Special Report By: Aja Musu Bah-Daffeh & Amie Sanneh
The President of the Republic Adama Barrow, on Thursday 30th November 2017, officially opened QCity and launched QTV, at a colourful ceremony held in Bijilo. QCity which is part of the QGroup family of businesses operated by Muhammed Jah, is the Gambia’s first multipurpose recreation center that offers activities for children and adults of all ages. QCity is fully equipped with the world’s state of the art facilities, where people can spend time with their loved ones. Inside QCity, is the first privately owned television station QTV, that is fully equipped to standard to provide quality service to its viewers. QTV has for long been operating on satellite channel with the help of ‘2s TV’ in Senegal.
The City boasts of the following facilities: an Olympic size swimming pool; a 250 seats covered pavilion for a swimming pool area complete with preparation facilities; FIFA compliant natural grass football field; a track for running, walking and cycling; an NBA Standard Basketball court; an Olympic Standard Volleyball and Tennis Court; an Outdoor gym and exercise areas; an Outdoor kids playground; an indoor play area for kids; a world class indoor gym; a physiotherapy centre with massage and sauna facilities; fully equipped Hostel; meeting rooms; state of the art cinema / movie theatre; conference centre; fast food restaurant with state of the art kitchen; a la carte VIP restaurant atop with a spectacular view; indoor vehicle parking area; change and locker rooms; aerobic facilities; QTV Studios and most importantly, Wi-Fi access within the entire QCity
President Barrow noted that QCity which provides multi-purpose facilities for Gambians to enjoy their leisure time compliments his government’s drive to encouraging a healthy life style for the people of the country. “The government is proud of this undertaking and we are equally appreciative of your firm commitment to discharge your corporate social responsibility as expected”, the president added.
The Minister of Youth and Sport Henry Gomez, expressed his delight to witness the grand opening of QCity as a recreation facility for sport, leisure and entertainment, for the people of this country. “This extra ordinary development is exactly what the country needs; to create an opportunity for men and women to develop their talents,” he said.
The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, Demba A. Jawo, said, “We are very pleased that QTV has been awarded license as the first privately owned TV station in this country. I have no doubt that QTV will provide a high quality of programmes. Being the first privately owned TV station in the country, will provide Gambians the option and choice in addition to the state T.V, GRTS.” He urged both QTV and GRTS to work together and complement each other. When he took the podium, the Chairman of QGroup, Muhammed Jah, said establishing QCity and QTV, has been one of his major dreams since he started his business career. “I feel happy today that I have accomplished that dream. Today is a very important day not just for us in the QGroup Foundation, but for the nation at large. We inaugurate a unique edifice in sub-saharan Africa that we would all be proud of. QCity is one of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Mr. Jah assured.
Mr. Jah explained that QCITY is a project divided into three phases and it is Phase One of the project that has been completed; that Phase Two will be a covered pavilion and Phase Three, a Shopping Mall. “All these projects will be executed to the highest standards,” he said. Jah explained that the idea of QCity and QTV came from afar, starting sometime in 1998, with a staff base of four, in a rented office; that it was not until February 2005, when they started building their own Headquarters, ‘QuantumNET’ House.
“Now that staff base has increased to thousands of employees today. Along the way, we acquired Espace Motors, QuantumNET Digital which is upgraded into QuantumNet Institute of Technology,” he said.
The QGroup Chairman added that they also took over NATURELLE, the oldest water bottling factory, quadrupling its production capacity and upgrading it from one production line to 3, but most importantly doubling the employment base of the Company; that in 2009, they moved from being an ISP to a full-fledged Telecommunications Company QCell, being the latest internet and mobile telecommunication services and the first 3G Mobile Company in the Gambia and the 2nd in Africa at the time. “Today QCell has rolled out the only 4G Mobile Telecommunication Services in The Gambia, with the cheapest tariff and the widest coverage countrywide. The group has the first mobile money service in the country called Qodoo”, Jah said. Mr. Jah said in 2014, the group acquired an almost bankrupt Islamic Bank and transformed it into a profitable and technological modern bank offering ATM cards, mobile and Internet banking services amongst other facilities,” he said.
The QGroup Chairman thanked the Government of The Gambia through President Barrow, for creating the enabling environment and giving young Gambians like him, the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
The President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, who officially launched the University of Sierra Leone Alumni Gambia Chapter, described QCity as an amazing and daring project and applauds the QGroup Chairman for this great initiative. He said Africa needs more people like Muhammed Jah, to move the continent forward.
The ceremony witnessed the award of special Awards.
