According to the release, the services of Seyfo Alhagie Yahya Jarjusey of Soma has been terminated with immediate effect and replaced by Ebrima Kinteh of Pakalanding as acting chief of Jarra West.

Seyfo Alhagie Momodou Njie of Kiang West district has also got his services terminated with immediate effect and replaced by Omar Gibba of Mandinary village as acting seyfo.

Seyfo Ansumana Sanneh of Kiang West also has his services terminated and replaced by Alhagie Cherno Sanneh as acting seyfo respectively.

The honorable Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, has reassured his Taiwanese counterpart, His Excellency Francisco H.L Ou, of The Gambia’s continue support. Secretary Touray made the assurance recently at a dinner hosted at Sheraton Hotel in Brufut in honour of the Taiwanese Foreign Minster.

He also said that lack of Taiwan’s participation in the UN is a big loss to the international community.  “For The Gambia, the present situation is irregular and the government of The Gambia will continue to remind the world of the irregularity and especially the loss the world itself has been suffering as a result of the exclusion of a major country like Taiwan,” he said. He used the opportunity to reaffirm The Gambia’s relentless support in fighting for the cause of Taiwan.

For his part, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Taiwan, His Excellency Francisco H.L Ou, expressed his country’s appreciation with the support she is receiving from The Gambia. He lamented the unjust isolation of Taiwan by the international community from participating in the various specialised agencies of the UN. “Your Foreign Minister has supported our bid to join UN at the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York and we are indeed appreciative of this,” he said.

A sub regional workshop on conflict prevention, peacekeeping and the promotion of human right is underway in Banjul the Gambia. The workshop brought together about thirty five journalists from the sub region for a period of three days beginning Tuesday the 14 October 2008.The workshop is currently taking place at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

In delivering a statement on the occasion, Ibrahim Famakan Coulibally, the President of the West African Journalist Assiciation (WAJA) told the participants that WAJA apart from it efforts in building the capacity of its members in the sub region, is as well very much concern about the safety of its members. He said WAJA is still worried that the investigation into the killing of Deyda Hydara is still an unfinished work.The disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh is also a big concern to the WAJA as a sub regional body.

President Coulibally also raised concern about the situation of press freedom in Mouritania and the worsening situation of the media in Senegal. He said the tormenting of journalists in that country is a concern. He reiterated that WAJA will continue to stand firm against impunity against journalists in the region.He called on the governments in the region to investigate the killings of journalists and their disappearances.

He appealed to donors to continue supporting WAJA as it is the only professional body that operates in the region and stood firm for the promotion of the welfare of journalists in the region.

In her statement the Secretary of State for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mrs. Fatim Badgie , told the participants that the Gambia government do recognized the role of journalists and do respect press freedom. she said over the years her government has an improved relationship with the media.

She told the participants that press freedom should go with responsibilities. The kind of conflict in Rwanda was one of the results of irresponsible journalism. She warns that journalists should desist from sowing the seeds of conflicts and racial hat rage.As a way of conflict prevention, Fatim said journalists should start showing documentaries of wars and post conflicts. People would then learn from such and would help prevent conflicts.

Ndey Tapha Sosseh, the president of the Gambia Press Union, who also is second VP of WAJA, told the workshop that this training is done in collaboration with WAJA. She said it will be one of exchange of ideas and will be insightful. The end product will be a production of a code of conduct. She urge all to take up the training seriously.

The Cherno Baba Nursery school , a community school at Manjai Kunda in the Gambia is looking for help. The shool was initially set up to help the community whose earning powers were very limited.The shool which is  meant for the less unfortunate parents, where they could be sending their kids for better education is at the moment facing some development hurdles. Speaking to this reporter the headmistress of the school Mrs. Dalanda Jallow said her school was set up some ten years ago, in order to close the gap between the less unfortunate and those that are privileged to go to western schools to acquire standard education. 

Ten years ago she said many parents could not financially afford sending their children to school for many reasons, one of those reasons was that it was expensive and secondly there was no school closer to the community.

She said it was against such backgrounds that the school which was single handedly taken up by her with some support from her husband and children came into existence. At the time a small amount of three hundred dalasi was being charged per student, this comparatively was smaller than what others were charging. The school was renting and the over head was a bit expensive. However we managed under those circumstances until in 2005, when a Dutch lion club came to the school’s aid by building a permanent structure with a three class room block with an office. Added to that support they were giving some sponsorship to few students. A number of children were sponsored per annum. This sponsorship has since stop and the children are no longer getting any sort of sponsorship and as a result it seriously affected the intake.

