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Antwerp Banjul Challenge Donates to Batokunda Village

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:58:14 GMT

Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Antwerp Banjul Challenge recently donated an ambulance to the community of Batokunda in the Kombo South district of the Western Region.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the ward councillor for Kartong Ward, Lamin Jambang Jammeh, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the ambulance.

For his part, the Alkalo of Batokunda Village, Fafa Jatta, expressed his appreciation to the donors for their generous gesture which he said will contribute greatly to the development of the village.

He described the donation as timely and assured the donors that the ambulance will be put to the best possible use.

Author: Lamin Darboe

Football Administrative Course Underway

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:59:46 GMT

Monday, November 03, 2008

A three-day football administrative course is underway at KunkujangVillage in Kombo South District of Western Region. The three-day course is organised and sponsored by the Kunkujang Sports Development Association KSDA and the course brought together 20 participants within the village.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the president of Kunkujang Sports Development Association, Mr Lamin Sambou, said that the course has been organised to equip the participants with skills and new techniques in sports administration.

Author: Lamin Darboe

New Gunjur Alkalo to be Inaugurated Sunday

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:36:32 GMT

Friday, October 31, 2008

This Sunday will see the official inauguration ceremony of the new Alkalo of Gunjur Village in Kombo South Alhagie Sulayman Touray, alias Parding Sulu.

Speaking to The Point, a senior member of the village elder’s council, Alhagie Sheikh Saibani Cham, said that the day will be an historic one because it will see great displays of customs and traditional systems. He said that the new Alkalo was the people’s choice as he had been persuaded by many of them to take the position. He further called on the people of the village to come out in large numbers to mark the occasion.

The new Alkalo asked the people to be calm and keep things to a low profile and to help and guide him in doing his job correctly.

Many people, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their readiness to grace the occasion and work with the new Alkalo for the good of the village and the nation at large.

Author: Alieu Jabang

Youth Arraigned in Court for Theft

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:21:20 GMT

Friday, October 31, 2008

One Ebrima Faal was recently arraigned before Magistrate Pa-Harry Jammeh on a charge of stealing.

According to the statement of offence on or about 25th September 2008 at Farato Village the accused allegedly stole the following items a wallet containing D500, 000, one radio valued at D125, an ID Card among others being the property of one Samba Kebbeh.

When the charge sheet was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty.

There he was urged by the court to produce his birth certificate and the case was deferred as a result of that.

Author: Abdoulie Nyockeh & Lamin Darboe

UGANDA: Displaced first by war, now by elephants

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:00:04 GMT

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Marauding elephants in northern Uganda have added to the challenges faced by civilians trying to rebuild their lives in the wake of 20 years of civil war, destroying their crops and prompting some to return to displaced people’s (IDP) camps they had only recently left.

"The villagers are scared of the elephants; some of them have sought refuge in huts they had left in the [IDP] camps," John Bosco Okullo, a local leader in Amuru District told IRIN.

Most affected are hundreds of returnees from six IDP camps - Goma, Anaka, Purongo, Ongako, Corner Nwoya, and Aler, all in Amuru District - whose crops have also been eaten by wildebeest roaming the villages in search of water and pasture.

Some of the returnees have had narrow escapes from attacks by wildebeest competing for the same land that the villagers are returning to.

Jackson Lukwiya, 78, from Koch village, said his 10 hectares of bananas had been destroyed by elephants.

"A few days ago a man was thrashed beyond recognition by a charging calving elephant that had strayed into the village; we are worried," Lukwiya said.

He said some families were now commuting from IDP camps to cultivate their land for fear of being killed.

Earlier this year, a group of people were attacked by elephants crossing the main Koch-Lalworodwong village road in Alero village. The elephants also trampled on a bicycle belonging to one of those attacked, Lukwiya said.

Local leaders have vowed to kill the elephants marauding in the area.

Okullo said: "We shall organise the community to send back the elephants if the concerned authorities fail."

Another resident said if one elephant were killed, the rest would automatically go away.

Human-wildlife conflict

Okullu said the elephants had destroyed the crops of up to 800 people in his village.

