As part of their drive toward the development and promotion of small scale and medium size enterprise in The Gambia, Reliance Financial Services (RFS) recently inaugurated a new branch in Sukuta, Kombo North in Western Division.

In her inaugural speech, the Assistant Governor of the Western Division, Mrs. Sainabou Faal applauded the RFS for setting the structure in her region. She added that the building would enable the people of Sukuta and its environs to save their money with RFS. She urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the facility.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary of State for Interior, Mr. Buba Sanyang, the Director of the Gambian Immigration Office said that the initiative is very central to the government’s development agenda. He stated that the Gambian government efforts, under the leadership President Jammeh, to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing poverty by 50% by the year 2015 is unparalleled.

“Sukuta is a very economically active and strategic location within the Western Division. At the heart of the economic development agenda are the small and medium scale enterprises in an around Sukuta,” Mr. Sanyang said.

For his part the National Assembly Member for Kombo North, Hon. Adama Cham, appealed to the people of Sukuta to save their money with RFS and he urged them to cooperate with the management and staff of RFS in order to realise their dreams and aspirations.

Modou Cham, the Alkalo of Sukuta and Ba-Ara Jatta both expressed similar sentiments.

The Manager of Gampost Brikama branch, Mrs. Fatou Badjie, on Wednesday, 21st May appeared at the Brikama Magistrates Court before Magistrate John Njie.  Mrs. Badjie testified in the ongoing 46 Pound Sterling theft case involving an ex-employee of Gampost office in Brikama, Mr. Amadou Fofana, the defendant and Abdou Touray, the complainant. 

Before a crowded courtroom, Mrs. Badjie stated that while she was at her office, she heard a noise in the office. She said that upon leaving her office to see what the matter was, she found the complainant complaining that he was supposed to receive a parcel but was yet to despite the fact that he had the slip bearing the notice for him to receive a parcel. According to Mrs. Badjie, she found out that when Mr Touray asked Mr. Fofana about the parcel, the latter said that he couldn’t find the parcel. 

She told the court that the slip is the first document that a customer should show to Gampost before receiving anything from the office, noting that Mr. Fofana is responsible for all incoming and outgoing mails.

During cross-examination the defendant denied that he was responsible for all mails going in and out.  He also stated that there was no restriction to access the sorting room and that even the Manager had access to it. 

The defendant is standing trial for allegedly stealing a parcel containing 46 Pound Sterling at the Gampost branch in Brikama.

Some members of the public believed to be customers of Bayba Financial services yesterday stormed the money transfer office located at Westfield. The apparently desperate and angry-looking customers were reported to have been enraged by an undue delay in the receipt of monies remitted to them from abroad by relatives and friends.

Following an investigation mounted by this reporter from a rowdy melee of customers screaming their displeasure over how unfairly the money transfer bureau had been treating them, one protester after another complained that Bayba had already received their money but has in turn failed in paying out to customers. Some expressed the fear that the bureau does not have sufficient funds to pay their customers, consequently leading to late payments.

In a bid to get the official version of the problem, this reporter tracked down the Branch Supervisor in the office. The Supervisor posited that they had already sent for money to be able to make payments but added that the money was not yet in hand. She further dismissed the allegations made against them by their clients.

Sheriff Jobe of Kotu, one of the customers, pointed out that the gravity of the situation called for intervention from the Central Bank of The Gambia. He said that much of the monies remitted from abroad are to facilitate living expenses and other family welfare matters. Mr Jobe further accused the financial bureau of gross negligence for not ensuring quick payment of customers’ monies. He warned that if Bayba fails to desist from what he called improper services by giving flimsy excuses, they risk losing the patronage of a lot of customers since they could not tolerate undue delays when they have medical bills to settle for sick people at hospital.

Mr. Jobe therefore called on the bureau to strive to maintain trust.

Mr. Nyonkoling Kuyateh, another furious customer, remonstrated with the bureau for what he termed poor services.

There is no gainsaying that Comium Gambia Limited is growing in leaps and bounds in The Gambia’s mobile telephone industry. This is as a result of the opening of yet another new branch by the company in Sukuta, Kombo north.

Comium has, since its inception some nine months ago, been able to maintain a fast rate of subscriber growth and very high quality of services and is no doubt setting the pace in The Gambia’s mobile industry.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Haruna Drammeh, a member of the Comium family, said the opening of the new branch in Sukuta would not only support and promote the welfare of their customers in Sukuta but also the entire Kombo North constituency.

Mr. Drammeh noted with pride that Comium would continue to contribute immensely to the success of its customers.

“Since joining the mobile industry nine months ago, Comium has been offering and will continue to offer services with a difference that are acclaimed by most users as being second to none”, he added.

Also speaking earlier, Alhagie Momodou Cham, Alkalo of Sukuta expressed appreciation to Comium for the initiative; adding that the facility would greatly aid Comium customers in Sukuta and its surrounding villages. He prayed for unity peace and stability to prevail in Sukuta and The Gambia at large.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Sulay Jah, who expressed appreciation to the people of Sukuta for their hospitality and kindness towards Comium staff.

The Secretary of State for the Interior, Ousman Sonko, recently presided over the inauguration ceremony of Reliance Financial Services’ new branch in Lamin Village, Kombo North in the Western Region.

In his speech, Mr. Sonko said it is part of Reliance’s expansion strategy and objectives to take banking to the doorstep of every Gambian community.

He revealed that Reliance’s initiative will work through the use of kiosks and branches and will play a central role in the Government’s decentralisation plans and, at the same time, reduce the ever present rural urban drift. This drift he described as detrimental to the over all development agenda of The Gambia.

