Better Future Production

Barrow to lead revival of 'Set-settal' tomorrow

President Adama Barrow will tomorrow January 28 lead the re-launch of the monthly National Cleansing Exercise (NCE).

The president will lead a team from Westfield Junction starting at 10 a.m. GMT, a statement from the office of the president says.

Additionally, the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) will clean up the areas from Westfield Junction, Westfield gutters, Serrek***a Hospital gate, Kairaba Traffic Lights Junction, Churchill's Town, and Sukuta Traffic Lights to Jabang Highway.

The Gambia Police Force (GPF) will chip in with the cleansing of Nusrat Junction, Kaw Junction to Abuko Bridge while the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services (GFRS) will cover the road section from Churchill's Town to Nusrat Junction.

Reviving 'set-settal': NCD resumes Saturday, 28th January

"The scramble for the Banana Republic"

A wake up call!

-The scramble for the Banana(Groundnut) Republic of the Gambia has begun in earnest!

-International powers of material destruction and moral corruption are sharpening their knives to slice the banana and commit the worst!

-In a tiny nation of 58 years of political independence like a female bird without a nest!

-Her sons and daughters are consumed by moral bankruptcy, material infatuation, spiritual deviation, social decadence not to mention the rest!

-It's colonially and post colonially English language educated elites will never be able to stand the rigorous ethical quiz as a test!

-Of strongly upholding the principles of doing good, talking good and thinking good to eliminate the worst and maintain the best!

-The universal values of Honesty, sincerity, patriotism, trustworthiness have become an anecdotal jest!

-The scramble has begun and scramblers have drawn their strategies, identified their spheres and concluded the bargain secretly!

-The Americans are determinedly doing everything to lay their heavy hands on the most important ecological heritage site of the Bijilo forest monkey park in The banana Republic of the Gambia diplomatically.

-The Gambian monkeys because of the prospect are wailing and crying daily!

-The British are seriously working underground to secure permanent concessionary rights and advantages over our potential offshore oil reserves exclusively.

-The waters of the Gambia may turn red accidentally!

-The Chinese have already depleted our marine resources omnivorously and polluted our environment destructively.

-Global warming is going to hit us very hard as long as we are mentally sleeping!

-And worst of all is the increasing Indian pervasive menace in the Banana Republic of the Gambia remarkably.

-The tragic criminal Indian pharmaceutical massacre of unknown numbers of our Gambian children is painfully fresh in our memories hauntingly.

-The unchecked mushrooming of neighborhood Indian mini supermarkets selling in undated food items, mini factories for the production and sales of the deadly addictive gin and brandy tubes to the underage and youths profitably.

-The Gambian youths are on the verge of total extinction by alcohol and narcotics consumption extravagantly

-Alcohol and hard drugs will kill their senses of purpose, deprive them of their god given potentials, alienate them from their culture and religion and rob them of their human rights to be well physically, spiritually and mentally.

-What is left of the Republic if all these unfriendly forces disguised in the cloak of international bilateral relations and trade are slicing the unripe banana detrimentally?

WRITTEN BY: SHEIKH HAMMA JAITEH

ACTIVIST CALLS FOR ACTION TO CURB SURGING WOMEN’S MIGRATION

By Alieu Gassama

Amie Jobe, Migration Activist and Founder of Safe Home for Migration Association (SaHMA), said the level of women migration in the Gambia is increasing on the increase as many women leave the country for greener pastures in the Middle East.

In an interview with The Voice, Madam Jobe explained some of the challenges that these women go through such as torture, and trauma in a country where they don’t know amid frustration and false promises.
“They go through domestic violence because we all know domestic violence is also associated with migration and sexual harassment, so these and many other things these women face in those Arab countries,” she noted.

She disclosed that the destination countries for most of these young women are Dubai, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Oman and recently most of them are traveling to Turkey.
However, she added there is much to be done in assisting these migrants because these migrants need enough support to integrate into society, adding that there is a need for government to do more efforts in order to improve and protect the identity of these women.

According to her, there are a lot of returnees and activists who are doing a lot of awareness creation on the issue of migration but despite that, there are a lot of challenges in terms of the level of awareness.

