Senegal MFWA condemns conviction of three Ivorian Journalists - Sub-regional rights body, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), on Tuesday condemned the conviction and heavy fines handed down to three Ivorian journalists, PANA reported from here.The Plateau Criminal Court in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Cote d'Ivoire, on 26 July, convicted three detained editors of the privately-owned Le Nouveau Courrier newspaper over a charge of an "administrative theft".
The trio - Saint Claver Oula, Stephane Guede and Theophile Kouamouo, editor-in-chief, publisher and managing editor respectively - were fined five million CFA Franc (about US$ 9,647) each and a two-week suspension of the newspaper with effect from 26 July.
"MFWA condemns the criminal conviction of the journalists. We are also worried about the exorbitant fines that have been imposed on them," the press freedom watchdog said in a statement.
The journalists were arrested and detained for refusing to reveal their sources of information over a 13 July leaked report on corruption in the cocoa and coffee sector of Cote d'Ivoire that Le Nouveau Courrier published on its front page.
Media Foundation for West Africa condemns conviction of three Ivorian Journalists
Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Emmanuel Adebayor lead race for best west African footballer - Goal.com
The Union of west African Federations (UFOA) has launched the process of picking the best footballer of the region, with Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Michael Essien among the front-runners for the accolade.
Debuted in March 2010, the programme, dubbed the 'Best of the Best', will reveal the 'Most Valuable Player' of west Africa, a region endowed with confirmed football talents.
The voting process is opened to the public, with the use of text messages and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) mechanism allowed.
Fans from the 16 west African nations will be voting for their favourite players, including locals and professionals. The countries concerned are Cape Verde, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Benin, Nigeria and Guinea Bissau.
According to the secretary general of UFOA, Ivorian-born Aka Malan, supporters and analysts from each country will nominate players of their choice at a national level before a final merging will produce the best from the best.
Stars plying their trade in the Premier League are the early front-runners for the coveted award, including the Ivory Coast and Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Togo and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
Others expected to do well include John Mikel Obi, Frederic Kanoute, Kader Keita, Pascal Feindouno, Stephane Sessegnon, Moumouni Dagano, Michael Essien, Yaya Toure and Andre Ayew.
“Our goal is to enable those who, every weekend, take their time to watch our players evolve in their various leagues be able to designate who they think is best. We believe that their choice will be more objective,” said Malan.
The winner will be known in the coming weeks, according to the secretary general, and the trophy ceremony rewarding the best west African player from 2010 will attract a number of important personalities from the sub-region.
Today Newspaper - Online Edition - Gambia humiliates Sierra Leone by 4-1
The Gambia U-20 team Saturday thumped shooting stars of Sierra Leone 4-1 in the Africa U-20 championship qualifier held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
The Gambian team made a cagey commencement to the clash with a handful of miscued passes and defensive laxity which handed their Sierra Leonean adversaries command and control of proceedings for long spells in the first half.
Omar Jassey, better known as waterman, hit back for The Gambia six minutes after as he made a striding sprint down the left flank and dribbled past their opponent’s rear-guard only to place his shot over the bar. Ebrima Camara piled on the pressure with a decent goal-scoring chance in the 15th minute at close measure only to see his labored effort deviate off the mark whilst Alassan Camara’s sizzling shot was tipped away in the 24th minute.
Donald Wilson of Sierra Leone latched onto a defensive laxity and wafted his way through the rear-guard past two defenders and The Gambia guard-man. Musa Camara was none the wiser what direction to take a swing at the ball as he stashed it at the back of the net.
Ebrahim Kallay had a chance to double the lead for Sierra Leone nine minutes later as a string of passes got him teed up deep in the penalty box but he blasted off the target.
Mamut Saine sprang to The Gambia’s rescue and hauled them back on level terms in the 45th minute on the dot with a scorching low-shot that rattled the net, prompting wild celebration in the stands.
The second half witnessed better play from The Gambia as they regrouped and looked to take advantage of the substantial home support at their disposal which saw the manufacturing of an opportunity in the 52nd minute when Omar Jassey unleashed a powerful shot which was deflected for a corner.
Alagie Sarr soon switched tactics with the introduction of forward players like Buba Jallow alias Meles and Mustapha Jatta presumably with a view to scoring more goals to bolster their chances of winning the tie.
