By Fatoumatta K. Jallow
Ebrima O. Jallow, the President of the National Livestock Owners Association (NaLOA), has reacted to the formation of the New Gambia Livestock Association (NGLA), stating that there is only one national livestock association.
“On behalf of livestock stakeholders (owners) in the Gambia, we only have one national livestock association. Though we have many livestock groups, the national association is one and all livestock groups in the country are registered under the national association,” Jallow told the press.
He stated that NaLOA was founded in October 2015 in Jenoi, in the Lower River Region were livestock stakeholders agreed to unite and form a national association. “The newly established and self-proclaim national association called the New Gambia Livestock Association, is not the national association. They are opposed to the NaLOA,” he said.
Jallow refuted allegations that members of his association were involved in cattle theft. “These are just allegations and we are aware that the police are investigating but certainly, our hands are clean,” he said; that the security of the country’s cattle population is not in the hands of the association, but the police.
“We have just constituted a unit called the Anti-Cattle Wrestling Unit to work towards supporting the police because we know they cannot do this alone. Helping the police does not mean it is our mandate to secure cattle everywhere,” he concludes.
