Hon. Fatim Badjie-Janneh, the secretary of state for Communication, Information and Information Technology, on Wednesday afternoon received in her office at the GRTS new building in Kanifing members of the Young Journalists Association of the Gambia (YJAG).

The visit was meant to introduce the association, its aims and objectives and activities to the DoSCI&IT secretary of state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Demba Kandeh, YJAG secretary general, gave a historical overview of the association. According to him, YJAG was established on September 16th, 2007 with the objectives to promote unity among all young journalists in the country and  the welfare of young journalists, among other issues.

The organisation, he added, is also tasked with responsibility to facilitate the recruitment of young journalists into the media profession and build capacities among its members. He then revealed that YJAG at present, has a membership roll of over 150 members including the press clubs in the senior secondary schools across the country.

For his part, Nfamara Jawneh, president of YJAG, congratulated the SoS for her new appointment.  He buttressed the secretary general’s remarks on the aims and objectives and the upcoming activities of the association. At this juncture, Mr. Jawneh also seized the opportunity to officially invite SoS Badjie-Janneh to YJAG’s 1st anniversary celebration scheduled to take place on 16th September, at the NaNA conference hall in Kanifing.

In response, SoS Badjie-Janneh commended the YJAG executive for such an initiative. She assured YJAG of her office’s fullest support and also advised them to be responsible journalists.

SoS Badjie-Janneh further advised YJAG to try and establish a youth magazine where youth matters and issues affecting the youths will be featured.
Assan Sallah, YJAG’s public relations officer chaired the ceremony.

Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates Court, yesterday, ordered the Gambia Organisation of the Visually Impaired (GOVI) to pay one Jainaba Bah, an ex-staff of the organisation, an amount of D112,000, being the plantiff’s three year salary at GOVI.

The magistrate’s judgement came after the plaintiff, Jainaba Bah, and her representative, Jawru Krubally, proved their case beyond doubt against the defendant GOVI.

According to the particulars of the case, the defendant, GOVI, in breach of the Labour Act  dismissed the plaintiff, Jainaba Bah via a letter dated 28th November, 2002. Despite all efforts made by the plaintiff and her representive, the management of GOVI failed to cooperate, leaving them with no choice but to resort to the law courts.
Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo having listened to both parties, delivered judgement in favour of the plaintiff.

The Children For Children Organisation (CFCO), on Saturday, concluded a five-day summer children’s theatre academy training at St Thereses Upper Basic School in Kanifing.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Ibrahim Ceesay, the coordinator of CFCO, said his organisation believes that the best way for children to advocate for their rights, is through theatre, genres and others.

He said CFCO was formed in March 2005 to advocate for child rights, fight against poverty and other issues affecting children.

According to Mr Ceesay, his organisation has travelled to many countries to attend many conferences where issues affecting children top their agenda.

He said the CFCO also has capacity building programmes such as their weekly radio programmes on City Limits Radio, where children could explore their potentials.
Mr Ceesay advised the participants to make the best use of the training.

Csilla Jeng, the training instructor, also advised the children to take the training seriously. CFCO’s Gibou M Saidy chaired the opening ceremony.

At the end of the five-day training, participants were awarded certificates.

A four members committee of the Mbaise Family Organisation board, an indegenious charitable organisation, whose membership is drawn from Eastern part of Nigeria, on Sunday took oath of office, at a ceremony held at the St. Thereses Upper Basic School in Kanifing.

The newly sworn in board of directors includes, Sam Chima Ochulor as Chairman, Mike Eze, vice Chairman, Uche Mirikwe Secretary General and Sunuy Nwachukwu re-elected as treasurer.

speaking shortly after the swearing in ceremony, Sam Chima Ochulor, chairman of the organisation, thanked the members of the organisation for the trust and confidence bestowed on him. He  added that his team would carry out their mandate as expected, disclosing that the organisation was founded in August 2001, as a charitable organisation aimed at complementing government’s efforts in the education sector, by providing scholarship for students.

He revealed that the organisation, when it was established, had a membership roll of four individuals only. This, he said,  has now grown up to over 200 members.

He finally called on the members to support the board in its endeavours, in order to take the organisation to higher heights.

Speaking earlier, Enginear Nwabuike, who administered the swearing in ceremony, said the newly sworn-in board members  had been elected on April 6, 2008, with the mission of managing and running the day to day affairs of the organisation for the next two years.

Aloysins Ugoh, the IEC chairman, who presided over the election, thanked the board members for accepting the challenge and wished them well in the execution of their duties.

In a bid to improve sanitary conditions in our environment, members of Better Africa Youth Initiative (BAYI), a youth organisation based in The  Gambia, last Sunday, embarked on a voluntary cleaning exercise around the Westfield-Jimpex area in the Kanifing Municipality; a joint exercise that culminated from a strong collaboration between members of the Institute of Domestic and International Affairs (IDIA), an American organization based in New Jersey  and BAYI.