"Crops like bananas, millet, sweet potatoes, beans, cassava, maize, yams, have been uprooted and eaten," he said.
Area residents accused the government of prioritising wildlife over the welfare of returning IDPs - in reference to the government's failure to revise the law on wild protected animals.

Between May and July, an estimated 100 elephants from the park roamed villages in Gulu and Amuru, ravaging crops and interrupting the reintegration of IDPs.

Uganda's wildlife senior conservation officer, Stonewall Kato, told IRIN in Gulu that in recent years there has been an explosion in the number of elephants in the park, forcing some to stray out in search of water and food.

"It's a problem, but the law prohibits the killing of wild life. We have dispatched a team of rangers to drive the elephants back," Kato said.

Moreover, Kato said, most people in the district had been living in IDP camps for about 20 years and their original villages had become forested, attracting the elephants and other wild animals.

He said a team from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, accompanied by local leaders and community representatives, recently visited neighbouring Kenya's Tsavo National Park to find out more on elephant control measures being undertaken by communities in Kenya.
"We have started digging trenches at the elephants' crossing point, supporting community bee-keeping projects because the buzzing sound of bees drives elephants away, and we have [set up] ranger stations for scare-shooting in the villages around," he said.

Kato said an estimated 1,500 elephants stray out of the park to villages yearly.

The Ugandan government is ensuring that some of the money generated from the tourism industry is injected into community projects bordering national parks, such as the building of schools, skills training and other community income-generating projects.

"This is a way of compensating the affected community," Kato said.

IRIN

People of Someta Village Benefit from Philanthropists

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:18:47 GMT

Friday, October 24, 2008

The people of SometaVillage in Foni Berefet District recently benefited from the donations of both a Dutch and Belgian Philanthropist. The donors gave a milling machine value at 2000 Euro, 120 bags of cement for the construction of the ArabicSchool and four taps to the village of Someta. During the handing over ceremony all the V.D.C members were present. Mr. Erect, from the Netherlands, the Chief donor, urged the beneficiaries to take proper care of the items. In the event that the machine gets any minor problem they should rise and rejuvenate it. He added that the people of Someta are hard working and that they need to be credited.

Mr. Gabriel, the Belgian donor, has pledged to transform part of the primary health care centre into a eye surgery clinic, since the Government cannot do all. Mr. Gabriel further pointed out that they are on the crusade to construct a structure in the premises of P.H.C. He further added that, they will train two people from SometaVillage to become eye surgeons. He finally promised the villages that the issue of medicine or drugs will not be a problem.

The chairman of Brikamabe area council, Mr. Sunkurr Badjie, thanked the donors for the job well done.

Gabriel, the chairman, revealed that if people heard that there is an adequate supply of drugs in Someta they will come and call. He said, “if the word is advancing we also need to advance.”

Author: Malamin Conteh

Yundum Man Charged

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:47:07 GMT

Friday, October 24, 2008

One Yankuba Dibba of YundumVillage was on Wednesday arraigned before Magistrate kayode of the Brikama Magistrates’ court on a charge of stealing. He denied the charge.

According to the particulars of the alleged offence, on 8th February 2008 at Yundum the accused stole the sum of D5000 from one Jarra Manneh the property of the women Kaffo.

The case was adjourned until 29th October 2008.

In another development, the trial of one Kemo Saho was also resumed on Wednesday at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court.

However the case could not proceed as the accused was absent. According to the police prosecutor the accused was taken to the police Headquarter for Finger Print as he is about to complete his sentence he is serving.

It could be recalled that the accused Kemo Saho was alleged to have assaulted one Samba an Iman in farato by stabbing him with an animal horn thereby causing him actual bodily harm.

The case was adjourned until 29th October 2008.

Author: Yai Dibba

New Gunjur VDC Presents Public Report

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:05:40 GMT

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The newly formed Village Development Committee (VDC) of Gunjur has given out its first public report on its activities for the past six months.

Speaking at a village meeting held in the village over the weekend, Mr. Eliman Touray, Assistant Secretary General of the committee, said the committee, six months after taking over, has spent a total amount of D21, 526 in filling potholes within the streets of Gunjur. The money, he added, was collected from individuals.