Now that, that support is no longer coming the school’s enrollment is dropped, considerably. This is because the parents cannot afford to pay for the kids, school fees which is a token of only D3000 or $150 per year; this  rate takes care of the teachers, books and uniforms. But again the community cannot afford it.Management cannot now pay staff salary that comes from the token that parents are to pay.

The headmistress is now calling on interested organizations, and individuals to give a helping hand so that the community can continued to benefit from the good job the school has being providing. She can be contacted directly on the following numbers: 220 9939020 or220 6669080

Pa Modou Bojang, the general manager of the Brikama community FM radio was intercepted on his way to Casamance at Jiboro village in the Gambia today 7 October 2008. Bojang until his arrest was involved in an ownership tussle over the community radio which he was manager for more than five years now.

He was on his way to his sister's funeral in the Casamance.At Jiboro he was intercepted and his hands were hand cuffed to the door of his own car, which was driven by the arresting officer. At the time of his arrest, he was with his wife Ya sainey Sanneh and his child was age six. The family were left starnded at Jiboro as he was driven to Banjul.At the offices of the National Intellegent Agency (NIA) his lap top and pass port were confisicated.

As manager his employers one Gambian Basiru Darbo and his Malian partner Abubacarr AL Turkey were in to disagreements as to who owns the radio. This went on for more than a month now and Bojang suffers as a result of that. Up to the time of going to press, it is not clear why he was arrested. Bojang is allowed bail at the tune of 1.5 million dalasi.

The ongoing TODAY newspaper case, at the kanifing court, could not continue today. The counsel for the paper lawyer Lamin Camara requested for an adjournment, which was granted by sitting magistrate Buba Jawo. The case is now adjourned to the 15 of October 2008. It could be recalled that TODAY newspaper is dragged to court by the state over a story concerning school children scavenging metal at the disadvantage of their school lessons.

The editor was charged for sedition and the paper is closed by the police until further notice. At the last sitting it was said by PW1, that the proprietor, Abdoulah Adiomoh did not renew its business licenses, and that he also has permit A category with which he could not have registered such a business.

Fresh charges were brought against him and taken before a magistrate in Banjul, he was since found guilty of the offences and fine ten thousand dalasi (D10, 000.00). This was since paid, but he is to continue with the seditious case against him at the kanifing courts.

Algasim Barry,Secretary General , The Gambia Herbal Organisation who has been administering herbal medicine for more than thirty years in the Gambia, recently told the Media Agenda that there, is cure for many diseases at his medical center which is located at the main Serekunda market. He said he has being doing this for a very long time.

Herbal medicine is real and that; it is from the herbal that the west extracts these tablets and even some liquid medicine which are given at our hospitals. Bah said he goes to the bush to replace his herbal stock. Asked what specific ailments he cures, Bah said he can cure high blood pressure, he can cure impotency, he can also take care of stomach pains, and many more. When he was asked about HIV/Aids, he said he has no cure for that. But he did not rule out that there cannot be cure for it within the herbal industry. There is every cure within, but not all of us can do all.

Asked what is he most good at, “I am very good at curing impotency, many men came here, and after taking my treatment, they came back feeling happy that that they were now performing well” Bah said. Some of them almost lost their wives, due to not functioning well. He said there are women who also come to him, because they cannot bear childen.These are all cases he can handled.

I ask if he has any children, Bah told me he has many children, most of who are adults now. He said if any body said he has cure for impotency and that he has medicine for women who cannot bear children and the person do not have children himself ,then you can doubt his competence.

But in a situation where industries lack competition, consumers would not enjoy any good products and services from the various providers.

To be precise, our discussion centres on the initiative of ECOBank, Gambia-Limited, who yesterday gave out prizes to four students as winners of the bank’s ‘Retail Week Offer’.There is no doubt that the bank has distinguished itself as one of the few banks in the country that have set up a retailed week scholarship fund for students. Our contention is that successful businesses in the banking industry or anywhere ought to donate some of their profits to deserving, indigent students, and give them a chance to acquire higher education in order to improve their lot in life.

