THE GAMBIA AT FIFTY: How Far Have We Come?

It was barely a little over a decade after the dust has settled on the war that the winds of change emerged in Africa, writes Demba Kandeh.

Decolonisation in Africa heightened the aspirations of many. (Photo Credit: Bugbog.com)

Rights groups condemn plans for immunity of African leaders

AU’s shocking move follows strident attacks on the International Criminal Court, ICC, by some African leaders who accused it of a witch-hunt. Now, they want to give themselves immunity over the same crimes The Hague-based ICC/CPI indicted some of them for. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Modou S. Joof

African leaders through their justice ministers and attorney generals are creeping their feet towards considering a draft protocol that would give leaders immunity on grave crimes against humanity.

These justice ministers and attorney generals of the AU are scheduled to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia May 15-16 to consider a draft protocol to expand the authority of the African Court on Justice and Human Rights to include criminal jurisdiction over genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Also, a proposal providing immunity for heads of state and senior government officials from prosecution for such crimes is being considered as part of the amended protocol.

But African human rights organisations from 19 countries and a host of international human rights organisations working in Africa have said the plan to give immunity to sitting government leaders before the Court would be a major setback for justice for grave crimes.

Outrage intensify over schoolgirls abduction in Nigeria

Image depicts Boko Haram (Photo credit: AK Rockefeller)

By Modou S. Joof

There has been global outrage over the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls by the militant group Boko Haram on April 14.

Public protests are holding in Nigeria and across the world while the hashtag (#BringBackOurGirls) gains widespread notice on social media. The girls were taken from a school in the northern state of Borno and there whereabouts remains unknown amid growing anger in Nigeria.

In The Gambia, the Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices, Gamcotrap, and the Child Protection Alliance, CPA, has expressed a message of solidarity to Nigerian government and families of the girls.

M.B. Jones: A fearless newspaper is an indispensable tool for progress

Historical records of Mr Jones writing shows he was radical, and an activist journalist who wrote with authority.

 

Jones said the newspaper can be an indispensable tool for [economic] progress. Gambian women in the Serekunda market (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 By Modou S. Joof

“A fearless, outspoken, unbiased newspaper is not only a desideratum to a backward and underdeveloped nation, but an indispensable tool for progress,” Gambian journalist Melville Benoni Jones wrote in an editorial in the Outlook on May 3, 1960.
Historical chronicles about Mr Jones writing and journalism has shown him to be radical and an activist journalist who wrote with authority.
In a recent account, a Gambian historian described him as having combined “crusading journalism with militant politics and trade unionism to challenge British colonial rule.”
But what did the man popularly known as “M.B. Jones”, whose work pre and post colonialism included the fight for a free and independent press, meant by (a fearless, outspoken, unbiased newspaper… indispensable tool for progress)?

 

Gambian historian and researcher Mr Hassoum Ceesay explains:

Cyber security should be priority for governments – experts

Banner: Innovative Africa Digital (IAD) summit

By Lamin Jahateh

Efforts to create secure and private communications on the internet has to be top priority on every agenda of governments’ national policy-making, experts in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and regulators have said.

During a workshop on cyber security as part of the 12^th Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) summit in Banjul, the stakeholders said is important for governments to look into their policy-making processes to ensure cyber security for their citizens, for enterprises and for government entities to be given priority, as most of their activities now are digitized.

The nature of governments’ policy making needs to be changed from being reactive to cyber security issues to being proactive and preventive.

The Gambia: Increased internet bandwidth does not translate to improved services

The Gambia government has tasked the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and MOICI to make sure consumers benefit from the increased bandwidth in the country, through price reduction and improvement in service delivery. Internet Access Here Sign (Photo credit: Steve Rhode)

By Lamin Jahateh

Internet bandwidth in The Gambia has increased significantly as all the internet service providers (ISPs) have multiplied their bandwidth capacity, Nancy Nyang, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications Infrastructure has said.

The country’s bandwidth is said to have increased by fourfold since the installation of the African Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable, some two years ago.

Speaking at the beginning of the 12^th Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) summit on Tuesday in Banjul, PS Nyang pointed out that the government is, however, aware that the increased telecommunications infrastructure has not translated to price reduction and improve quality of ICT services for consumers.

The Gambia: Improved ICT guidelines seek to ensure service excellence

Banjul by SPOT Satellite (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Lamin Jahateh

The Gambia government has developed a policy dubbed ‘Quality of Service guidelines’ that seek to ensure service excellence in the country’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.

Bala Garba Jahumpa, the minister overseeing the Ministry of Information and Communications Infrastructure (MOICI), explained that this is part of efforts by the government to promulgate policies and programmes that will ensure the growth and development of the ICT industry at the same time not compromising with quality service provision of the operators.

Mr Jahumpa was speaking at the commencement of a three-day annual Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) summit on Tuesday in Banjul. The event is organized by Entensia Ltd, a UK-based firm that supports sustainable growth of ICT across Africa, and hosted by The Gambia government.

It is being attended by about 300 top-notch in the global ICT industry.

The Gambia: No change of philosophy for ‘homosexuality and unbridled freedoms’

“I am not going to change that philosophy overnight because of foreign influence tagged to the bait of aid that is conditioned on the acceptance of alien cultures like homosexuality and unbridled freedoms that are not in line with our religious and cultural beliefs,” Jammeh said on Dec 31, 2013 (Photo Credit: SEYLLOU/AFP/2011)

By Modou S. Joof

The Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh has said his government will continue the rehabilitation and expansion of existing rural, urban and cross-country road networks, a development philosophy that he will not change for foreign aid that imposes “homosexuality and unbridled freedoms.”

In a New Year’s Eve address to Gambians, Jammeh said his country’s development achievements were attained in the past 19 years thanks to “a vision for national development that is anchored on faith in the Almighty Allah, self-reliance and honest productive work.”

He said: “Having come thus far, with the philosophy outlined above, I am not going to change that philosophy overnight because of foreign influence tagged to the bait of aid that is conditioned on the acceptance of alien cultures like homosexuality and unbridled freedoms that are not in line with our religious and cultural beliefs.”

The Gambia Jails Former Government Officials

Justice Emmanuel Nkea, presiding, ruled that the three orchestrated Joseph Wowo’s arrest, ordered for his detention and as well masterminded a mock trial against the Nigerian (Photo: The Point)

By Modou S. Joof

The Gambia has jailed to two years three former government officials on Thursday after a Special Criminal Court found them guilty of conspiracy, giving false information and abuse of office.

They are Lamin Jobarteh, former attorney general and minister of justice, Pa Harry Jammeh, former solicitor general and legal secretary, and Njogu Bah former secretary general and head of the civil service and minister of presidential affairs.

Charges against the three originate from accusations that the they conspired among themselves between January and February 2013 to remove Justice Joseph Wowo, who was at the time,  President of The Gambia Court of Appeal.

Britain changes rep and re-designate mission to Banjul

British Ambassador Colin Crorkin MBE will take up his appointment in June 2014 (Photo: British Embassy)