The National Union of Gambia Students will on Saturday August 30th hold its 2nd handing over ceremony of leadership at the Joint Officer’s Mess in Kotu, Youth Forum can confirm.

The National Union of Gambia Students is the umbrella body tasked with the responsibility of uniting and defending the interests of students at the tertiary level. Formed in 2005 with a view to inculcating knowledge, discipline and a spirit of hard work among students through collective and conscious means.

Saturday’s historic event will begin at 3pm.

Gambia Transport Union President Resigns

Confirmed reports reaching the Point have it that Mr. Abdoulie B. Sosseh, President of the Gambia National Transport, Agricultural Food and Industrial Workers Union has resigned from his position as President of the union.

Mr. Sosseh, who succeeded the late Daddy Sowe as President of the Union in March this year is said to have tendered his resignation letter to the executive committee during an emergency meeting recently.

No official reason was made available to this paper as to his resignation but sources said that Mr. Sosseh’s resignation follows a disagreement with members of the executive of the union.

Mr. Sosseh, according to our sources was elected by the congress on the 12th March 2008 but could not agree with the executive members as to which direction the union was to be run.

In his resignation letter dated July 29th 2008, Mr. Sosseh said, “Certainly, I deem it prudent to check all angles in order to safe my integrity and impeccable reputation against any possible legal implications in the future”.

The letter added, “Nevertheless, I am pleased to give you my sincerest assurance that as the elected President of the union since the execution of the last congress on March 12th 2008, am now voluntarily relieving myself of all the responsibilities, honours and priviledges that come with the union portfolio of the union’s Presidency”.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Sosseh confirmed his resignation. However, efforts to talk to Mr. Amadou Bah, Secretary General of the union for comments prove futile.

“The African People have always resisted efforts to divide their countries by the colonialist, who aimed to divide the countries of the Continent into geographical regions into Black and White Africa and into Africa North of the Sahara and Africa South of the Sahara. They also tried to consolidate the reality of French Speaking Africa, English speaking Africa and Portuguese speaking Africa.

Inspired by all these efforts Africa has always maintained its unity and confirmed that in many announcements and Resolutions.” So says a media release from the Libyan People’s Bureau of the Great Socialist People’s Arab Jamahiriya in Banjul.

According to the release, the Sirte declaration issued on the 9/9/1999 had spelt out the insistence of African Leaders and heads of Governments on intensifying Unity, Solidarity and Integration among the people’s of Africa. African Leaders had also confirmed in the resolution No.-(107), validated by the Khartoum Summit and the Resolution No: (130) Validated by the Banjul Summit, that Africa is one and cannot accept division, partition or joining any part of it to another space or Continent except the African Continent.

“The Notion of one Africa is the one from the North to the South, from the East to the West. The one that avoids signing any agreement aiming at dividing the Continent,” the release states.

Africa has established co-operation with other spaces and groupings in the world like The African Arab Co-operation, the co-operation between the African Union and The European Union manifested in Cairo Summit in the year 2000, in the Lisbon Summit in 2007 and in the Third Summit between the two unions which is to be held in Libya.

On the other hand, it added, the co-operation has begun between Countries North of the Continent bordering the Mediterranean Sea and European Countries bordering the same sea. The Co-operation consists of many sectors like the eradication of pollution, protection of the environment and combat terrorism. This co-operation consists of five African Countries North of the Continent and they are: The Greta Jamahiriya, Morocco, Tunis, Algeria and Mauritania and Five European Countries which are: Italy, Malta, France, Spain and Portugal.

The French President Nicola Shakozy has made a proposal recently on what he called the Mediterranean Union of African and European Countries bordering Mediterranean Sea. It was agreed that the Mediterranean union should be expanded to include Egypt in the African Continent and Greece in the European continent. Germany and other European Countries opposed the said Proposal on the basis that it will divide the European Continent.