“Basic economic theory tells us that saving will lead to investment which in turn will lead us to job and wealth creation. This cycle will contribute greatly to national development,” Mr. Sonko said.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Officer of Reliance Financial Services, Mr. Baboucarr Khan, said the aims and objectives of the bank are to build more branches and also provide quality banking services to local communities in The Gambia.

He expressed optimism that they will do their level best to supply their customers with a quality banking service.

For her part, the Assistant Governor of the Western Region Mrs. Sainabou Faal expressed her appreciation to Reliance Financial Services for their initiative saying the facility will help the people of Lamin and those in its environs.

She urged the people of Lamin and its surrounding villages to make good use of the facility.

The inauguration ceremony was witnessed by Alkalo’s, Chiefs and a cross-section of the community.
 

The KM branch of the Gambia Red Cross Society over the weekend elected its executive members for a fresh mandate of three years.

The election, held at KMC Chambers on Saturday, brought together members of Red Cross Society from all the constituencies in the Kanifing Municipality. Momodou Bah, the erstwhile vice chairman had been elected chairman whilst Omar Badjie was elected as vice chairman and Mr. Pa Saikou Manneh was returned as the treasurer.

Meanwhile, the executive is the highest decision-making body responsible for the conduct of the branch as well as the approval of proposals brought forward by the branch youth executive committee.

Shortly after the elections, the newly-elected executive members swore to live up to expectations by squaring up to the responsibilities as may be required, calling for a maximum co-operation from  BYEC and the volunteers for the smooth execution of their mandate.

Honourable Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, Saturday officially inaugurated the Reliance Financial kiosk at the Albert market in Banjul at a ceremony held at the market.

The Albert market kiosk is the seventh outlet that Reliance Financial Services has established in its eight month of operation in the Gambia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay said that the inauguration of the kiosk is a manifestation of a fulfilled promise of taking banking to the door steps of every Gambian. She added that, the initiative is central to government’s development agenda under President Jammeh, who is resolved to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty by 50% by the year 2015.

The National Assembly Speaker pointed out that the inaugurated kiosk is of great significance to not only the Banjulians, but to the entire nation since the market serve as a central commercial centre. “The inaugurated kiosk is not only a savings outlet but, also a micro-credit outlet which a small and medium entrepreneur can benefit enormously from. I therefore would strongly encourage each and every one, especially women, to open and operate an account with the kiosk without further delay in a bid to realise your long dreams of accumulating wealth, accessing credit facilities that you require and deserve,” she urged.

While commending Reliance Financial Services for being pro-active and responsive to the needs of market vendors, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay challenged the stakeholders of the market to patronise the kiosk and make it more successful within the shortest possible time in a bid to enable them convert it into a full fledge branch.

Baboucarr Khan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Reliance Financial Services said, the Albert market kiosk which is approved by the Central Bank of The Gambia, is part of his company’s national expansion strategy and objective of taking banking services to the doorstep of every Gambian community.

According to him, the initiative is to enable the market stakeholders to save their daily earnings internally in the market. He revealed that, with a hundred dalasis, a passport photo size, an identity or voters card, a vendor can start operating an account.

He then assured the vendors of his company’s commitment to provide security personnel.

For her part, Mam Sai Njie Sanneh, Acting Mayoress of Banjul City Council (BCC), advised market vendors to operate an account and save their daily earnings with the kiosk.

Alhagie Musa Baba Leigh, Chairman of the market committee, who spoke on behalf of the vendors, expressed similar sentiments.

The ceremony was attended by National Assembly members, elders of Banjul, and a cross section of market vendors.

Honourable Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, Saturday officially inaugurated the Reliance Financial kiosk at the Albert market in Banjul at a ceremony held at the market.

The Albert market kiosk is the seventh outlet that Reliance Financial Services has established in its eight month of operation in the Gambia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay said that the inauguration of the kiosk is a manifestation of a fulfilled promise of taking banking to the door steps of every Gambian. She added that, the initiative is central to government’s development agenda under President Jammeh, who is resolved to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty by 50% by the year 2015.

The National Assembly Speaker pointed out that the inaugurated kiosk is of great significance to not only the Banjulians, but to the entire nation since the market serve as a central commercial centre. “The inaugurated kiosk is not only a savings outlet but, also a micro-credit outlet which a small and medium entrepreneur can benefit enormously from. I therefore would strongly encourage each and every one, especially women, to open and operate an account with the kiosk without further delay in a bid to realise your long dreams of accumulating wealth, accessing credit facilities that you require and deserve,” she urged.

While commending Reliance Financial Services for being pro-active and responsive to the needs of market vendors, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay challenged the stakeholders of the market to patronise the kiosk and make it more successful within the shortest possible time in a bid to enable them convert it into a full fledge branch.

Baboucarr Khan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Reliance Financial Services said, the Albert market kiosk which is approved by the Central Bank of The Gambia, is part of his company’s national expansion strategy and objective of taking banking services to the doorstep of every Gambian community.

According to him, the initiative is to enable the market stakeholders to save their daily earnings internally in the market. He revealed that, with a hundred dalasis, a passport photo size, an identity or voters card, a vendor can start operating an account.

He then assured the vendors of his company’s commitment to provide security personnel.

For her part, Mam Sai Njie Sanneh, Acting Mayoress of Banjul City Council (BCC), advised market vendors to operate an account and save their daily earnings with the kiosk.

Alhagie Musa Baba Leigh, Chairman of the market committee, who spoke on behalf of the vendors, expressed similar sentiments.

The ceremony was attended by National Assembly members, elders of Banjul, and a cross section of market vendors.