For his part, Mr. Abdou K. Touray, chairman of the VDC, said his committee has proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are capable and deserved the opportunity to serve in their village development committee.

He said despite all the oppositions, the committee has and will continue to deliver beyond expectation. Mr. Touray called the youths to participate in development programmes for the progress of the village. He also called on Islamic scholars to always talk to the public about issues that will not take the development of the village forward.

Author: Alieu Jabang

KSYC, GVDC Embark on Cleansing Exercise

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:13:12 GMT

Friday, September 12, 2008

Kombo South Youth Congress, in collaboration with Gunjur Village Development Committee, recently embarked on a massive cleansing exercise at the Gunjur fisheries Centre.

Speaking to The Point, the chairman of the Kombo South Youth Congress, Malang Fatty, said the congress was engaging in the exercise monthly in other villages in the district. He called for unity and understanding among the youth of Gunjur.

He revealed that environmental sanitation is a concern for every citizen and expressed his readiness to continue the cleansing exercise in other parts of the district.

Ousman Demba, social secretary of the Kombo South Youth Conference, expressed delight with the youth of Gunjur for their massive turnout.

For his part, the assistant director of the Gunjur Fisheries Project, Alhagie Jammeh - alias “Ash” – expressed appreciation to the youth of Kombo South and the Gunjur development Committee for a job well done.

Author: By Lamin Darboe

Gambega Ltd. Donates to SOS Children’s Village

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:33:07 GMT

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

In the spirit of the Muslim month of Ramadan Coca-Cola Gambega Limited has extended its helping hand to the SOS Children’s village in Bakota. Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the SOS Children’s Village Bantaba last Friday, the Human Resources Manager at Gambega LTD, Mr. Saja Sambou, said his company was pleased to donate different items worth over D45,000 to the Orphans and abandoned Children at SOS Children’s Village as one way of sharing and charring during the holy month of Ramadan. He also said it allows his company to showcase Coca-Cola companies’ long-standing partnership with SOS International and SOS in The Gambia in particular. According to Mr. Sambou, his company hopes that the items donated will go a long way in meeting some of the constraints at the SOS Children’s Village. “Gambega Ltd. will always care and share with the needy children of the World,” he said. He added that investing in the orphans and abandoned children is a noble gesture. He revealed that his company has given a lot of assistance to the SOS Children’s Village in The Gambia and promised that his company will continue to do more.

In receiving the items, Madam Oumou Tall, acting Director SOS in The Gambia, said SOS in The Gambia is a long time partner to Gambega Ltd. She said Gambega has contributed immensely to the success of many activities at SOS in The Gambia. “This kinds of assistance is what SOS Children are looking for because they are orphans and needy children who cannot do anything for themselves,” director Tall stated. She said helping the needy children is part of fulfilling the humanitarian crusade and she revealed that SOS in The Gambia is also extending its hand to the needy children at the community level in The Gambia. She said SOS in The Gambia is assisting 536 needy children in Western Region and promised Gambega Ltd. that the items donated will be put into good use. According to Director Tall, Gambega was the first institution in The Gambia to donate to her institution during this years Ramadan and she called on other institutions in the country to emulate Gambega Ltd. for their wonderful presentation.

Present were the assistant director SOS Children’s Village, Mr. Omar Beyai, SOS mothers and children, Malanding Bojang Sales and Marking Supervisor Gambega Ltd., Madi Jallow Sales Supervisor, Momodou Marong assistant accountant and Bakary Jammeh administrative assistant at Gambega Ltd. The vote of thanks was delivered by Mrs. Haddy Njie Touray the Director SOS Children’s Village. The items donated were, 37 roma classic bed sheets, 10 bags of rice, three bags of onions, three bags of Irish potatoes, 11 Milgro full cream milk powder tins, 22 Dettol antiseptic Germicidal cream, 11 Bleach classic bottles, 28 mattresses, 10 gallons of Soybeans oil and five bags of sugar.

Author: By Lamin B. Darboe

Source: Picture: Coke donates to SOS Children's village