Following announcement of the date of by-elections in a handful of constitutions, the Independent Electoral Commission has issued a release, announcing the declaration on results of nomination in the local government by-election in Misera Ward, Basse Area Council.

The release announced Mr Ganna Camara as having been duly nominated, on the ticket of the APRC party, for the position of councillor for Misera.

This, the release further stated, had been done in accordance with Section 52 of Decree 78 of 1996. It went on to say that in accordance with Section 53 (1) A, Alhaji Mustapha L Carayol, chairman of the Commission, therefore declared Mr Ganna Camara unopposed, and therefore duly elected to the position of Councillor for Misera Ward in the Basse Area Council, on 13th October, 2008.

Mr. Ganna Camara is the new councillor for Misera Ward in the Basse Area Council.

According to a press release issued the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Mr. Camara was duly nominated through the APRC party but ran unopposed and therefore duly elected as the new councillor of Misera Ward.

The election was held Tuesday, 13 October 2008.

Mr. Ganna Camara replaces Mr. Sedia Jatta who resigned as councillor of the ward some three months ago.

It could be recalled that Mr. Jatta won the last councillor elections on an independent ticket.

Seedy Jatta, the councillor for Missera in Sandu District, Upper River Region, has resigned as the local representative of the ward, according to reports reaching the Daily Observer.

According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Mr Jatta’s resignation took effect on 31st August, 2008.

Meanwhile, in accordance with Section 23 of the Local Government Act 2002, the IEC will conduct a by-election to fill the vacancy.

“The general public is hereby informed that a by-election will be conducted on Thursday, 23rd October, 2008 to fill the said vacant councilor seat,” the IEC announced in a dispatch signed by the IEC chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Carayol.

Kumba Barry Bah the head of the Yai compins in Sinchu Baliya has been appointed Kombo North women councillor . She replaced Mariatou Suwareh whose term of office ends this year.

The selection brought together two women representatives from 32 villages in Kombo North District who met at the office of the Paramount Chief in Lamin village.

In an interview with the Daily Observer, shortly after her selection,  Kumba Barry Bah thanked the people of Kombo North District for the confidence and trust they bestowed on her. She assured the people of Kombo North that she will measure up to expectation.

Kumba Barry Bah who is a strong APRC supporter also called on her party militants to rally behind the party leader, President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh.

She also thanked Paramount Chief Demba Sanyany for all his endeavours in uniting the people of Kombo North.

As BAC councillors take oath

Lamin Waa Juwara, leader of the opposition NDAM party and nominated councillor of the Brikama Area Council, has impored his fellow council members to be committed and upright in discharging their duties.

Recently sworn in as nominated councillor in the Brikama Area Council, Mr Juwara called on his colleagues to be committed to their work and to discharge their duties in  accordance with the local government act and the constitution of The Gambia, irrespective of party affiliation.

The former Dankunku NAM made these remarks in a recent  interview with journalists shortly after the BAC councillors’ swearing-in ceremony.

Politics had come and gone, Juwara said, calling on all councillors and the entire Gambian populace to focus on the  common good and progress of The Gambia. “The only thing that should be paramount to everyone now is The Gambia,” he said.
 
Juwara urged his fellow councillors to discharge their duties, responsibilities and functions as expected of them.

"I know that many on the side of the opposition will be whispering that the President’s decision to appoint me in the council is based on politics," Juwara noted, but added that those holding such a belief or notion would be nursing wrong perception, as he very well knew that his appointment by the President was as a result of his “capability and long history of working in the local government system”.

“It is worthless to decline the offer of serving one’s own country,” he further remarked, saying his acceptance of the appointment was borne out of patriotism and dedication to work for the development of The Gambia.

According to him, one should not ask what his or her country should do for them, while quoting President Kennedy; rather one should ask him or herself what they should do for their country.

He then called on his fellow councillors to close ranks and get ready to work hard to uplift the council from where it was and to deliver as expected by the people of their various wards.

Editor,

Please allow me space to express how proud I feel about recent development in the Gambia. This man, President Jammeh, has confirmed to the entire Gambian people and indeed the whole world, that he is truly in to safeguard Gambia and Gambianness, and by extension, Africanness.

The re-establishment of a Paramount chief of the Gambia is indeed a historic endeavour, for which the president will ever remain remembered as a champion of the African heritage. This move sets the pace for the inclusion of all the relevant pre-colonial African institutions the imperialist establishment suppressed. Real people’s power emanates from the grassroot.

I therefore wish to re-echo the point that there is the need for collaboration between all the stake holders in every chiefdom:  the National Assembly member, the chief, the councillor, and all those that matter, in order for us to attain our goals.

And to the man of the day, Paramount Chief Demba Sanyang, I say congratulations. You have made yourself a place in the history books of the Gambia. I have no doubt that your past record must have earned you the President’s trust as his choice for this very important position. I do hope that you will vindicate his noble decision.

