Featured News

now browsing by category

 

Mai says if APRC should take him to court, they will be left with no money.

Replying to APRC’s blast that they are going to take legal actions against him if he fails to prove his allegations of corruption against them, GMC leader, Mai Fatty said he strongly stands by his claims that the party unconstitutionally benefited directly and indirectly from millions of taxpayer funds.

The former Interior minister told The Standard yesterday: “I stand fully behind my statement that based on audit reports, the APRC illegally benefited directly and indirectly from millions of taxpayer funds throughout its 2 decades of existence.”

“There is evidence that 22 million Dalasis of public funds was transferred to APRC Mobilisation Account Number at Guaranty Trust Bank. These are monies belonging to Gambians that were unlawfully transferred through the Accountant General’s Department on the orders of Yahya Jammeh to finance APRC. These illegal funds that APRC unlawfully benefited from, should be recovered by the Government and returned to the public treasury. I maintain this position and call on the government to recover these funds without delay,” he said.

According to Standard, Fatty said there are more revelations in the audit report and as soon as he is ready with a forensic evaluation of the entire report, he will produce more results for the APRC to refund the state.
On APRC’s threat of a legal action against him, Mai challenged the party to sue him without delay.

“I urge them not to delay this matter, and to do so with utmost agency. I am absolutely confident that this would be a very costly decision they would regret. It will lead to their declaration of bankruptcy and their eventual elimination from the political process for good. I am eagerly waiting for their suit, and I hope the APRC will not chicken out on this threat. Gambians should know that this is an empty threat the APRC dare not implement,” he added.

Fatty further said the best way out for APRC is to apologise to Gambians and rehabilitate their ways.

Source___ Standard Newspaper

Press Release

In exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the Emergency Powers Act, His Excellency, President Adama Barrow in consultation with Covid-19 experts at the Ministry of Health, has amended the Regulations governing markets throughout The Gambia.
Effective Thursday [today], 13th August, 2020, the following restrictions shall be operational and should now supersede all previous restrictions governing the opening and closing of markets and shopping outlets in The Gambia.

1. Citation and duration
These Regulations may be cited as Restrictions on Markets and Shopping Areas Emergency Powers (Amendment) Regulations, 2020

2. Restrictions on retail outlets
(1) A person trading in food products in any market shall open for business only between the hours of 6:00am and 2:00pm each day.

(2) A person trading in non-food products in any market shall open for business only between the hours of 3:00pm and 7:00pm
4. Amendment of regulation 3
Regulation 3 (1) of the Principal Regulations is amended by substituting it with following new sub-regulation –
“(1) Except those exempted under sub-regulation (2), all non-food retail outlets located outside of markets throughout The Gambia, shall only be opened to the public between the hours of 6:00am and 3:00pm.”
However, all markets throughout The Gambia shall remain close on Sundays for routine cleansing and fumigation. The closures do not affect food vendors or shops outside the markets.

President Barrow wishes to thank the business community for its compliance and Gambians for their perseverance during this very difficult period as his government continues to explore all possibilities to mitigate and contain the effects of the Covid-19 virus in The Gambia.

This new amendment came into effect to ease the burden on a cross section of the business community following their total closure last week.
Accordingly, President Barrow urges all businesses and members of the public to continue complying with these new regulations, by always face masking, hand washing and adhering to strict social distancing.
Citizens and residents are reminded that the 10:00 pm to 5:00am curfew remains.

Dozens injured in the violence of Niamina

A communal violence between Niamina Sambang Fula Kunda and Mandinka Kunda on Tuesday evening left over dozens severely injured and several compounds set ablaze, Standard said.

“We can confirm the communal dispute between Niamina Sambang Fula Kunda and Mandinka Kunda on 11th August 2020. The incident resulted in 22 injuries from both sides including a woman and three compounds in Fula Kunda were burnt,” police spokesman Superintendent Lamin Njie said.

He said a team of security officers was placed to the ground to calm further escalation of the violence.
“Equally, an investigation is opened into the matter.”

Standard asked if any arrests have been made, PRO Njie reply to them that, the details of arrests have not reached his office so far, hence investigations to get all those involved continue.

