FOROYAA

By Mustapha Jallow

Residents of Salagi, a settlement on the outskirts of Sukuta will on Monday hold talks with the Gambian Government over the Salagi land saga.

On the 19th May 2020 a problem ensued when the Gambia Government went to Salagi and began demolishing some structures including buildings. The police arrested some of the residents as a result of the problem and released them on bail.

Saikou Bojang, a resident of Salagi, whose compound fence was demolished, said they were invited by the West Coast Deputy Governor to discuss the recent tension.

He explained: “I together with my family members and other landowners – were invited at the West Coast Governor’s Office in Brikama. We held a discussion with him (the governor) and the outcome was to meet with Ministry of Local Government and Lands in Banjul on Monday.’’

He added: “During the meeting, we have agreed to meet with the Minister. We do not know the purpose of the meeting, but we will go and listen.’’

Bojang said though they are ready for dialogue, they still want to retain their compounds.

“I’m staying here with my wife and 5 kids – and the reason why I built here was for them (my little family). So, I’m not going to move anywhere,’’ he said.

He said: “I cannot leave my home for others, impossible…… I built this house for my kids and not for me.’’

Asked if the government compensates him with a plot of land with cash, he responded: “No, I will not take it – because here is my home and land, it belongs to me. So, I need no compensation.’’

Bojang alleged that he was not given any notification about the demolition exercise that took place on 19th May by the state.

“They are supposed to serve me a notice about the exercise but no one did. I woke up one day and saw officials with security forces surrounding our buildings,’’ he explained.

He stressed that his children are living in fear – as personnel of the PIU are still patrolling the demolished areas.

It could be recalled that dozens of houses and fences were demolished in Sukuta-Salagi by government officials and the state security agents. The demolition exercise resulted in a clash between the security forces and residents.

Seventy-two percent of Gambians supported the need for a new constitution and are satisfactied with the performance of Constitutional Review Commission (CRC).

A new nationwide survey of The Gambia by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Centre for Insights in Survey Research was conducted between November and December 2019, has revealed 72% of Gambians support a new constitution and are satisfactied with the Constitutional Review Commission’s (CRC) performance.

“The poll also indicates that most citizens would vote in a constitutional referendum, but the lack of voter ID cards could hamper turnout,’’ a poll tells.
“Gambians are looking forward to a new constitution that strengthens fundamental rights and freedoms,” said Greg Kearns, IRI Regional Director for Africa. “In order to meet the high threshold for voter turnout, it is critical that the government addresses barriers to voter participation before holding a referendum.”

According to the poll, 87 percent of Gambians agree that the country needs a new constitution, and 60 percent rated the performance of the CRC as either “very good” (42 percent) or “somewhat good” (18 percent). Furthermore, 88 percent of citizens support the inclusion of presidential term limits in the new constitution.

Fifty-seven percent cited this as a main reason for turning out to vote in a potential referendum, along with 49 percent of Gambians who cited fundamental rights and freedoms. While the vast majority (74 percent) of Gambians intend to vote in the referendum, among the 13 percent who said they are unlikely to vote, a plurality (39 percent) cited a lack of a voter’s card as their primary reason for abstaining.

The poll reflected general optimism regarding the country’s democratic trajectory. Fifty-eight percent of citizens agree The Gambia is headed in the right direction, and 66 percent of citizens think democracy is the best possible form of governance. However, citizens under 36 years of age were more likely than older adults to say that other forms of government could be equally good or better for the country. When asked about the most pressing issues facing the country, 37 percent listed the cost of living, high prices and unemployment as their highest priorities.

*This survey was conducted in November and December 2019, after the release of the November 2019 draft constitution.

The Gambian State celebrates Africa Union Day on 25th May 2020, vis-a-vis the Trade Union organization and employers who observed the day amid the COVID-19 experience. The  continental union which consists of fifty five member states  was announced in the Sirte Declaration in  Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The bloc was founded on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa.[5] The intention of the AU was to replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, by 32 signatory Governments. The OAU was disbanded on 9 July 2002. The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and Governments of its member states, elected by the people.

