Gam Creative Network

19/02/2024

At THE ORIENTATION CEREMONY OF THE SECOND COHORT The Ultimate Mentorship Academy - TUMA

Leadership is a trait, while some are burn leaders, others can be trained to lead.

As a graduate of this noble mentorship association and after being co-opted to the TUMA Coordination Team, I have but one major task, to impact the lives and advance the personal growth and professional skills of others just as mine was.

For knowledge is meaningless if it's not shared.

✊✊✊

18/02/2024

The Gambia at 59

Here comes a point of reflection on how far we have come as a nation and the direction we're heading as a people.

It is time to measure our progress and change strategies where necessary, for our nation must progress. ✊✊✊

Glory to the motherland in the total emancipation of our people from mental manipulation and economic colonialism.

12/09/2023

The University of The Gambia Orientation Ceremony for the 2023-24 First Semester Intake

11th Sept. 2023

26/07/2023

JSA game day

17/01/2023

UTGSU: STUDENTS’ WEEK 2023

Issued: 16th January, 2023

The Executive Council of the University of The Gambia Students’ Union is pleased to hint UTG students and friends of UTG about the most awaited student convergence - Students’ Week 2023!

UTGSU Students’ Week is the biggest student convergence in The Gambia which hosts close to 400 students yearly. The purpose of the convergence ranges from academic, community based, talent hunt and national development actions.

The Executive Council is pleased to inform the general students body that this year’s edition awaits to be labeled the best as it is crafted to fit and fill ultimate collective desires. Additionally, while it attracts loads of innovative and interesting retouches, students are cautioned to not miss such a stellar masterpiece.

A period of sound academic discourses, impactful activities, capacity building programs, fun and exciting events, and solution-providing conferences all for a reasonable cost with so much value added. What a refreshing way to end the semester and relieve one’s mind off exams.

Venue of Students’ Week? Duration of Students’ Week? Theme of Students’ Week? Price of Students’ Week Tickets? Hold on, we've got you covered! 😉

More information on Students' Week 2023 coming soon. ⏳

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY UNIVERSITY OF THE GAMBIA STUDENTS’ UNION

11/01/2023

Man Sentenced To 3 Years For Stealing A Motorbike

By Alieu Gassama

Principal Magistrate Muhammed Krubally of Banjul recently sentenced one Mamadou Salieu Kandeh for stealing a motorbike after he confesses to the police.
During the delivery of the judgment, Principal Magistrate Krubally narrated the history of the case before handing down his verdict and accordingly sentenced him to three years in prison.

The convict Mamadou Salieu Kandeh on the 12th December 2022 at Spalding street in Banjul around 1800 hours in the evening when the complainant Muhammed Kabba, packed his motorbike at its usual parking place opposite his compound.

However the following day the complainant Muhammed Kabba woke up around 6 am and found out that his motorbike was stolen. The complainant rushed to Crab Island to report where the said matter was forwarded to the serious crimes Unit headquarters of the police for investigation.

07/01/2023

Anti-corruption bill protects whistle-blowers

By Alieu Gassama

The Gambia Anti-Corruption Bill has provided the much-anticipated protection for whistle-blowers. The country has no or very limited whistle-blower protection. This has prompted calls from civil society organizations especially Gambia Participates to put pressure on the government to implement comprehensive whistle-blower protection laws. Over the years, few civil servants who were bold enough to speak out were either dismissed, suspended, or redeployed. Recently, a staff of the Gambia International Airlines was dismissed for speaking out against corruption while three staff of the Department of Agriculture were also reportedly dismissed for the same reason.

According to the Anti-Corruption Bill currently under review at the National Assembly, if any book, paper or other document, or material which is given in evidence or liable to inspection in any proceedings in any court, the giver of such documents should be protected from discovery. However, according to the bill, a person who gives the information knowing it to be false commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of one D100, 000 or imprisonment for two years.

On the protection of witnesses, experts and victims, the bill provides that the commission shall ensure the effective protection from potential retaliation or intimidation for witnesses, experts and victims who give testimony concerning offenses relating to corruption and, as appropriate, for their relatives and other persons close to them.
The Gambia still has in its laws an Official Secrets Act. The Act was originally introduced in 1922 by the British Colonial administration to prevent ‘unauthorized disclosure’ of official documents and information.

