October 2021
Fact Check: How Right Were Ex-President Jammeh’s Claims In His Recent Phone Call To Supporters At The Gunjur Rally?
In the last few days, Gambian social media sites were saturated with a video recording of a phone call the ex-Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh made to his supporters during a rally in Gunjur on October 23. In his address, Jammeh made several claims about developments he did in the country, that he said were destroyed by President Adama Barrow in 4 years. In this article, we look into the accuracy of those claims. Claim 1: The 2016 election was rigged Source: Ex-president Yahya Jammeh Verdict: Inaccurate Claim President Barrow took over or assumed power after defeating Jammeh at the polls in 2016. The former President rejected the election results,...
Gambia’s first ‘raster’ presidential hopeful files for nomination
Bankole Yao Jojo Ahadzie, 43, has made history on Sunday by becoming the first rasterman to file for nomination as a presidential candidate in Gambia. Gambians head to the polls on December 4, a crowded race that show 22 people declaring interest in the country’s top job. Banky, as he is commonly called, has been a staff of the Medical Research Council (MRC) since the 2000. He studied internet engineering in the United Kingdom. The rasterman is seen by many observers as one of the underdogs in the coming elections. However, he is hailed for his simplicity and kindness by associates. He...
Dr Banja Denies Corruption Charges
Dr Bamba Banja, a former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, has denied three counts of corruption charges brought against him at the High Court on Wednesday. Dr Banja faces charges bordering on economic crimes and official corruption. He pleaded not guilty on all counts. The former permanent secretary, who appeared before Justice Bakre, was remanded pending his formal bail application which his lawyer promised to file on October 15. The case is adjourned to October 20. Dr Banja was accused of collecting bribes from officials of a Chinese fish meal company, Golden Lead. Golden Lead operates Gambia’s biggest fish meal factory...
Dr. Banja Sent On Leave Following Malagen’s Story On Bribery
State investigations followed Malagen’s investigative story, published last week, about a series of payments of bribery that Dr Banja allegedly received from Golden Lead, a scandal-ridden Chinese-owned fish meal company. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries, Dr Bamba Banja, has been sent on administrative leave effective Monday October 12, the Minister for Information Ebrima Sillah has confirmed to Malagen. The move followed Malagen’s investigative story, published last week, about a series of payments of bribery that Dr Banja allegedly received from Golden Lead, a scandal-ridden Chinese-owned fish meal company. “Yes, I can confirm that Dr Banja is on leave and I am in...
Explainer: data shows maternal death takes a downwards trend
In recent weeks, the mainstream and social media have been saturated with news on maternal death at the various health facilities in The Gambia. The news generated fear, apprehension and concern from the public, leading to a number of protests, both online and on the streets. It also triggered debates about the risk associated with childbirth at public health facilities. Dr Musa Marena, a gynecologist, is the head of the health ministry’s unit responsible for maternal health. “We are receiving reports that some people are avoiding the [public] health centers and hospitals because of fear that it is not safe to deliver in these...
Covid–19 in Gambia: get vaccinated or get ready for the third waves
The Gambia could experience its third wave of Covid-19 in January 2022, according to health experts. Despite this fear though, the people are not taking the vaccines. It has been 7 months since vaccination started in the country but only about 11.8% took their jabs. A recent survey done by the Afrobarometer has indicated that 7 in every 10 Gambian believe that prayer is more effective than a vaccine in preventing COVID-19 infection. And 5 in every 10 Gambian think prayer is “much more effective”. The health ministry is currently conducting a study to understand what is influencing vaccine hesitancy. In the past...
September 2021
RE: Health Ministry’s $3.9m deal: who got a cut for medical “things bought for dying individuals”
By Dr. Muhammed B. Jaiteh and Dr. Ebrima S. Njie We have keenly read the above article that you published on your website on August 27, 2021. While we acknowledge your efforts to establish accountability, we also see it necessary to address certain claims that the said article made reference to concerning our person. In the report, one Isatou Jobe –the First Secretary at the Gambian Embassy in Turkey—claimed that Dr. Muhammed Jaiteh and some other Gambians demanded commission as part of transactions in the buildup to the deal. It further brought Dr. Ebrima S. Njie under the spotlight by referencing...
Re: Health Ministry’s Response To A Malagen story on controversial $3.4m procurement deal
The Gambia’s ministry of health last year struck a $3.9m deal with a Turkey-based company called TMS for the purchase of medical items and equipment. Ten ambulances are included in the procurement, each reportedly bought for $89,750, approx. D5m at the time. Malagen investigations published on August 27 revealed that the deal is fraught with irregularities, raising questions about corruption. Due process was barely observed in apparent breach of national and donor procurement rules. The health ministry made a contract on non-negotiable terms only to make a futile attempt to negotiate prices and specifications mid-way through. The prices of...