She suggested that the Government needs to create job opportunities for young women to deter them from going to this country in search of jobs, while also advising young girls to stop accepting such offers from these Arab countries to avoid being victims.

The Speaker of The National Assembly, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta this morning received the President of The Republic of The Gambia, H.E Adama Barrow at the Laying-In-State for the late Vice President, Dr Badara Alieu Joof.
Together with Majority and Minority leaderships of the House and Staff of the National Assembly, they prayed on the body of the late Vice President.

The Allegation Levied Against the Person of Councillor Abdul Aziz Dabakh Gaye is False

I am writing this piece in my humble capacity as a Waa Banjul. It is of paramount importance to shed light on the unfortunate incident that happened today Thursday 19th January, 2023 during a General Council proceedings held at Maccarty Square which was open to the public. After a series of consultations to ascertain if the allegation is true or if it is the usual fairy tale. The person assigned to run a smear campaign against the Person of Councillor Aziz Dabakh Gaye is urged to desist from the ugly. Choosing to use a pseudo account to script and publish a malicious article on social media with the notion that it is going to be a free ride to pe*****te every mind as a soft target is worthless and a futile exercise

One is at liberty to dislike or disagree with the manner or way Councillor Gaye handles matters but that should not lure anyone to pick the dagger to stain his image. Remember that everyone is a warfarer in this earthly world and shall be held accountable for the acts of commission and omission. The life we are living is just temporal and one should be mindful that our Rabbi does not side with anyone who offends others. Being indifferent should never inspire a proponent to fight back with a smear campaign. It would have been a good counsel to engage Councillor Gaye countlessly to shine a light on him rather than to hit the trail with stuff that does not add value to our lives while we continue to struggle to reposition and improve to become better

Today you are behind the keyboard thinking that you are an unknown warrior to the readership and person attacked to scandalize him because he holds a different view. You may not be fully aware of how digital imprint is traced and extracted and knowledgeable people in the industry are doing it with top notch. Note that digital imprint is traceable and is here to stay. We have a lot of excellent things that can be offered to our respective constituents instead of tearing and Pulling Him Down out of ulterior motives

There is a multitude of people out there looking for inspiration to become the next positive game changers and imbued with the crafting of words to taint a person's reputation is not decent and out of the cradle of tolerance. One should be dishing out positive vibes and encouraging mutuality rather than attempting to portray negatively, bashing and hating. Using social media as a vehicular medium to traffic allegations could have been avoided. The approach and method applied by way of a publication is discredited by dependable Banjulians who corroborated that the story is fictitious and ill intended

It is deeply disappointing and distasteful that elements embarked on such a journey of futility forgetting that Al Jabr has seen who is involved as well as the architect. The debate should be centered around constructing better initiatives that would translate into impacting lives and livelihoods meaningfully rather than the publication of what credible witnesses attest to be incorrect

Responsible Banjulians who witnessed how everything unfolded have refuted the allegation levied against Councillor Gaye. He may not be your liking or otherwise but that should never warrant anyone to accept attempting to stain his image no matter what you and your cohort hold in the Chambers of your hearts. Credible and Reliable eye witness accounts have corroborated that the allegation is unfounded and mischievous.

Sandigie Njie

NPP aspirant mayoral candidate Ebou Faye for Banjul Mayor 2023. Today signs the condolence book of late VP Badara Joof.

RESPONSE TO THE BIGGEST CLOWNS AROUND THE PRESIDENCY SAIKOU MBALLOW AND DOU SANNO REGARDING SOLO SANDENG OFFICIAL FUNERAL.

Saihou MBALLOW should be the last person to call on anybody to respect or appreciate President Barrow because he was the first person to disrespect the president by referring to him as ‘jongo’ (slave). Mballow once said that he couldn’t accept Barrow as his leader because he was from a lower caste in his region. So in the 2016 election Mballow decided to support Mama Kandeh.

Secondly, Mballow was the first person who protested against Barrow when he was elected president by the Gambian people.