Long live the Gambia, long live our President!                       
                                                                                        
Lamin Jarju
Lamin Village

Following the ruling APRC party’s resounding victory in the just concluded local government elections, the councillor elect for Kaur Ward Mr. Mamat Mbye, the campaign committee under the leadership of Mr Momodou Dodou Jarjusey, Chief and National Assembly Member, lower Saloum and the Divisional women mobiliser have commended President Jammeh for the support rendered to them during the campaign period.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Point Mr Mbye extended his gratitude to the entire electorate of Kaur Ward and all well wishers in Lower Saloum, the Government of Central River Region Ganjie Touray, Chief of Lower Saloum Ali Touray and Hon. Kebba Touray of lower saloum district for their unflinching support during the campaign period.

Mr Mbye also thanked Garage Kaur car parts, Alhagie Janneh and Mr Baboucarr Loum of Farafenni customs, Mrs Ndey Njie former National Assembly for Lower Saloum and Mrs Agie Yatteh Faye, Divisional women mobiliser.

“I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cherno Touray Gambian Ambassador to Guinea Bissau, Alhagie Sainey Mbye manager saloum security firm, the Upper Saloum campaign committee Omar Touray, Gambia Ports Authority Mamat Jobe, Soma Customs Ndogal Ceesay, Abdoulie Boye and all the green boys and girls of Lower Saloum,” Mr Mbye added.

He further went on to thank the campaign team of Ballanghar, the Alkalo’s and Yai compins and all youth leaders in Kaur Alhagie Baboucarr Noha, Jimbala village Mrs Amie Faye women Bureau and Councillor Lower Saloum and the entire campaign committee of Upper Saloum under the leadership of Chief Malick Mbye and Hon. Sainey Mbye desk officer Central River Region for their support. 

Campaigning for the Local Government elections are in high gears in Western Region with the ruling APRC gaining the momentum from the reaction of the electorates. Following the intensity of the campaign trail, the independent candidate in the Kusamai Ward Yunus Gibba, made a u-turn and withdrew from the race.

In an interview with the Daily Observer, Famara Badjie, a strong APRC stalwart in Brikama Nyambai, said Nyambai Ward will for ever rally behind President Jammeh and the APRC party.

According to him, Nyambai has track record of being an APRC dominated ward. Outlining the achievements of the incumbent councillor, Lamin Haja Bojang in the last five years, the outspoken APRC stalwart, Badjie, said Nyambai Ward under the leadership of their councillor and in collaboration with The Gambia Aid Foundation in Holland, facelifted the Brikama Health Centre (BHC) by building a maternity ward and a borehole for them. “With the help of Mr Bojang and the Nyambai Ward everything is in place at the BHC.

If elected councillor, of which I have no doubt, more developments will come. With APRC, for development, the sky is the limit. I call on all and sundry in Nyambai to massively vote for Lamin Haja Bojang on January 24, 2008,” Mr Badjie concluded.

... as councillor and mayoral elections near

The IEC recently concluded a two-day training of trainers for the January 24 Local Government elections, on January 12-13, at the GTMI conference hall.

Mr Malleh Sallah, vice chairman of the IEC, in his opneing remarks, stated that everybody is aware of the apparent fact that Local Government elections are as important as both presidential and national assembly elections so these elections should be conducted with all needed seriousness.

“This is why we are here today on this interactive training to develop knowledge, skills and attitude through a learning process, so as to be equipped for effective performance on election day,” he noted.

In his overview of the training course, Mr Joseph Colley, the director of training and communication of the IEC, said that after this training session, they expect every participant to be qualified so as to be able to handle their tasks effectively.

He advised the course participants to be mature and careful with the way they handle politicians and voters.

He further added that the training course will emphasise appointment and deployment, conducting the polls and counting of ballots.

The training program involved representatives from all the political parties in The Gambia.

Sheriff  S Sarr, the APRC-selected candidate for Old Jeshwang Ward in the forthcoming local government elections slated for January 24, 2008, has  pledged to facelift his ward should he be elected by the people of Old Jeshwang.

Mr Sarr who is contesting the said seat for the first time said he will work hand in hand with the Kanifing Municipality to construct a standard community market for the women of Old Jeshwang.,

“The refuse collection, the rehabilitation of roads and drainage systems are  my priority. I believe that if I am elected councillor, the problems of my ward will be history, God willing,” he said.

The 37-year old pledged to provide milling machines and  street taps for the communities  of Old Jeshwang. He said he is development oriented, adding that he will set up a committee, which will comprise youths from Old Jeshwang and Kanifing Estate to spearhead development programmes of the ward.

Mr Sarr is a high school graduate  and has a diploma in accounting, business management, administration and building construction.