France has called for the expansion of the said Mediterranean Union to include the whole European union, including countries which have been nominated in Asia to join the (EU) and those countries don’t even share border with the Mediterranean sea. Many North African countries agreed on the French proposal. The constituent conference about the Mediterranean was held in pairs on the 13/ 7 /2008 and all member countries of the European Union attended it. Four countries in the North African Region participated in the conference which issued a declaration and called a union for the sake of the Mediterranean. The Great Jamahiriya did not participate and completely boycotted it for the following Reasons.

Her entire commitments to the Resolutions issued by the summit are: meeting of the Africa union and they are: resolution No(107) issued by the Khartoum summit and Resolution No (130) and validated by the Banjul summit. Understand that the concept of a union for the sake of Mediterranean will divide the African  continent  into African north  of the Sahara, Africa south of the Sahara , white Africa, Black Africa , and such  a  union will contain part of the  African territory  exposed to the centre of influence and  Domination.

This is to be made clear that Great Jamahiriya at a time welcomes and support co-operation between African and European Unions according to strategies commonly agreed on. She emphasises the necessity that Europe and other Countries of the world should deal with Africa as one geographic entity, human, political and cultural unit. “Africa will not accept any division, partition or integration of any part of it with any other space or groping. It will denounce any idea that ignores the reality that the African Continent is one unique space with a single political instrument of The African Union.”

It said that some African countries immediately expressed their reaction to the conference and many statements were issued from The President of The Republic of Togo, President of The Republic of Benin and President of the Republic of Madagascar. The Carbonise President Omar Bango said The Union for the Mediterranean was formed to destroy The African Union and its founders, and support those who are bent on distracting all efforts to develop Africa. The Senegalese President Abdoulie Wade criticised the union for the Mediterranean and said that it aims to disintegrate The African Union.

The Transport Union co-ordinator in Farafenni in the North Bank Region, Mr. Modou Cham, has said that many of the road accidents happening in the last few years have involved foreign drivers.

“Most of the accidents that occur in this area are found to involve foreign drivers many are from Serrekunda and many involve young people who are new to the system,” he said.

Mr. Cham made his comments in a recent interview with The Point.

According to Mr. Cham, who is also an advisor to the Farafenni civil Servants Association, the Transport Union was established in 2001 and since that time has realised a lot of achievements. He added that the union has been able to open an account for drivers’ welfare.

He then commended President Jammeh for the provision of the Rural Electricity Project and the road from Barra to Lamin Koto which he said has given life to their garage in Farafenni.

According to him, before it would take two days for a vehicle to drive from Lamin Koto to Barra but no in just three hours you are in Banjul.

He further stated that the union also participates in national development by providing conducive and reliable transport services.

He disclosed that they were very supportive of the Governor and National Assembly Members in the area by providing 75 Gele-Gele’s and 50 taxis to welcome President Jammeh during his recent tour.

He then advised all drivers to take their time when driving and to avoid racing or careless driving because their passengers lives are their number one priority.

The president of The Gambia National Transport Union, Alhagie Daddy Sowe, passed away last Tuesday and was laid to rest the following day at his hometown in Bakau.

Speaking to The Point, the secretary general of The Gambia Workers Union, Mr Ebrima Garba Cham, said the late Daddy Sowe founded the National Transport Union in 1963 which affiliated to Workers Union under the leadership of Jallow-Jallow. He further disclosed that Mr Sowe was also a founding member of the Workers Confederation in 1985, of which he was also the president. Mr Cham added that Mr Sowe also founded The Gambia Transport, Food and Agriculture Union in 1995, the Bakau Women’s garden and the Women’s Vegetable Garden and Market Association comprising 26 women, which he also headed.

Mr Cham revealed that the late Daddy Sowe was also a founding member of The Gambia National Trade Union Congress in 1996 of which he was the president and also helped start the formation of car parks and establishment of tariffs across the country, and was among the first taxi drivers in the country, initiated by Mam Mbye Jagne in the days of (Tanka–Tanka) in Banjul.Mr Cham further stated that the late Daddy Sowe was also a founding member of the National Transport Control Association in 1993 of which he [Sowe] was the president and also a member of the Port Labour Board.