Excellence, as many would say, is doing something so well that nobody can fault it. Seen in this light, the quest for excellence calls for high proficiency coupled with discipline, diligence and dedication.

As indicated by the bank’s head of Corporate Affairs during the presentation yesterday, students should make excellence their way of life.

In an emphatic way, ECOBank is in a way helping students go for higher education to prepare for the future and at the same time prepare them to be proficient, dedicated, disciplined and diligent persons.

It is however important for such a gesture from Ecobank to be seen as a challenge and a call to look inwards and put the interest of customers on top of priotities in businesses.

We have to know that as much as it is our burning desire to succeed in whatever form of business, it should be backed by efforts and commitment that can put us on the path of progress and prosperity. There is no other way out.

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet”.

Aristotle

The Orphan and Families Committee of Qatar, through their sister partners the Umul Qura Foundation in the Gambia on Sunday the 21 September 2008, handed over food  basket valued over) fifty thousand dalasi (D50,000.00 ) to two hundred and five orphans   (205 )  , male and female at the Umul Qura Foundation head office Faji Kunda, the Gambia.

This Programme is only possible with the support of the Sheikh Eid Bin Muhammad Al-Thani, a charitable foundation in the gulf state of Qatar This charitable foundation which is based in Qatar, provide maintenance for  children who lost their male parents, ultimately who’s bringing up is left with a single parent (mother). The foundation on a yearly basis gives some money to the Umul Qura foundation for on ward transmission to the beneficiaries. This year an amount of D50, 000 is given for the welfare of the children.

I n a handing over ceremony at the foundation’s office, Mr. Sheikh Ousman.Jah, one of the committee members of the Umul Qura Foundation told the children, each of who was accompanied by their mothers, that  a sum of fifty thousand dalasi is allocated for them as food basket. In the basket he said are e dates, rice, juice, cooking oil, and other food items. Jah told both the children and their mothers that it is the responsibility of the surviving parents to take good care of the children they are left with. But in most cases this is not an easy task and that is why his organization in partnership with the Orphans and Families committee in Qatar are providing this token. He hopes the items will be put into best use.

The children were informed that some monies were approved for the provision of school uniforms, and bags. This they were told will arrive in two weeks times. The parents were also informed that NUR Den Islamic School, which also serves as head office of the foundation, has started registration of new in takes, and that those who intend to get their kids register can do so.

Sohna Mariama Jobe, who is one of the single parents, whose children like others benefits from the food basket, told the authorities that on behalf of the others, she is thanking the providers. She also extends greetings to the providers of this food basket.

She expressed joy , that though they have lost the fathers of their children, but such organizations , like the Orphan and Families Committee, and the Umul Qura Foundation, really made them happy and forget the  hardship they under went soon after the death of their husbands. She prays that Allah reward the people behind these great organizations.

 Alhagie Mustapha Cham, the President of the Umul Qura Foundation chaired the occasion, whilst the school director Shirkh Jogan, handed the food basket to the beneficiaries.

The other day I was listening to Network Africa, a BBC morning Programme show, which mainly focuses on African issues. To be précised it was on the Morning of Saturday the 20 September 2008, the presenter of the Programme, was on power sharing. Can you imagine?

 The case of the Zimbabwe power sharing was the main topic under discussion in this particular BBC morning show. The presenter gave the impression to his audience that he was reading text messages from listeners. The messages were on the topic POWER SHARING, which was provoked by him. Most of the messages he implied were sent to him by SMS, some of which he read over BBC, as follows: You can share money, you can share land, you can even share women, BUT you cannot share POWER.

What a disappointment, by a reputable radio like the BBC. What is that Programme aiming at if one may ask? Is it creating disunity among people who have already agreed to share power or what? Well these are some of the conceptions most of us have about the way the west report Africa. If one dose not cement the already concrete achievements by those who help to broker such power sharing deals, and among those who agree to sign the deals putting their country’s interest before personal     interest, it will only be better not to fiddle with such a big achievement, Mr. BBC.

I for one commend both the Zimbabwean and Kenyan governments and their leaders , and on the other hand that of the opposition leaders and their followers for such a wonderful way of settling their political differences. Power sharing is becoming a way forward for us the Africans. And the beauty of the whole show is that the deals were brokered by Africans themselves. In the Kenyan case it was the Ghanaian, and that of Zimbabwe, it was by a South African. This is a step toward an African Unity government as it indicates that we African are ready to put our differences aside for the good of our continent.    

