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The late Vice President of The Gambia Dr. Alieu Badara Joof has been laid to rest at his residence in Banjulinding at 2pm.  Scores of mourners at the funeral convergence in Banjulinding equally spoke of his “generosity and dedication” to the country.

The late Badara Joof died on Wednesday 18th January 2023 in New Dehli India, after battling with a brief illness. 

The laying state ceremony marking the state funeral of the late Vice President at the National Assembly, President Adama Barrow, government dignitaries and members of the National Assembly paid their last respects to the late Badara Joof.

The casket of the late Vice President at the NA

In his eulogy to the late Vice President, President Barrow described him as the most “dedicated and competent” in the service of the nation.

The late Alieu Badara Joof will be remembered by Gambians for his patriotism and immense contributions to the country.

By Tunkang Kambano

Former Kartong Ward councillor and current executive member of the National People\

By Tunkang Kambano

Kombo Yiriwa Kafo (KYK), a charity organisation together with West Coast Region and the Kanifing Municipality Village Development Committees (VDC) have launched an ambitious partnership toward the path to enforced community service delivery. 

During the recent inception meeting at the Region Education Directorate in Brikama, various stakeholders expressed optimism that the partnership will forge a more corporation and experience sharing between the local government structures for robust community development.

Famara Buli Sanyang, Secretary General of Kombo Yiriwa Kafo encouraged VDC members to show strong commitment to the partnership. He said bringing together all the VDCs within Kombo will provide the much needed collaboration towards the development transformation of communities. 

Establishment of Village Development Committees is sanction by the Local Government Act 2002. Members of the committee are unanimously elected by community members to lead their development. As mandated in the 2002 Act, VDCs are the entry points for development into communities with Alkalo serving as adviser.

“We consider it important for VDC members within Kombo to come together and network to compliment common efforts toward the development of Kombo,” Said Famara Buli Sanyang.

He said KYK was conceptualized as early as January 2017 with the first meeting held in Brufut, Kombo South in February 2017 and registered with the Attorney General Chambers as a Charity in June 2017 after drafting the constitution. “According to constitution KYK is non-party political and will work with Government and all relevant stakeholders towards the development of Kombo,” he said

Section 92(1) of the Local Government Act 2002 sanctioned the establishment of Village Development Committees for each village or cluster of villages which shall be determined by the local Council. Subsection 2 of Section 92 also also empowered every Council to determine which cluster of villages may together form a Village Development Committee, in accordance with such criteria as it shall specify. 

Launched on 7 October 2017 by former Vice President Fatoumatta Jallow-Tambajang, KYK held its first and second annual general assembly meetings in 2018 and 2019 while the subsequent meetings were delayed due to Covid 19.

By Tunkang Kambano

Amid the increasing land grabbing for gardening, cash cropping, which is threatening the traditional livestock production system. It is against this backdrop that the Gambian Environmentalist Modou Sowe, has urged the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) to gazette the demarcated stock routes and grazelands in the country.

In an interview with The Outpost Media, Sowe, pointed out that the protection of livestock routes and grazing lands is highly necessary, however, he also said that it is equally significant for herdsmen to start modernizing production. 

“We need to shift from extensive to intensive, from subsistence to commercialized livestock production, and from ageing farmers to youth farmers. Since independence,  the Gambia government and its development partners like FAO, IFAD, and Action Aid International have mapped, marked and demarcated numerous lands for stock routes and grazelands throughout the country and are still demarcating more lands for such purposes. Some of the demarcated lands have boreholes on them or sometimes lead to drinking points.

 Recently, we have seen conflicts between crop farmers and herdsmen in the struggle for productive agricultural lands. Crop farmers will sometimes encroach on the stock routes to expand their farms and sometimes is the other way around as livestock escape or are deliberately allowed to go astray to feed on the crops of farmers. These types of conflicts are on the increase and the demarcation of lands only is not the solution,” said Modou Sowe.

