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Spotlight on Momodou O. Njie, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Energy

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:34:03 GMT

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Hello and a warm welcome to yet another amusing edition of Personality of the Week, your weekly column aimed at bringing prominent Gambian top notches and achievers into the limelight.

As stated in our previous editions, this column has and will continue to bring you profiles of the giants in today’s Gambia.

In today’s edition, we bring you the profile of a man who needs no introduction in today’s Gambia. He is a successful man, an erudite civil servant who is today one of the most respectful citizens in the Gambian society. He is Momodou O. Njie, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Energy.

He began his journey into the business world from scratch climbing through the ladder, which has undoubtedly toughened him for life.

Having served in various positions in and outside the Gambia, this man has today positioned himself where every other serious minded citizen would love to be, achieving success in many different fronts. He has become a shining example of selfless service to humanity.

Having had his secondary education here in The Gambia he entered Viken FolkehogskoleGyovik in Norway and came out with diploma in Media and Public Relations. He continued at Gelmmen Videngeade Skole, Fredickstard in Norway where in obtained a diploma in Graphic and Media Communications in 1979. From there he continued at BellevueCommunity College in Washington in the United States of America and came out with A.A. after which worked at with University of Washington Teaching Assistance from 1982 to 1984, where he assists in the planning and co-ordinating of the Wollof Language at the Department of AFRO-AMERICAN studies, lecture and participated in the yearly programme. He was responsible for planning all programmes.

In 1984 Mr. Njie’s passion in the pursuit of education remained unabated. He entered University of Washington and flew out with B.A in Political Science.

From 1984 to 1986 he worked with Atlanta Neighbourhood Housing Service as Economic Development Specialist.

From 1986 to 1988 he worked as an Administrative Clerk at the AtlantaUniversity.

Whiles working he enrolled in AtlantaUniversity and obtained a M.P.A in Human Resources Management in 1987.

From 1987 to 1990 he worked with Amoco Inc. as Assistance Manager before moving to Kroger as Customer Service Manager.

In 1993 Mr. Njie returned to The Gambia to contribute his quota in nation building, as he always say “Home is dearer”.

From 1993 to 1994 he took up appointment with Mass Sosseh Shipyard as Administrative Manager. From 1994 to 1996 he was appointed as Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government and Lands. Because of his dedication coupled with a high sense of dignity and commitment to duty he was appointed by the Secretary General as Secretary to the Task Force on Discipline and Punctuality from 1995 to 1996.

In 1996 he was appointed as Secretary to the Commission of inquiry on Public Corporations where he served until 1999. From 1998 to 1999 he was Acting Senior Assistant Secretary, responsible of routine administrative cadre, Desk Officer for Immigration and Prisons matters at the Department of State for the Interior. He was also responsible of issuance of Passports, Secretary to the Prison Visiting Committee and the Counterfeit Currency Board and Secretary to the National Task Force on Security Sensitisation. He was moved in 1999 to the Department of State for Tourism and Culture as Senior Assistant Secretary up to before moving to the Department of State for Agriculture. In August 2000 he moved to the Office of the President as Senior Personnel Officer and later moved to the Department of State for Fisheries, Natural Resources and the Environment as Principal Assistant Secretary until 2005. From 2005 to 2008 he was the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Forestry and Environment. Mr. Njie is currently the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Energy.

He had received Meritorious Services Award, University of Washington in 1984. Awarded for Academic Excellence in 1983.

The Office of the Minority Affairs, University of Washington also awarded him as the Outstanding Minority, in 1984.

Author: Abba Gibba & Babucarr Senghore

Source: Picture: Momodou O. Njie (Permanent Secretary Department of State for Energy)

NEPAL: Bhutanese refugees find new life beyond the camps

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:49:56 GMT

Saturday, November 22, 2008

KATHMANDU Monday, November 10, 2008 (IRIN) - Thousands of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal have been successfully resettled in seven countries, including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Canada, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).The refugees are Bhutanese citizens of Nepalese origin, (http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77513) known as Lhotsampas in Bhutan. For the past 17 years, nearly 106,000 refugees have been sheltered in seven camps in eastern...