Coach Alagie Sarr reaped immediate benefits from his tactical detour as Buba Jallow tapped across into the net 22 minutes into the second half.
Donald Wilson roared into action again with some sense of urgency and managed to wriggle his way into the nether regions of The Gambian half in another bout of defensive inertia but his miscued shot went out for a throw.
Alassan Camara was set up at a short distance from the target through a cross from the industrious Mustapha Jatta which he shoved at the back of the net with minimum effort.
Buba Jallow hugged a brace in one of his better performances for The Gambia and poured more misery on the shooting stars of Sierra Leone thanks to a goal in the 93th minute which all but sealed and delivered a 4-1 triumph for The Gambia U-20 in the encounter of a two-legged tie.
The Gambia U-20 gaffer, Lamin Sarr declared his delight over the victory and noted that it was a satisfactory outcome considering the fact that The Gambia had late preparations.
He added that the desire of Gambians to qualify for the competition and make an indelible mark was not lost on him as he pledged to do everything possible to bring such aspirations to fruition.
“I know what Gambians want and I will do everything I can to make that possible by the grace of God,” he said.
Mr. Sarr also revealed that the task ahead of him and the team is not a rudimentary undertaking, tossing into perspective the reality that they have three more matches to play, the outcome of which will decide whether they would qualify or not.
On a more optimistic note, he said that they can work on the shortcoming of the team and prepare it well for the hostilities awaiting them in the subsequent games with the help of senior squad tactician, Paul Put.
“I am very thankful to Paul Put for his assistance. He has helped me a lot in my work a lot to make this victory possible. He is a great coach and I can never forget him for the rest of my life,” he asserted.
Mr. Sarr finally thanked The Gambia Football Association under the stewardship of Seedy MB Kinteh for the trust and confidence reposed on him by appointing him the coach for the team with the clear-cut goal of qualifying them for the Africa U-20 championship to be held in Libya 2011.
Local Derby!
allAfrica.com: Gambia: Local Team Back From Morocco Games
Gambia: Local Team Back From Morocco Games
The Gambian delegation to the inaugural edition of African Youth Games, dubbed 'Rabat 2010' arrived in Banjul last Wednesday from Rabat, Morroco, were the Games were held.
Initiated by ANOCA, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and targeting 15 to 17 year old African athletes the Africa Youth Games came about as a motive to build on the concept of the Youth Olympic Games which will be held for the first time in Singapore this August. The Gambia was among 42 African countries that participated at the maiden Games held between July 13 and 18, under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI.
A record number of 1008 athletes competed in 16 sports disciplines, including athletics, cycling, swimming, football, judo, taekwondo, fencing, shooting, rowing, canoe kayak, weightlifting, tennis, boxing, table tennis and basketball.
The Gambia was represented in athletics by Omar Ceesay, Fatou Sowe and Baba Gibba who competed in 100M, 200M boys and girls, 1000M individual events and the zonal Medley Relay (4 X 100M, 200M, 300M, and 400M) for boys.
Omar Ceesay was the only Gambian athlete to land a medal after clinching a bronze medal in the 200M individual event for boys, according to a statement issued by the Gambia National Olympic Committee who funded the trip. The Gambian delegation was led by Mr Abdul Shyllon, while Ms Mary Pedro-Decker served was the Chef de Mission. Ms Mam Keway Ceesay was the coach for the Gambia athletic team.
Gambia holidays: Sun, sand and ceremony in Africa's rising destination | Mail Online
It is 45 years since The Gambia became independent, and the celebrations to mark this event coincided with my family's visit to the country. Across the aisle from me on a crammed Monarch Airlines flight from London to the Gambian capital Banjul, incongruously surrounded by bearded and sandalwearing bird-watchers, sat the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, studying her itinerary intently.
I wondered if she was visiting the country to take part in the celebrations, as some relic of the colonial past that The Gambia had left behind.
Into Africa: Local life in all its vibrancy is close at hand in The Gambia
The noise, heat, smells and vibrant colours of Africa assault you as soon as you get off the plane. These are followed closely by an assault from the bumsters - a local term for the young men who hang around hotels and beaches trying to earn money from holidaymakers. Not surprisingly, these men wanted to be my daughters' special friends, and show them a good time during our week-long stay.