Violence between the two CRR communities continues to flare up since communal tensions broke out over disputed rice fields in 2018.

According to media reports, the occurrence took place when a donkey from one of the rival communities entered into the farmland of others leading to confrontation.

Credit___Standard Newspaper

Why Lagos State Government Demolishes Shanties, kiosks, and shops.

The Lagos State government on Wednesday demolished over 150 shanties, kiosks, and shop extensions around Arewa Community Central Mosque, popularly called Masalashi Allhaja, in the Agege area.

Channels TV said on defending the exercise, Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit Taskforce, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, described the shanties as illegal and an environmental “eyesore”.

Egbeyemi, in a statement, said relevant stakeholders, including Alhaji Musa Muhammad Dogon Kadai, the Sarki of Agege, were notified before the demolition was carried out.

“The area has since become eyesore and security threat to residents including members of the public as the entire area including the surroundings of the mosque had been occupied by miscreants and illegal traders,” he added.

Source___Channels TV

Court Martial Sentences Nigerian Soldier To 55 Years Imprisonment for Murder.

A General Court Martial (GCM) sitting in the Nigeria’s capital, Abuja has sentenced a soldier serving with the Nigerian Army to 55 years in prison for culpable homicide, theft and housebreaking.

According to Channels TV, the soldier, Lance Corporal Babangida Ibrahim was accused of robbing and killing one Bello Abdullahi Aliyu in Gidan Darib, Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State on August 11, 2014.

Channels TV said he pleaded guilty to the four-count charge preferred against him and was sentenced in line with the provisions of the Armed Forces Act.

Delivering the judgement, the President of the Court, Major General Priye Fakrougha advocated the need for members of the Armed Forces to adhere strictly to rules and regulations guiding the conduct of military personnel in and out of uniform.

“Having listened to the plea of litigation of the Defence Counsel and the submission of the Prosecution Counsel, this General Court Martial finds the accused soldier guilty as he earlier pleaded of all the four-count charges,” he said.

“In this particular case before this court, there is no amount of sentence that will be commensurate to the life that has already been lost.

“Therefore, this General Court Martial, having found the accused soldier 2008/NA/61/2672, Lance Corporal Babangida Ibrahim guilty as he earlier pleaded, hereby sentence him as follows:

“Count one on culpable homicide not punishable with death contrary to and punishable under Section 224 of the Penal Code CAP P3, Laws of the Federation 2004 be awarded 40 years of imprisonment.

“Count two offence of housebreaking contrary to and punishable under Section 110 of the Armed Forces Act is awarded five years imprisonment.”

Lance Corporal Ibrahim was sentenced to 40 years in the first count, five years in the second, third and fourth counts.

Although the second, third and fourth counts are to run concurrently, the verdict is, however, subject to ratification by the Nigerian Army Council.

Credit___Channels TV

Women still struggling to get to the top

Kamala Harris makes history as US vice presidential candidate, but barriers remain for women in power around the world.

This week, US Democratic party presidential candidate Joe Biden announced that Senator Kamala Harris would be his running mate and future vice president if he wins the vote this November. This is frontier stuff – it is the first time a woman of colour has been given such a position on a major party ticket in the US. To some, this highlights how patriarchal the system remains as she had to have it bestowed upon her by a man – Biden. It remains to be seen if this is a real marker for progress, or a tokenistic effort on the part of the Democrats.

The fact is that the obstacles preventing most women from reaching positions of power remain firmly in place.

“It is quite astonishing to see that more than 100 years after women were first given the right to vote (in Iceland), the first-ever elected woman president is still alive,” says Koch-Mehrin.

She is speaking of Vigdis Finnbogadottir who won the 1980 Icelandic presidential election and became the longest-serving elected female head of state in history, with nearly 16 years in office.

“It is still a new phenomenon in political systems which have been set up and tailored to the needs of men for hundreds of years,” says Koch-Mehrin. “Women are still the ‘new’ group trying to get in.”

The climb to the top is even more fraught for women of colour, even in political systems which have made traction in the effort to ease the passage of women generally.

Credit___Aljazeera

Corona virus pandemic

German Health Minister predicts COVID-19 vaccine available in coming months.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn says he expects that there will be a COVID-19 vaccine in the coming months.

