OP

Mr. President, the Coalition of Progressive Gambians is once again very disappointed by your recent speech during the opening of your party's political bureau in Brikama. Mr. President, it's important to note that such rhetorics are very divisive and dangerous especially at a time when Gambians are faced with unprecedented economic hardship and challenges. Our expectations at these hard times are the way forward for a sinking economy, widespread corruption, unemployment, drugs and illegal migration which claims a lot of young lives. It is the responsibility of your government to make proposals and plans to mitigate these problems. We are not against the inauguration of your party's political bureau, but expected to hear what your leadership through your party can do to better the lives of the Gambians whose votes gave you the executive powers to lead and become President. Mr. President we believe history is always a learning point and the past should teach you and those aro...

On behalf of the general membership of the United Democratic Party and indeed all decent Gambians, the National Executive of the United Democratic Party (UDP) condemns in the strongest possible terms, the unwarranted and distasteful vitriol uttered by the President of the Republic of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, against the Party Leader and Secretary General of the UDP, His Excellency ANM Ousainou Darboe. On Saturday, July 27, 2024, while inaugurating a political party bureau in Brikama, the President stated to a cheering audience that he will remain President until Mr. Ousainou Darboe’s death. Here is a translated version of the essence of his statement, which he made in Mandinka. "I will take an oath today that I will remain as president until Ousainou Darboe dies. Until such time that he is dead, I will remain president. That is the contract I have signed. When his death is announced, and I attend his funeral, then I will be fulfilled as president, and I can step aside." – Ad...

Photo credit: Reuters  (Reuters) - Fifteen people were killed and more than 150 were missing after a boat carrying 300 passengers capsized near Mauritania's capital Nouakchott on Monday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday. The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands, typically used by African migrants trying to reach Spain, is one of the world's deadliest. Summer is its busiest period. The IOM said the Mauritanian coastguard rescued 120 people and that 10 of them were taken to hospitals while efforts to locate the missing continued. It said the passengers were travelling from Gambia and that they had spent seven days at sea before the shipwreck. Ibba Sarr, a fishmonger at a waterside fishmarket in Nouakchott, said that strong winds in the past had two days moved the bodies closer to the shore and he saw around 30 bodies being collected from the beach. "Surely other lifeless bodies will be discovered in ...

  Release   Gambian Women Are Free to Choose is publishing this press release – our fourth this year – to bring to the attention of the Gambian public, the Gambian authorities including the Ministry of Interior, as well as the ECOWAS Representative, Sierra Leone Embassy, U.S. Embassy, other diplomatic missions, local and international NGOs, CSOs, and importantly Gambian and international journalists, recent threats against my person, Dr. Fuambai Sia Nyoko Ahmadu, Founder and Executive Director of Gambian Women are Free to Choose (GWAFC). On July 15, 2024 at around 9am, myself, my personal assistant, Fuambai Jallow, and a colleague from Australia, were verbally harassed in full public view by anti-FGM activist, Ms. Jaha Dukureh, in front of the gates of the National Assembly. Ms. Dukureh was yelling at us and at the riot police guarding the gates instructing the latter to not let me in, screaming “she is not a Gambian, do not let her in, she doesn't belong here!”. In the early ...

  Team Outpost     Lawmakers of the National Assembly have yesterday confirmed and approved the appointment of five commissioners for the Access To Information (ATI) along with a proposed package remuneration. The Ministry of Information is pleased to announce that the National Assembly has confirmed the appointment and approved the salary scale of the Information Commissioners. This decision marks a significant step forward in the implementation of the Access to Information (ATI) Act 2021, which aims to promote transparency, accountability, and access to public records and information. On 8th July 2024, the Hon. Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, moved a motion at the National Assembly for the confirmation of the appointments and remuneration packages for the Information Commissioners. These appointments, made by H.E. President Adama Barrow, in accordance with sections 42 (1) and 42 (2) of the ATI Act 2021, followed a comprehensive and inclusive nomination...

By Sheriff Saidykhan   Sirra Ndow, the Country Director of African Network against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ANEKED) has said that accountability is not negotiable in the face of injustice and gross human rights violations.  She rebuked exiled former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s called for unity and forgiveness, saying that cannot be possible at the expense of justice, accountability and reparations for victims. “In our context, unity and forgiveness is essential; however, it cannot come at the expense of justice, accountability, and reparations for victims. It also cannot come at the expense of reforms to ensure that no one can ever do what he did to Gambians and The Gambia.” she said. In a recent telephone interview with this medium, the rights activist highlighted the significance of Jammeh’s prosecution to victims. She added that Jammeh committed human rights violations against Gambians and non Gambians alike. “As to why Jammeh's prosecution i...

   Celestine Kujabi  Team Outpost  Celestine Kujabi, the Secretary General of Coalition of Progressive Gambians (COPG) has said that the country is facing rampant and indiscriminate corruption.  He said the high rate of institutional corruption, and those running the said corrupt institutions have shown no remorse for corruption. “It's very sad for a population that prides itself in strong religious beliefs with good ethics to register such a high rate in rampant and indiscriminate corruption. Unfortunately our institutions are also occupied and managed by a human resource who has no sense of remorse for corruption.” he said. In a telephone interview with this medium on Monday, he further stated that the government of President Adama Barrow is not sensitive to the adverse effects of corruption in the country. He added that the changes made in the Anti-Corruption Commission manifested the government's lack of commitment to fight corruption. “If we have a governme...