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Reliance praised for fulfilling pledges

Monday, February 11, 2008

Ousman Sonko, secretary of state for the Interior, has applauded Reliance Financial Services for taking banking services to the doorstep of all Gambian through its Kiosks and branches established in all corners of the country.

According to Secretary of State Sonko, Reliance Financial Services has fulfilled all their pledges made 13 months ago.

Speaking at the official inauguration of the institution’s new branch at Lamin market ,SoS Sonko said Reliance Financial Services is playing its part to boom the country’s economy with the provision of a wide range of banking services.

The Interior secretary of state noted that without access to capital, it will be difficult to overcome the challenges which are a pre-requisite to economic development.

” But it all starts with the cultivation of a very strong national savings culture and reliance certainly has provided this platform”. He then urged the market vendors to open accounts with Reliance Financial Services Kiosks, noting that with only a minimum of a hundred dalasis, one is legitimate to bank with the Kiosk.

For his part, Baboucarr Khan, chief executive officer of Reliance Financial Services said the installation of Kiosks at economic centres are part of his company’s national expansion strategy.

He emphasised the needs for banking services to be closer to the grassroot economic activity ventures, noting that such an opportunity will enables vendors to save their daily earnings from their small income generating activities. He advised vendors especially women to open account with the Kiosk so as to realized faster income generation.

Sainabou Faal, deputy governor of Wester Region, hailed the initiatives of Reliance Financial Services saying Lamin Kiosks is the third to be inaugurated in Western Region.

Other speakers included Ya Kaddy Sambou, president of Banjulinding Women’s Horticultural Garden and Mba Ara Jatta, president of Serrekunda Market Women Vendors.

Author: by Hatab Fadera

Urgent - KMC please explain!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The premises of the Daily Observer were invaded yesterday by an army of market vendors, about 50 of them.

They were visibly disgruntled, desperately in search of explanation from the authorities at the KMC. If their version of the issue is anything to go by, then KMC really owes not only these men and women, but the entire Gambian population an explanation for their purported one week notice-of-vacation.

This editorial piece is by no means an attempt to judge the Municipal Council, rather we are on the service of a desperate people, amplifying their wish for an explanation for a move that has broken their hope in life.

While we do not intend to make the issue sound beyond controllable level, we do believe that the manifestations of these vendors strongly depicted the seriousness they attach to it. And in order to pre-empt any attempt of distortion of the facts surrounding the saga, it is fitting that KMC explains clearly to the affected people, clearing all doubt.

The story goes that some ‘Sarahuleh money-man’ bought the place these men and women have been occupying for about ten years now. The angry looking vendors, mostly middle aged, would not understand why they should be given a notice of only one week to vacate a place they have known for this long, from where they have since been taking care of their families.

Another key but strategic demand of the vendors is that: “where do we go to if we leave this place?” And this, they say, neither the alleged new owner of the land, nor the KMC seem willing to answer. We are therefore appealing to the interim chairman of KMC to seek an amicable resolution to this problem.

Author: DO