Mr Sowe, according to his cousin Alhagie Badou Sowe, was the son of Dawda Sowe and was born at No. 63 Perseverance Street in Banjul. He started his school Education at St. Augustine’s Primary School and also attended Islamic Education Schools in Banjul. Upon completing his education, he joined The Gambia Police Force. He is survived by a wife and children and was aged 73.

Hon Fatoumatta, speaker of the National Assembly, accompanied by four parliamentarians will leave Banjul today for Zimbabwe as an African Union Observer to observe the forthcoming run-off election between President Robert Mugabe and Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Having observed so many elections around the continent, Hon Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay will no doubt have a successful mission in the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe despite fears of widespread violence.

Scheduled for the 27th of June, the second round presidential election comes on the heels of a disputed first round election in which opposition Morgan Tsvangirai was put ahead of President Mugabe, but not by enough votes to win outright.

Western observers were said to have been banned from the first round by Zimbabwe’s government, which accused them of bias, after they said there had been fraud in previous elections.

In his recent address to the UN food summit in Rome, Mr Mugabe said the west, led by the former colonial power in Zimbabwe, Britain, was plotting to effect “illegal regime change” against him

He defended Zimbabwe’s land reforms, saying he had “democratised” land ownership in the country, turning 300,000 previously landless families into landowners.

The MDC has frequently accused the government of denying food aid to opposition supporters, accusations denied by the authorities.

The Director of Media Agenda, Mr Madi Ceesay, on Sunday discussed the need for an all-African Union Government vis-à-vis relations with the rest of the world, especially the West. Mr Ceesay dwelt on the inherent advantages of a single government for the African continent, noting that it would accord the continent the necessary clout and independence to carry on its affairs.

“Who is there to oppose or frustrate us if we only have a cause to form an all-African Union Government? Can the industrialised nations do without our raw materials- or will they come running to us, as we have been running to them, for trade on equitable terms? What we lack today is courage and not wealth,” the Director of Media Agenda remarked during a press conference marking the celebrations of the African Liberation Day at the Tango office in Kanifing on Sunday.

Mr. Ceesay lamented that everywhere in Africa economies are crumbling, treasuries are being strained, as African states become client states with dwindling capacities to stand alone.

He however stressed that there could not be any meaningful liberation until Africans are ready to take the economic and political destiny of Africa into their own hands.

He quoted an October 1965 statement by late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in which he said: “ A united Africa is destined to be a great force in world affairs. So the battle has begun and we cannot disengage until the wishes and aspirations of our people have been met.” Mr. Ceesay expressed firm belief in the relevance of this statement, noting that it stands as valid today as it did some 43 years ago.

May 25th, he said, was set aside by African leaders for observation and self-examination.

Mr. Ceesay further stressed that if Africa is to survive politically and liberated it must unite. “It we want to survive in this cruel world, we have no choice but to form one government and one country. It can take 50 years, 100 years maybe 250 years but it doesn’t matter,” he said. He cited an example of the United States, which he said took over 200 years to be what it is today.

Mr. Amadou Taal of Worldview said that the day is being celebrated worldwide, including in the US and Europe. He however said that this year’s celebration happened at a time when the world is currently facing a serious food crisis because of which Africa is reeling the most. He said that we are still far from the 1963 targets.

The occasion was chaired by Mr.Ousman Yarboe, Director of Tango.

The members of the Mbaise Union in The Gambia have in recent days convened a general meeting and sworn in their newly elected executive members who will steer the affairs of the union for the next two years.

According to Engriz Nwaducke, who administered the oaths of office, the new leaders, who took over from Chief U.K. Emezie, came into office following a well-organised election.

The members elected to run the union are; Mr. China Ochuulor – Chairman, Mr. Mike Eze – Vice Chairman and Mr. Uche Mirikwe who was reelected as Treasurer.

In his short speech, Chief Alloy Ugob commended the members for their comportment as well as exercising a high sense of maturity and cooperation during and after the election. He finally wished the new executive well during their tenure serving the union.

Mr. Ochulo advised the union to be law abiding and hold up the rules of the union. He also called on others to join the union.

He also spoke about the union’s new project called ALMALAC, which aims to support education for needy students.

He finally promised to continue to take the union into the area of education so as to complement government efforts.