The governments of Zimbabwe and Kenya are worth emulation on the continent of Africa. These are two countries that have experienced the worst hostile relationships during our time, between the heads of ruling parties and opposition parties. The president of Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe has been very adamant about how he intended to rule Zimbabwe, without sharing any power with people like his arch rival, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Changes (MDC), for many years. He has on several occasions sent him to jail. At one point it was said and reported, that he ordered the beating of Tsvangirai to the point that his opponent got serious head injuries.

 He was quoted saying at one point that he will not move the dates of the elections, not even by a day, all because the call was coming from the opposition, who were saying they were not ready for it. “These are the people who are calling for elections” Mugabe was quoted, “why do they have to turn around now and say the dates have to be pushed”?  He maintained that position and went to the polls, and said to have won, but the oppositions deny that he won the elections.

If President Mugabe of all people can put national interest first before any other interest, I cannot see why other African leaders cannot do the same. Here is a man who has been portrayed by the western media as one who is anti- progress, one who is a dictator, one who has over stayed, but at the end of the day when he fails to have more seats in the house of parliament, and could not also secure the 50% of the votes caste at the presidential elections, he accepted the results and agreed to go for a second round as dictated by the constitution. After all this, Mugabe, agreed to a power sharing deal brokered by South African president, Thabo Mbeki. This is a good sign by Mugabe, and that it should be emulated by other African leaders.

What is happening today, in Kenya and Zimbabwe, can never be imagined some years ago. For a government in which both Mugabe and his arch rival Morgan will serve, Morgan as Prime Minister Whiles Mugabe the President. The post of cabinet are also shared among the major political parties irrespective of there political standing. This is great and is worth emulation by others. Such power sharing can save poor Africa some huge amount of monies. If political parties can agreed on power sharing without going to polls, it will create extra monies for other developments. The monies spend on elections can be diverted to other very important sectors, like education, health and communications.

In fact African leaders should not wait for a situation like what happen in Zimbabwe to happen before such power sharing deals are made. It could come when there is no stalemate or an impasse. If opposing parties can simply accept cabinet positions in the government they oppose, that  will only go to increase the chances of unity among themselves. And by that way hardly any bad blood among the two. Such marriages   can come to an end when it is time to go the polls.

In Kenya the case was not that much different. Tens of thousands of innocent people lost their lives when President Mwai Kibaki claimed to have won the December 2007, disputed elections. Some commentators like this author, described the whole situation as madness or mere creed on the side of Mwai Kibaki, It was said that looking at the rate and manner those tens of thousands of innocent lives were being destroyed, just because of power, was madness on the president’s part.

For the better part of the first months of 2008, Kenya’s political situation remained fluid, tense and unpredictable. Many believed the country would never hold again, following weeks of violence precipitated by the disputed election victory that returned President Mwai kibaki to power. But after an exigent search for peace by the eminent Ghanaian and former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, Kenya is now celebrating the formation of one of its most robust coalition government in its history.

The question that every African should ask themselves, is how did Kenya do it? In a multi ethnic society of about 40 distinct ethnics groups, Kenya’s nationhood was clearly and firmly jolted by post election violence. But hope came on the horizon when Raila Odinga opposition, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) decamped from its earlier radical position to press for resignation of President Mwai and his Party of National Unity (PNU), to allow for a fresh election. This change of heart  by ODM, open the doors for negotiations wider , and it was soon apparent that Odinga was ready to share power and responsibility with kibaki for the shake of bringing peace and unity  to their bruised country .  The happy ending came to bear on 17 April 2008, when the new 43 member cabinet became complete, with Odinga taking up the newly created post of prime minister, and his ODM party taking up of half of the posts.

Now that we have two such kinds on the continent of Africa, I want to believe that all is not lost for a unity government in the near future for the whole of Africa. However what needs to be done now and right now is an emulation of the governments in Zimbabwe and that of Kenya. But  power sharing should slightly take a different shape from these two governments. Whiles these two came about, costing African some lives the others should come up with no cost of lives. That is before incumbents and oppositions leaders wait for such deterioration, they should maturely come to agreements, and form power sharing governments.

Once again bravo to the governments of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the opposition parties, their people and the two imminent African in the persons of Kofi Annan and Thabo Mbeki.