Hence as a reminder, African Leaders should understand that the African Union (AU) is a social model that is deeply rooted in the conscience of African society. It is a raft for social and economic legislation and balances the market economy and social fabric of the people of the continent by providing the social framework for solidarity especially in favor of the most needy. The continental body is also in constant quest for a better quality of life for the people of the continent and depends on all interested parties accepting their responsibilities by engaging in dialogue. The objectives of the AU are amongst others, the following:

1.     To achieve greater unity, cohesion and solidarity between the African countries and African nations;

2.     To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States;

3.     To accelerate the political and social-economic integration of the continent;

4.     To promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples;

5.     To encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

6.     To promote peace, security, and stability on the continent;

7.     To promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance;

8.     To promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant human rights instruments;

9.     To establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations;

10. To promote sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as the integration of African economies;

11. To promote co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples;

12. To coordinate and harmonize the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities for the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union;

13. To advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, in particular in science and technology; and

14. To work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent.

The concrete expression of this model within the overall process of integration reveals an extraordinary ability to emerge from successive crisis together, through progress on the social, economic and democratic fronts. The AU should therefore be extra anxious to perpetuate the social model aspect of the Union for our common heritage and uplift the lives of the people from hunger, poverty, deprivation, protracted wars, human rights abuses, etc., and etc., that plagues and hampers the continent’s development endeavors.

On this occasion therefore, I salute the courage of ‘our founding fathers’ and pray that we the current pallbearers will continue to strive for the continent and better the lives of our people in all aspects. I wish everyone a happy and fruitful Africa Liberation Day. Long live in Africa!

A Luta Continua !!!!!!!! 

Pa Modou K.B. Faal.

Executive Secretary General,

Gambia Workers’ Confederation.

Dear Compatriots

Africa Day this year coincides with the Eid celebrations marking the end of the Holy month of Ramadan for Muslims all over the Continent, therefore may I begin my goodwill message by wishing all Africans Eid Mubarak, Ndewenati Len, Allah mang Nna Salisia La .

May 25^th  2020  commemorates 57 years since the leaders of 32 independent African nations met in Addis Ababa to establish the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor to the African Union. The preamble of the OAU charter is a rousing call to unity, cross-cultural understanding, and solidarity. Like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Charter and the Banjul Charter, it affirms the inalienable right of all people to control their own destiny.

We mark Africa Day this year just over three months since the first case of coronavirus on the continent was confirmed. This pandemic has been a stark reminder that regardless of whether we are born into wealth or poverty, we are all mortal, and can succumb to disease. As countries around the world battle to turn the tide against the pandemic, Africa has taken firm control of its destiny, by developing a clear strategy and raising financial resources from its member states.

The African response to the coronavirus pandemic has received widespread praise. Despite the multitude of resource challenges, they face, African countries have come together in remarkable ways, united by a common purpose.  The countries of the Global South are more vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19 because of low levels of development, insufficient resources and weak health systems.

Countries ranking low on human development indices, many of which are in Africa, are less capable to manage the fallout of a global health emergency of this kind on their own. Yet at the same time, some of the very health challenges African countries have wrestled with for decades have given us a clear understanding of what needs to be done, and how to do it.

The unprecedented nature of the pandemic caught many countries both unaware and unprepared. Much of what we witnessed in the early days of the outbreak was governments in western countries struggling with containment because so much about the virus was unknown. It was not something the world has experienced for over a century.

African countries have been able to use their experience in managing outbreaks of malaria, cholera, HIV, TB and hemorrhagic viruses like Ebola and Lassa. Our understanding of communicable diseases and how to manage them has put us in good stead when it comes to coronavirus. African governments have been swift and proactive in implementing measures to flatten the coronavirus curve. Unfortunately, our own Government in the Gambia continue to miss opportunities to unite our people behind comprehensive strategy to stem the tide of the spread of the corona virus.