IDIA’s members are currently in the country to help the youth organisation to develop and run programmes that will participate in the empowerment of youths and develop their leadership and communication skills among others.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, Michael Hinchcliffe, executive director of IDIA, explained that the exercise is part of what IDIA and BAYI are trying to accomplish in enabling students and young people to get involved in the community activities.

“The cleansing exercise constitutes a way for the youths to contribute their quota in the community and do something with notable outcomes,” he added. He therefore urged young people who want to make a difference in their community to affiliate with organizations like BAYI for productive results.

Adding his voice, Akeem Aremu, Director of Programs for BAYI said that the exercise will serve to give youths a sense of belonging and make them realize that they are stakeholders in the community.

He therefore noted that a healthy student cannot come from an unhygienic environment, as “a dirty environment cannot create a healthy mind.”  He further revealed that IDIA, in partnership with BAYI, will hold a leadership conference for students from the 15th to 17th of January 2008, which is currently underway at Gambia High School in Banjul.

About 150 students from 15 schools are expected to participate in the conference.

Sanna Sanneh, a grade 12 student of Rose Kali International School, said he was happy to be involved in the exercise because it provided him with the opportunity to serve the community. He also advised Gambian youths to be united and continue to work for the common good of the country.

For her part, the secretary general of BAYI, Sheila Akomiah, thanked the Institute for Domestic and International Affairs for their support. She also extended BAYI’s appreciation to the students for coming out in their numbers to participate in the exercise.

The Synergy of Expatriate Educators The Gambia, recently inaugurated a group board of advisors at the Regional Education Directorate, Kanifing.

Giving a synopsis of the history of SEEG, Israel O. the Director General of the SEEG, said it dates back to 2005 when five foreign teachers met at Njaba Kunda Senior Secondary School to unite their strength in a synergy. They saw this as a medium, through which they could make meaningful contributions to education. They were secured in this fact by means of the foundation, which President Jammeh has laid, of education for all. He said a convention and congress of non-indigenous teachers were respectively held at the Region 1 Education Directorate and were followed by a Memorandum of Understanding with the government, through the Department of Education. This allowed the synergy to gain the status of a charitable organisation.

The Director General of SEEG stated their aims and objectives and said that their membership cuts across all institutions. He said that they were concerned about the deteriorating state of education in The Gambia, evident in WAEC and GABEC examinations. He asserted that the group wishes to revive education in The Gambia.

The SEEG is also concerned about their welfare and professionalism. He stated that when these areas are taken care of it gives members of the synergy the resilience and strength to overcome the challenges which face them. They also intend to care for the health of members.

Emmanuel Fagbeble, Director of Prosecutions and advisory board member of SEEG, said that foreign teachers should do their best so that parents Government and children will be happy. He said he was happy for foreign teachers to have formed such a formidable force. He appealed for unity among synergy members and said that they would be welcomed everywhere.

Mr. A Adebanjo, Director of Cin-chip said, “As you have committed yourselves to SEEG you should abide by the rules and regulations.” He urged all to all to have synergy at heart so that they might do better.

Rev J. Kojah was another speaker as was Mr. Dumbuya. Many teachers asked salient questions. Mr. Ayiam Zephania thanked all in attendance.

Soroptimist International of Banjul (SIB), a worldwide organisation for women in management profession, and a global voice for women, through awareness, advocacy and action, in collaboration with its sister organisations in The Gambia, recently commemorated World Literacy Day at a ceremony held at Soroptimist Head Office in Kanifing. The theme for this year’s celebration was “literacy, key to good health and well-beings”.

Speaking at the ceremony, Beatrice Prome, President of Soroptimist International of Banjul expounded on the importance of literacy.  According to her, education is the key to success, adding that Soroptimist aims to make education affordable to the girl child. 

According to her, Soroptimist has also engaged in vigorous campaigns against negative approaches towards the girl child.

For his part, Mamadou Saho, a representative of FAWEGAM, said literacy liberates the mind from ignorance to more noble pursuits, adding that girls’ education is paramount to national development. He added that “education is escalating everyday and that it is the duty of parents to send girl child to schools”. 

He mentioned that FAWEGAM raised much concern on the education of the girl child. “FAWEGAM is sponsoring about 800 girls in Western Region last year to attain education and among them eight are at the University of The Gambia,” Mr Saho said.

Ismaila Ceesay, Director of Insight Training Centre, said it is not an exaggeration to  celebrate literacy day, and then noted that educating a women is educating a whole nation. 

Other speakers at the occasion included Bakary Camara, a representative of NAWFA and Mrs Cathy Goswell, who chaired the ceremony.

The ceremony was characterised by presentation of songs, by Soroptimist sponsored children.