According to Aljazeera News, UN chief Antonio Guterres warns the coronavirus pandemic not only threatens gains in fighting poverty and building peace, but also risks exacerbating old conflicts and generating new ones.

Aljazeera also said, President Vladimir Putin says Russia has developed the first vaccine offering “sustainable immunity” against the coronavirus, but the WHO says it does not have enough information to evaluate it.

Worldwide coronavirus cases have surpassed 20.4 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 12.7 million have recovered, and more than 745,000 have died.

Spanish region bans smoking amidst the pandemic

The Spanish region of Galicia has with immediate effect banned smoking in public places over concerns it escalate the risk of Covid-19 contraction.

Galicia’s smoking ban was announced in a press conference on Wednesday after experts recommended the measure to the regional government.

The move is supported by health ministry research, published last month, that outlined the link between smoking and the increased spread of coronavirus.

It said the risk was heightened due to smokers not wearing masks. It also said people project droplets when they exhale smoke, and risk infection by touching the cigarette before bringing it to their mouth.

Region of Galicia has issued a blanket ban on smoking in the street and in public places, such as restaurants and bars, if social distancing is not possible.

The north-western region is the first to introduce such a measure, although others are considering following suit.

It comes as Spain faces the worst infection rate in western Europe.

Daily cases have risen from fewer than 150 in June to more than 1,500 throughout August. It recorded 1,690 new cases in the latest daily count on Wednesday, bringing the country’s total to almost 330,000.

Source___BBC

Citizens’ Alliance to distribute over 10,000 facemasks

As part of efforts to tackle the novem coronavirus, Citizens’ Alliance (CA) has Inaugurated what it calls ‘Mask Alliance’ to distribute over 10,000 face masks nationwide to contain the escalation of Covid-19.

“This initiative is part of CA’s resolve to help the government in curbing the spread of this virus that has affected our daily lives,” the party said in a statement.
The Gambia has a total of 1,346 cases and 32 deaths. CA said the numbers involved are alarming and demands that the country come together regardless of party affiliation.

“Covid-19 is a dramatic global public health challenge many countries including economic, and political crisis and The Gambia is no exception. Togetherness is the key to national development — and we call on all stakeholders and possible donors to join CA on this journey and contribute to this humanitarian cause,” the party added.
The party said it is gravely concerned that the country’s entire healthcare system will be overrun with very little resistance.

“With this very scary but real possibility in mind, we believe that it is time for us to come together, bring our resources – human, technical and material – together, to support our government’s efforts to deal with this virus. Infection rates are rising drastically, causing the elderly and the most vulnerable to succumb to this virus. Our morgues or ‘dead houses’ are filled with reports of chaotic scenes

“Families cannot bury their loved ones in the ways of their traditions due to the elevated level of threat this virus poses. The Gambian citizenry has been left with panic and uncertainty as reports of unpaid frontline workers and a large scale of infected medical personnel have flooded the airwaves. There have also been reports of poorly managed treatment centers due to an understaffed medical response team,” CA added.

This, the party added, is why they recognize that “now is not the time for blame games but time for concrete solutions that will preserve lives and safe life.”

Source___Standard Newspaper

Highest spike in Covid-19 deaths in The Gambia

The Gambia recorded the highest single-day spike in Covid-19 deaths with the Health Ministry reporting 9 new deaths on Monday bringing the toll of infection to 32 since the outbreak in March.

According to the Health Ministry while 7 out of the new deaths tested positive, 2 were in determinant.

According to the report, there have been over 100 percent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases confirmed by the country with 111 new cases, taking the toll of confirmed cases to 1,346.

According to Standard Newspaper, twenty-one of the new cases are MRC staff and their close contacts.
The country currently has 335 people in quarantine, 1,087 active cases, 145probable cases and a crude case-fatality ratio of 2.4%
Whereas 13 persons were newly taken into quarantine, 17 new discharges were made with 227 recoveries.

The Ministry also warned that the cost borne by government at designated quarantine facilities is prohibitive and may be unsustainable.

Source___Standard Newspaper

Copyright © 2014-2024 Afrinity Productions.

Powered By SML Media
| KABBO Theme by: D5 Creation | Powered by: WordPress