The law was amended in April 2008 and it became illegal to publish or communicate “any secret official code, word, sketch, plan, article, note or other document” which may be useful to an enemy. The Jammeh government also increased the penalties for the offenses of disclosure of official information and set a minimum sentence of 30 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Journalists reporting on security issues run the risk of contravening the Official Secrets Act without any criminal intention on their part. Furthermore, the Public Security Act can be invoked to compel journalists to reveal their sources or face a heavy penalty or jail time.

29/12/2022

ABUBAKARR SULEIMAN JENG APPOINTED NEW NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

By: Alieu Gassama

President Adama Barrow has appointed Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng as his new National Security Adviser. Mr. Jeng, who is a career police officer with extensive professional experience at home and abroad, replaces Momodou Badjie who served in the position for the past five years or so.

Jeng also served in various capacities including Commissioner of Administration of The Gambia Police Force; Senior Security Operations Officer, United Nations (UN) Assistant Mission in Somalia; Deputy Security Adviser for Administration and Support of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operations in Darfur; Special Assistant to the United Nations Police Commissioner in Liberia; Chief of Staff, UN Police Component in Liberia; Team Leader for the Darfur-related transitional planning activities at the UN Department of Peace-Keeping Operations in New York and Deputy Security Adviser, Israeli Occupied Palestinian Territory and Jerusalem.

He is a graduate of the National Academy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States of America, Mr. Jeng additionally holds an MSc Degree in Crisis/Disaster Management from Cranfield University, United Kingdom.

He equally underwent intensive training in Technical Studies, Criminal Investigation, Disaster Management, Police Command, and Security Crisis Management in The Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, and Norway

27/12/2022

GDC LEADER URGES IEC NOT TO “DESTABILISE” THE NATION

By Alieu Gassama

Mamma Kandeh, the secretary general and party leader of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) has urged the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) not to “destabilise” the nation for what he described as an unfair process in the electoral cycle.

Speaking during the party’s congress in Jarra Soma on Saturday, Kandeh stated that “it was the IEC that wanted to destabilise the country in 2016 for announcing different results.”
He added that they had complained about the last voter registration exercise before its closure because the process wasn’t in order. He continued to address his supporters that the number of voters in a community cannot remain the same for 10 years citing migration as the main reason.

“That is the gap they used to bring Senegalese and register them to have access to our voter’s card. The other thing is that they were still registering some people secretly when the registration was closed.”

The Jimara politician urged the Senegalese to stop interfering in our country’s elections, saying that Gambians don’t involve themselves in Senegalese elections. Dwelling on coups in Africa, he reiterated that GDC is not in support of coup d’état. He said he was a member of the Pan-African parliament and had advocated strongly for African countries to introduce a term limit to avoid coups.

“ECOWAS wants to set Anti-Coup Unit but before that, they should know the root causes and put their houses in order. The unit is set up to defend their interest and nobody else.”

Speaking on Gambian matters, he explained that it is the people’s responsibility to defend the nation as corruption is rampant in the country, saying accountability and transparency should be the order of the day. He added that the country’s security has been compromised and citizens feel unvalued.

21/12/2022

SAINABOU MBAYE & CO DISCHARGED & ACQUITTED

By: Alieu Gassama

A high court judge in Banjul on Friday discharged and acquitted Sainabou Mbaye and two others after the state prosecutors filed a ‘nolle prosequi before the court.
Saniabou Mbaye, Cherno Mbaye, and Kibilly Dembelly were tried on a charge of manslaughter after their negligence of exposing and locking a two-year baby, the late Muhammed Mbaye in a car leading to his death.

Prior to the discharge and acquittal of the accused persons, Senior State Counsel, Muhammed M.B Sowe informed the court that he was directed by the Attorney General to file an application for the withdrawal of the case which was granted by the presiding judge, Justice Ebriama Jaiteh.

Sainabou Mbaye, Cherno Mbaye, and Kibilly Dembelly were facing criminal charges of manslaughter and negligence.
State investigators alleged that the accused persons in July this year at Brusubi unlawfully and with negligence left Muhammed Mbaye (late now), a two-year-old, locked in the vehicle for four hours and as a result led to his death.

15/12/2022