Both Mballow and the president betrayed the party that made who they are today. Mballow went to America through to seek asylum through UDP asylum and he returned to the Gambia after the death of solo sandeng and the entire UDP leadership went to jail in the fight against dictatorship which brought the change with the help of Gambian electorate and coalition partners in 2016. He refused to join or endorse Barrow because according to him, Barrow
Was a slabs and not worth his support or endorsement.

Regarding solo sandeng’s official funeral service it was a great betrayal with what solo have done or sacrifice to bring change which made president barrow to be the president. If Barrow truly respected the legacy of Solo he would have been present at the funeral service. But he decided to stay away from it and now Mballow and other narrow-minded folks like him expected the UDP leaders and others who attended the funeral service to sing Barrow’s praises. For what? If the president wanted to be praised why didn’t he do the right thing by attending or even sending folks like Mballow or Dembo By-Force to represent him and sing his praises?

Every genuine and intelligent Gambian is aware that the president was ashamed to face solo sandeng family and Gambians because he betrayed Solo’s legacy. He appointed people who embraced and continue to defend the regime that tortured Solo to death, and are never apologetic. If you entrust the country with people like Tombong Jatta by appointing him as the third most powerful citizen, there’s no way you care about Solo Sandeng and what he stood and
fight for. If Seedy Njie is your chief strategist and confidante then you don’t care about Solo’s legacy. These are people who will never see Solo as the martyr that he is. They’ll never even admit that he was tortured to death.

So truth be told, Barrow had a choice to make between respecting Solo Sandeng’s legacy or embracing people had no respect for Solo when he was alive and after he died. He decided to go for the latter. That’s the only reason he didn’t have the guts to attend his funeral service. He didn’t care. Period!

So Saihou Mballow must be out of his mind to expect people to thank Barrow for Solo’s funeral and burial. But what do you expect from an opportunist who would say anything just to continue living a fancy life he never lived before? He will continue to be the new rabble-rouser in town just to keep his job.

For Dou Sanno who is a griot and so-called political spokesperson of the president, he should understand that The Gambian people are asking what president barrow did for solo sandeng’s family, and not what other patriotic Gambians did for the family. Attacking Solo’s family is the lowest he could go. A clown will always be a clown.

By sheriffo baiyo Sonko Gambia

NPP opens applications for candidate selection

The National People's Party (NPP) yesterday announced that applications for the party's sponsorship for councilors, chairpersons and mayors for the coming local government elections, are open.
The party said those interested to contest for the party's ticket in any of the positions can do so from 17th to 24th January.
"Applicants for Ward Councilors are to submit their application to their respective
NPP Ward Chairperson, while applicants for Mayor and or Area Council Chairperson are to submit their applications to their respective NPP Regional Chairperson.
copy of a valid voter's card of the area of residence where the prospective candidate wishes to contest. All applicants must satisfy the constitutional and electoral law requirements to be eligible for election, the party said.
The following Wards are to be filled by NPP, APRC and NRP:
(1 )Banjul: all Wards are to be filled by NPP
(2)KM: all ward except Abuko, Bundung 6
Junction, Tallinding North, Ebo Town and Kotu/Manjai Ward which will be for APRC candidates.
3)West Coast Region (WCR)
APRC will fill all Foni Wards except : Sintet
Ward and Bantanjang Ward to be filled by NPP.
APRC will fill all Foni Wards except : Sintet
Ward and Bantanjang Ward to be filled by NPP.
APRC will fill:
Kunkujang
Jabang
Lamin
Pirang while
NPP will fill the rest of the Wards in WCR.
(4) NBR: NPP will fill all the Wards.
(5) CRR North :
NRP will fill: Nianija, Njau, Kaur and Panchang Wards and NPP will fill in the rest.
NRP will fill: Nianija, Njau, Kaur and Panchang Wards and NPP will fill in the rest.
(6) CRR South: NPP will fill in all the Wards
(7) URR: NPP will fill in all the Wards
and
(8) LRR: NPP will fill in all the Wards.

“It is a real shock, and I still cannot come to terms with the passing of my Vice President and friend Badara Alieu Joof. He was a gentleman and very committed to The Gambia. He left a huge vacuum with his passing.