Source: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=81374

INDONESIA: Mixed progress on MDGs

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:49:07 GMT

Saturday, November 22, 2008

JAKARTA Wednesday, November 05, 2008 (IRIN) - Indonesia is on track to achieve the goal of halving the number of citizens living in abject poverty and hunger by 2015, a joint government-UN report, Let's Speak Out for MDGs, stated. But the report, detailing Indonesia's latest progress in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), revealed the country had made little progress in providing safe drinking water, reducing maternal mortality, improving child nutrition or tackling several...

Source: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=81307

SOMALIA: Hostility rises in Hargeisa after suicide bombings

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:47:33 GMT

Saturday, November 22, 2008

HARGEISA Monday, November 10, 2008 (IRIN) - Somalis displaced to the self-styled independent republic of Somaliland from other parts of the Horn of Africa country have faced increasing hostility after three suicide bombing incidents in late October. Reports of criminal incidents targeting non-Somaliland Somalis in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital, have prompted Interior Minister Abdillahi Ismail Irro to call for restraint. "I am calling on Somaliland citizens not to harm or take aggressive...

Source: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=81385

What’s Wrong with NAWEC?

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:13:18 GMT

Monday, November 17, 2008

Now and again, consumers are billed heavily for electric and water consumption. These bills sometimes run very high so much so that consumers who are unable to settle their bills usually have their metres disconnected. When this happens, which is often, they run from pillar to post to have their metres restored. In return for their heavy bills, citizens expect to be given excellent services.

But this is not usually the case. Power outage is frequent, yet electric bills and water rates are astronomical. The reasoning is that NAWEC is not getting enough to meet its mounting costs. Sometime ago, it was even said that NAWEC was not able to meet its obligations to the public because consumers defaulted in settling of bills. But we now have cause to disbelieve this premise. Three NAWEC staffstand accused for alleged financial impropriety. They are Yaya Gibba (D190, 320); Ansu Jarju (D119, 255); and Abdoulie Jane (D211, 976.13). It is a case of the enemy within being more insidious that one outside. If consumers are paying their bills, and there are NAWEC staff allegedly feed fat on these bills, then NAWEC will always flounder. All of the money was not allegedly taken at a go. It was allegedly pilfered over time. It is an indication of a larger problem at NAWEC.

Could there have been some form of collusion somewhere? We think the public would like to know why it is so easy to dip one’s hands into the coffers of NAWEC for such a long time without being caught?

As the trial goes on, we suggest that there should be a simultaneous audit at NAWEC to get to the bottom of how its revenue is being used or misused.

As for the trial, we leave that for the court to decide. But for the audit, we want to see it happening right now. We believe that is the only way we can get rid of this rot that has set in at NAWEC. If there are more people found wanting in any respect, they must be brought before the law to prove their innocence. There should be no sacred cows in the course of this exercise. The Gambian people deserve a better deal.

No American Participation in Great Run

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Sunday, November 16, 2008

The US Embassy in Addis Abeba has advised its staff and citizens to shy away from the increasingly popular, biggest annual road race to take place next Sunday, November 23, 2008, in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.

Source: http://www.addisfortune.com/No American Participation in Great Run.htm

New Market Inaugurated in Sanyang

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:02:56 GMT

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Secretary for State for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, Ismaila Sambou, recently presided over the inauguration of the new market in Sanyang in Kombo South.

In his speech Secy. Sambou said that the government is ready to provide for the needs of the nation’s citizens. He called on people to pay their taxes on time so that the council can bring more development to the Western Region.

For his part, the chairman of Brikama Area Council, Sunkany Badji, expressed the council’s readiness to provide for the basic needs of the people of the region and urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the new structure.

Speaking earlier, the chief of Kombo South, Alhagie Sheriff Ajeh Janneh, commended Brikama Area Council for the construction of the structure and also commended the government for improving the lives of Gambians.

The market was funded by Brikama Area council to the tune of over one million Dalasi’s.

Author: Lamin Darboe

ACDHR trains journalists, CSOs

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:28:31 GMT

Thursday, October 16, 2008

The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) The Gambia office and ActonAid The Gambia, has organised a three-day capacity building training workshop for journalists and civil society organisations in The Gambia at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi.

The three-day training, which kicked-off yesterday, was meant to enhance popular civic participation of citizens in all decision making processes, especially in matters affecting their lives.

The forum is expected to showcase presentations of different papers covering a wide range of human rights and human development issues, especially on women, children, political and economic developments.

