By Nelson Manneh
The Government of Senegal has disbursed 10 million CFA to assist their citizens residing in The Gambia.
Bassirou Sene, the High Commissioner of Senegal to The Gambia said their government has allocated ten million CFA to assist stranded Senegalese in The Gambia, those whose parents passed away as a consequent of the virus as well as those who contracted the virus.
“We first received ten Million (10, 000000) CFA. This money was meant to assist Senegalese whose parents died of the coronavirus, those who are infected with the diseases and those who are on transit and cannot return,” he said.
Commissioner Sene said at the time the Embassy received the fund from their Government in Senegal, there was no Senegalese in The Gambia who contracted the virus. He added that seventeen Senegalese who became stranded in The Gambia were supported from this fund.
“Last week we were informed that seven (7) Senegalese are currently infected with the virus (in The Gambia) and are currently at the health facilities in the Gambia. We will also consider them,” he said.
Commissioner Sene said in the second face, their government will give out one hundred million CFA to them.
“We didn’t receive the one hundred million CFA yet, but am sure we will receive it as soon as possible. Any day we receive it, we will inform all to follow the due process in order to get the money,” he said.
He said for one to get the funds you should register in Dakar (Senegal), adding that you should have the Senegalese ID Card. Honourable Sene said for one to receive the money; the person is required to wear a face mask, adding that it is compulsory to do so.
“We have already established a committee who will be looking at the process because we realized that there are some Senegalese at our border communities who presented themselves as Senegalese residing in the Gambia,” he said.
Commissioner Sene said only two thousand Senegalese will benefit from the one hundred million CFA that their government promised to disburse.
“The number of Senegalese in the Gambia who registered in Dakar went up to about seven thousand three hundred (7300) people. All of them will not benefit in the first phase but they will benefit as time goes on because we are expecting more funds from our government,” he said.
He said when the funds are available they will distribute them based on appointments where each will be given a date and time to avoid the overcrowding of people.
He said they have yesterday received twenty-five million CFA from their which will be distributed accordingly.
The Commissioner said there were allegation going around that the Embassy has received the funds and they were disbursing them to the people they know or based on political affiliation.
“The funds are meant to assist Senegalese in The Gambia so I will not do that. We will disburse the funds based on the requirements,” he said.
With regards to the border control, the Commissioner said Senegal has closed all their borders.
“The only problem we have is the porous borders. There are a lot of porous borders between the Gambia and Senegal and it will be very difficult to stop people from using them,” he noted.