My condolences to Cabinet, his family, and the entire Gambian people. He was very committed to his work and very intelligent and dedicated all his life to the nation's service. He has impacted the lives of people in high authority.

Badara would be remembered as a very good man who contributed to the country's development. We were together during the five years transition because of his competence, commitment, contribution, and loyalty to the country.

He was my able Vice President, and the journey was for us to work together and develop this for another five years because it was a promise that we would serve this country and impact the people's lives. That journey was from 2022 to 2026, but unfortunately, he could not make it. I will encourage my colleague cabinet members to continue working together to fulfil the ambition that Badara had for the country. Thank you to everyone for the support during these trying moments,” President Barrow said after signing the Book of Condolences of the late VP

The President And His Cabinet Signs The Condolence Book Of Late VP Badara Joof

This morning, President Barrow with his cabinet and other dignitaries signs the condolence book of late Vice President Dr. Alieu Badara Joof.

Badara Joof Is the first Vice President to pass during active service in the history of The Gambia.

President Barrow during his speech after signing the condolence book said that it is indeed a sad moment for him and the whole Gambia.

“He was my vice president and my friend, a very committed gentle man to the country we call The Gambia. We will miss Badara, he was someone who was really committed to his work and a very intelligent man for that matter and he dedicated all his life to the service of this nation.” President Barrow emphasized

President Barrow also said that he appointed Late Badara Joof as vice President because of his competence, contribution , commitment and his loyalty, and said that Mr Joof was not only the vice President but his able vice president who was really supporting him.

Vice President Alieu Badara Joof has been the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology of The Gambia Since February 2017 to 4th of May 2022, then appointed as the Vice President of The Gambia.

State House announces signing of the book of condolences for the late VP.

This is to invite you to the signing of the Book of Condolences for the late Vice President, H.E Badara Joof, tomorrow, 18th January, at the Statehouse. His Excellency President Barrow and Cabinet Ministers would do the opening by 9:00 AM.

Press Release Dated: 18th January, 2023

The Gambia Government Mourns Vice President, Alieu Badara Joof

Banjul, The Gambia — His Excellency President Adama Barrow regrets to announce with profound shock and sadness, the death of his Vice President (VP) Alieu Badara Joof, which sad event occurred in New Delhi, India early this morning (12:41 pm Indian time).

On behalf of the First Family, the Government and people of The Republic of The Gambia, President Barrow expresses his heartfelt condolences to the family of the late VP Joof, the Gambian nation and residents of The Gambia.

Until his appointment as VP on 4th May 2022, VP Joof had served in various capacities including Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MOHERST), Permanent Secretary in various ministries across the Government. He had also served as World Bank Director for West and Central Africa for over a decade a position he would relinquish to take up Cabinet appointment in the new political dispensation.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Joof, 66, had trained as a Qualified Teacher and taught for years at Nusrat High School in Bundung, The Gambia College in Brikama and The Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI).

A scholar of profound intellect, late VP Joof took a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Bristol, Master’s Degree in English from University of London and Master’s Degree in Developmental Economics from the University of Bath. He had earlier received a Diploma in Human Rights Studies from the University of Saint Edwards Island, Canada.

He was married to Mrs. Fatou Sonko Joof and the family is blessed with several children.

President Barrow, who is profoundly shocked by the death of Mr. Joof, remembers his Vice President as a very serious, level-headed, patriotic, dedicated, competent and honest Gambian who spent his entire lifetime trying to improve the lot of mankind.

He prays to the Almighty Allah that VP Joof is rewarded in the Hereafter for all his kind deeds, his work in improving the lot of Gambians, service to the nation as school teacher and for everything he did for the consolidation of our newly-found democratic dispensation.

In memory of the late VP Joof, President Barrow has declared a 7-day National Mourning effective today, 18th January, 2023 with all flags flying half Mast.

Upon arrival, the body of the late VP will be laid in State at the National Assembly for a State Funeral. Arrangements related to the funeral will be announced later.

Meanwhile, book of condolences will be opened at the Presidency on Thursday 19th January, 2023.

Signed
Ebrima G. Sankareh
The Gambia Government Spokesperson & Presidential Diaspora Adviser