh (Dabanani Group) – Vice President,
- Njundu Fatty (Supersonicz Microfinance) – Treasurer,
- Saul Frazer (Global Properties) – Tourism, Construction and Real Estate,
- Lassana Tunkara (QGroup) – Large Employers with over 100 Employees,
- Sulayman Mboge (Radville Farms) – Agriculture Agribusiness, Manufacturers and Exporters,
- David Jeng (Bliss Executives) – Youth below 30 Years with at least 50% Shares in a Business,
- Alhagie Cherno Jallow (AMC Trading) – Importers, Traders, Retailers, SMMES and Transport,
- Mrs Fatou Jallow (Takaful Insurance) – Banking Insurance and Financial Services.
