By: Kebba AF Touray
Members of the Gambia Christian Council (GCC), on Thursday 18th April 2024, appeared before the members of the select committee on Regional Government and Religion of the National Assembly to outline their challenges, activities and objectives before them.
The above meeting came following an invitation from the Committee for discussion with the GCC with a view to updating them on their challenges and the way forward.
As outlined by the Council, some of these challenges include but not limited to the steady decline in its subvention and the withdrawal of residential permits to the heads of Churches, who are non-Gambians.
Members of the council during the interface informed the Parliamentary Committee that GCC is a key stakeholder of government in the drive to attain the wishes and aspirations of the people.
According to the Council, it is because of the need to respond to the citizens and the Christian community, that the Council was established in 1996 with the sole objective of promoting Christian unity and ecumenism through inter faith dialogue.
As indicated by members of the Council that after realizing that the Gambia is predominantly Muslim, it is important that for this spirit of inter faith dialogue be promoted in order to enable members of both faiths to live amicably as brothers and sisters.
“The Council also has an executive and a rotational chairmanship from mainland Churches of the Anglican, Methodist and the Catholic missions,” members of the Council disclosed. They informed the parliamentary Committee that at the moment, the Methodist heads the GCC with Bishop Most Rev. Bannie E. F. Manga as the head.
They also stated the sub-committees within the Council composed of priests, and ordinary men and women. They outline some of the activities of the Council from formation and sensitization programs, to understanding the tradition of the Gambia regarding inter-religious dialogue and tolerance.
“We organize workshops and seminars for Christians in the Gambia including a national day of prayer, which is a platform used to pray for the nation, and this is among our major annual national events,” members of the Council disclosed. They reported that 88 of Churches are affiliated to the Council and that those affiliated normally enjoy certain benefits such as duty waiver from the Government for them to carry out some of their projects.
They also informed the parliamentary Committee that another favor they receive from the government is subvention which started in 2019,but they are yet to receive subvention for the year 2024.
Members of the Council however lamented that previously, residential permits were made available to heads of Churches, but this has been withdrawn for non-Gambians unannounced and no notice was given to them to that effect.
“This can be a cause for alarm and people can start to ask questions why. This is the reason why we are particular about the reason or reasons why this was withdrawn, and why the steady reduction of the subvention and parliament is a better place for us to express our concerns so that they can intervene on our behalf,” they said.
Members of the Coucil said last year, they requested for assistance from the Government for pilgrims to go to Israel and Jordan, but that unfortunately they were not able to go, due to the late notice given to the Government.
“Sometimes, it is important to take into consideration that Christians go for pilgrimages to either Rome, Jordan, Israel, Portugal and other places, and it is good that these things are factored in the budget for Christians who intend to undergo the annual pilgrimages;” GCC members disclosed. They also indicate that the Council is also affiliated to other international organizations such as the All Africa Conference of Churches, the World Council of Churches and the Federation of the Christian Councils in Africa, among others; That they are also in partnership with these bodies in order to promote the well-being of both Christians and Muslims.
The Chairperson of the parliamentary Committee, Hon. Sulayman Jammeh, told members of the GCC that the fact that their meeting was the first of its kind, demonstrated that the parliamentary Committee is committed to work with them as representatives of all Gambians in all sectors irrespective of background, and urged the GCC to continue working with the sister Council like the Supreme Islamic Council, so that they continue to harmonize the peaceful co-existence between the two religious councils in the country. He assured that the concerns they highlighted were noted and that they will work towards addressing them.