By early May, 43 African countries had full border closures, 53 had closed institutions of learning, 54 had limited public gatherings, 26 had instituted the compulsory use of face masks, 32 had instituted night-time curfews and 18 had imposed nation-wide lockdowns.

The African Union developed a comprehensive Joint Continental Strategy to guide cooperation between member states and set up a COVID-19 Response Fund. A number of countries have rolled out massive food relief and social assistance measures to support the vulnerable during this time.

Although there have been severe shortcomings and constraints, such as the shortage of personal protective equipment, testing kits and ventilators, there have also been stories of excellence and intercontinental collaboration.

One such example is the work of the African Centres for Disease Control (ACDC) and prevention, a world-class institution with capabilities for disease surveillance and intelligence and health emergency preparedness and response.

African countries have scaled up their respective capacities for screening, testing and isolating. In April, the AU and the ACDC launched the Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing to strengthen testing capacity in vulnerable countries, with the aim of testing 10 million people over the next six months. Through this partnership warehousing and distribution hubs are being set up across the continent to distribute medical supplies. The aim is to pool the procurement of diagnostics and other medical commodities.

The deployment of community health workers to do screening, testing, contact tracing and case management is happening in many African countries, and draws heavily on our experience with HIV and TB.

African nations have also joined the race to produce test kits, with our sister Republic Senegal in an advanced stage of developing a low-cost testing kit. At least  25 African countries have registered clinical trials for possible COVID-19 treatments, including for the BCG vaccine, hydroxychloroquine, antiretrovirals etc.  and as part of the global Solidarity clinical trials.

Whether it is in repurposing health protocols used with other infectious disease outbreaks, rapidly deploying health care workers to communities, or in launching mobile COVID-19 testing labs to improve national testing capacities, Africa is working proactively to overcome this global threat.

Though it is clear we will continue to rely on the support of the international community and international financial institutions to bolster the existing continental effort and build economic resilience, African countries are holding their own.

This Africa Day we are reminded once again that the solutions to Africa’s problems, be they overcoming disease or eradicating poverty and underdevelopment, reside within Africa itself.

Although the coronavirus pandemic is not an African problem alone, we have shown ourselves capable of agility and ingenuity. The work being done to defeat the coronavirus is evidence of a continent determined to leverage its strengths and capabilities to resolve its own challenges. This is the premise on which the Organisation of African Unity was founded and it continues to guide and inspire us as we strive to build a better life for all of Africa’s people.

Wherever you may be at this time, I wish you a happy Africa Day.

SIGNED

Alh. Ousainou ANM Darboe

By Yankuba Jallow

The Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia has on Wednesday, 27th May 2020 provided the press update of the Government’s food aid distribution to people of the country.

Dr. Isatou Touray said the Government’s food relief package is the biggest food relief response in the history of the country adding they are targeting 84% of the population.

She did not provide the media with detail explanations as to the number of households that have benefitted and those remaining. As matters stand, no one can tell whether or not the targeted beneficiaries have actually received the rice, sugar and oil. The food distribution by the Government has been criticised heavily from some section of the population who are with the view that it is not being done properly. However, VP Touray said “as the chairperson of the Cabinet COVID sub-committee I am indeed delighted to give a remark at the closure of this noble course that has brought joy to many households in the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

VP Touray is of the opinion that if the current situation of the country remains unchecked, it will deepen the already existing poverty of the people.

“Today, I am certain that the food distribution exercise in most parts of the country has either been completed or about to be completed or is nearing completion while others have started,” she said.

Foroyaa cannot independently confirm the fact adduced by the Vice President but we will interview communities to hear from them whether they have received the rice, sugar and oil and ascertain how the distribution was made by the authorities.