Mrs Hannah Forster, executive director of The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), speaking at the opening ceremony, expressed a deep sense of gratitude to the UNDP for sponsoring the training workshop. She equally thanked the media practitioners and civil society organisations for responding to their call.

The ACDHRS boss spoke at length on the role of media practitioners, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisation (NGOs. She emphasised the need for people to acquaint themselves with laws, treaties, conventions and declarations, especially the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Protocol on Women Rights.

Alhagie Cham, permanent secretary at the Department of State for Communication, Information and Information Technology, who deputised for SoS Fatim Badjie-Janneh, described the role of the media and civil society organisations as very crucial to national development. He emphasised the need for capacity building of media practitioners and civil society organisations.

The PS, on behalf of the SoS for Communication, Information and Information Technology, assured the gathering of his office’s open door policies and readiness to work with the media and the civil society organisations.

For his part, Basiru Jahumpa, head of the Capacity Building Project at the UNDP - The Gambia office, on behalf of the UNDP resident representative in The Gambia, expressed his office’s readiness to build the capacities of civil society organisations, especially media practitioners.

"We want to ensure that every media house in the country is well capacitated even in the absence of the conventional journalism school. We want them to be equipped and trained to perform their roles effectively," he said .

Pa Modou Faal, who stood in for Ndey Tapha Sosseh, president of The Gambia Press Union (GPU), assured organisers and participants of the GPU’s resolve to work with partners in national development. He also gave a brief overview of the role of journalists in any give society.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Musu Sonko, who represented the director general of TANGO, Ousman Yabo.

Mariatou Ngum & Amadou Jallow contributed to this story.

Author: by Sanna Jawara

KMC launches Community Police Task Force Committee

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:45:11 GMT

Friday, October 10, 2008

The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), in collaboration with the Gambia Police Force (GPF), yesterday, launched a Divisional Community Police Task Force within the Kanifing Municipal Council, at a ceremony held on the KMC ground.

The task force which comprises of eleven committees is aimed at establishing the Divissional Community Policing Task force and to promote and strengthen the spirit of peaceful co-existence between the police and the communities.

The initiative is also meant to engage and make use of community participation towards solving problems within communities, especially crime and related criminal activities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Yankuba Kolley, the Mayor of KMC, spoke at length on the importance of community policing. He described the new project as wonderful, coming at the right time, considering the rate of crime and other related criminal activities in the country, especially within the MKC, being one of the biggest councils in The Gambia.

The KMC Mayor then expressed gratitude to the GPF for initiating the project.

Abdoulie Sanyang, chief executive officer of the Kanifing Municipal Council, described the work of the police as a noble and excellent profession, adding that it is the duty and responsibility of both the police and the community to ensure safety and peace in communities.

“It is the duty and responsibility of all citizens to ensure and maintain peaceful existence and crime free society. The police and the community has to work hand in glove to maintain peace and order in communities. The police cannot do it all alone but people have to help them achieve their goals for making The Gambia a total crime free country," he said.

Pa Habibu Mbye, the newly elected chairman of the community policing, emphasised the need for both the community and police to work closely for the maintenance of peace and order in communities.

Sireh Jabang, Officer Commanding Community policing, also spoke at the ceremony.

Author: DO

No to homosexuality

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:18:39 GMT

Friday, August 01, 2008

Editor,

Kindly allow me space in your widely read newspaper to air my views regarding homosexuality. This practice is becoming rampant and this is the right time for us to put a halt to it. As President Alhajie Dr Yahya A.J.J Jammeh has rightly said, we should never allow such acts, and anybody caught practicing them should be dealt with seriously.

I think it is the responsibility of all patriotic citizens, especially landlords, to stop harboring such people in society. Almost all of us were born either as Muslims or Christians. What does this show? That we are people with faith; so I don’t see any reason why we should practice things that are not compatible with our religions, culture and ethics.

Moreover, we need to eradicate such acts for the betterment of our country, more precisely the next generation. Such acts reward us nothing but retardation and backwardness. We are all here for a mission, and to have a successful mission we need a clear vision to lead us to the right path.

Therefore any rational person with a clear vision will not practice such acts, as even irrational animals like dogs don’t practice such. So why should we, humans, be homosexuals?

SambujangMarreh

UTG

Author: DO