The environmentalist has further called for a new paradigm shift on land demarcation to the rural areas, whilst urging the government and its donor partners to gazette all livestock routes and grazelands geared towards promoting livestock production.

“It is time for us to ignore the “Kombos” and concentrate on the “Fonis” and North Bank Region towards the Upper River Region. Where stakeholders like Gambia Government, FAO, IFAD, DLS, and NaLOA should come together and gazette all livestock routes and grazelands as lands of the state where no individual can claim the lands for any other operations other than livestock production. This is the only way out to prevent all the billions of Dalasis used in the establishment of stock routes by government projects with their development partners. The lands identified are owned by the communities and the same communities can claim to remove the stock routes for other uses. Gazetting the lands will protect the lands for the herdsmen and promote livestock production,” he said.

He added: “For the livestock farmers especially in the Kombos, it is time for us to start thinking about innovation. The future is an intensive system of production or no production at all. We can be called a modern country if our cars are to stop for herds to cross on the main highways within the capital city. We have to learn from farm models like Kombo dairy farms, EJ Farms, and the Tujereng Dairy farm. These farms are more productive than our extensive farms therefore it is worthy of learning and adopting their models,” he concluded.

“Solo Sandeng: The Tiger, the Leopard and the Jaguar”

By SHEIKH HAMMA JAITEH

-The wheel of Gambian history was rusted and halted when the indomitable Tiger was captured and imprisoned illegally by the forces of brutality!

-His tragic but honourable heroic death is the spark which ignited the flames of revolutionary zeal and political veracity!

-He is the catalyst for positive but non violent social and political changes and an accomplished fighter against corruption and depravity!

-Solo Sandeng is a paragon of virtue,an epitome of righteousness and an icon of revolutionary tenacity.

-The entire universe is paying homage to Solo Sandeng the Tiger of the jungle of justice and political rationality. 

-History will forever present his gallantry and bravery to the present generation and will accurately narrate his peerless valour to posterity.

-The imposing image of the  tiger will continue to inspire the good souls of our society but will be haunting the sinful souls of the wicked ones to eternity

-Solo Sandeng, may Allah forgive all your sins, overlook your shortcomings and multiply your reward for your relentless struggle for the liberation of humanity.

-May your family be strengthened with endurance, faith and confidence to be proud of your sacrifice in order to preserve your legacy. 

By Sheriff Saidykhan

Teachers across the country have for the past years decried the low income wages, blaming the government for its lack of support to help mitigate their growing challenges. It is against this backdrop that teachers have today embarked on a nationwide sit-down strike demanding better wages.

Lamin Jammeh, a senior teacher at Biriwama Upper Basic school said teachers are facing numerous challenges, chief among which is the poor working conditions. This, he added, has been the government\

By Lamin Gibba 

The assistant head coach of Serrekunda East zonal team Ebrima Sarjo has said that, securing the third place of the GFF zonal competition, is a great victory for Serrekunda East and the entire community of Serrekunda East.

 “This is what we wanted even though we were out but we also know that third position is a very good position if we end up taken it. So it’s a very good finish for our campaign. So that is why we did not take the game lightly. We took the game very seriously.” He said. 

Coach Sarjo made these remarks shortly after his side 3-0 victory against Sanyang zonal team during the third-place race of the 2022 Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Super nawetan championship game played at the Serrekunda East Mini Staduim on Friday 30, December 2022.

Alagie Wally, Assan Jallow better called ‘Saas’ and Balla Lowe were on target for Serekunda East in 61st, 72 and 90 minutes respectively. 

He further thanked the management, the board, the players and the fans saying together they achieved this big results. He added that their semi-final defeat against Serrekunda West was a lesson.

 “We went back to the drawing board analyzed and we knew that if at all we took our chances in that game we would have been in the final,” said Ebrima Sarjo.

He added: “If you look at the first half today we have couple of chances that we could have capitalized. With tactical analyses during the break and ‘Ahamdulilah’ during the second period it all went in our favor.” he said.

At the climax of the game, third-place winners Serrekunda East were decorated with bronze medals and a check of D100, 000.00