We were staying at The Coco Ocean Resort in Bijilo, a 15-minute drive from Banjul. It is a haven from the hustle and hassle of daily Gambian life. If you choose, you can spend your days in the resort's elegant grounds, lounge by the pools and gaze out over the beach to the crashing Atlantic waves. The rooms and villas are cool and comfortable, and there is a restaurant built just above the ocean where you can eat lunch and escape the midday sun.
But we chose to use The Coco Ocean as a base camp, somewhere gloriously luxurious to which to return after our many excursions and adventurous dinners (I can recommend a Lebanese restaurant called Al Basha in nearby Kololi, and a particularly good seaside bistro called The Sailor in Kotu).
We spent one morning walking around the market in Serrekunda, The Gambia's largest town. The hubbub and constant motion are in sharp contrast to the elegant ladies in blinding colours selling their wares.
And it is the women who are the most important here - they are called Boss Lady. When we were negotiating to buy a multi-coloured raffia basket, the man running the stall said: 'I must ask the Boss Lady.' She was fast asleep under the table. Heavily pregnant, she emerged with feline ease, struck a deal with us, and then crawled back from whence she'd come.
Drum circle: Domenica and Mr No Problem beat out a rhythm
My daughter Domenica was astonished by the way all the women carried everything on their heads, from vast sacks of potatoes to impossibly large steel containers overflowing with vegetables and fruit. Many had babies tied to their backs too, and all swayed along with marvellous natural rhythm and innate grace.
Only once did we see men carrying things on their heads - and this appeared to be rubbish contained in black plastic sacks. Domenica thought it would be a good way for her father to do the same thing. I readily agreed.
That evening, we visited the Bijilo Forest, next to the resort, and were lucky to see several monkeys, even glimpsing an elusive colobus swinging high in the branches. Green monkeys were far more curious, following us around and allowing us to get very close.
Seeing two of them sitting side by side on a log, with their feet on the ground and their beady eyes missing nothing, they looked for all the world like any old couple perched on a park bench. It was a true Darwinian moment.
There were several of the strange, upside-down-looking baobab trees in the forest, which are thought to have magical properties and which survive for hundreds of years because of their ability to store rainwater in their trunks. Our guide told us that the fruit from the tree could be made into a drink with an extremely high alcoholic content - a few sips could make you 'see all the way to England!'
Meandering back from the forest, we came across a group of drum-beating locals surrounding an adolescent boy dressed in white. Then we spotted two other men dancing manically by the side of the road. They wore weird, brightly coloured fringed costumes, with masks over their faces, and they brandished a curved knife in each hand. Sometimes they dashed in front of cars, flashing the knives.
Our driver told us this was a circumcision ceremony, which takes place when a boy is between ten and 12 years old. Only recently has the actual circumcision been done in hospital. Perhaps boys in the past could have done with the anaesthetic qualities of whatever alcoholic drink can be made from the baobab tree!
The music from the ceremony enthused Domenica, so the following day we went to the market in the town of Bakau in search of a musical instrument. There we encountered a man known as Mr No Problem, his name writ large on a sign above his stall.
Mr No Problem and Domenica became instant friends, and after an impromptu jamming session she became the proud owner of a bongo drum and a giant seed pod, with her name written on it in black paint and shoe polish, to rattle as an accompaniment.
Hideaway: The Coco Ocean Resort offers a slice of luxury
My eldest daughter Savannah found the perfect gifts for her closest girlfriends: three carved monkeys in the classic see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil format. I didn't ask.
After so many excursions, we chose to spend the next day at the hotel, on the beach and in the spa. Until the opening of luxury hotels such as the Coco Ocean and its sister venue, the Coconut Residence, The Gambia was known primarily for cheap package deals and as a holiday destination for bird-watchers.
The Coco Ocean Group is co-owned by a local man, Farid Bensouda, and a German called Walter Loehn. Farid is the interior designer and Walter the architect, and theirs is an inspired partnership. Having visited one or two other hotels in the country, I would say they have certainly created an oasis in a hinterland of dubious taste.
The landscaping at the Coco Ocean is perfect. Within the grounds is a vast vegetable garden run with immense pride by Moor Faal - the delicious produce is served in the hotel's three restaurants.
There are other bonuses that The Gambia offers British visitors: the flight takes only six hours, there is no time difference, and the sun shines all year round. What's not to like?
The hotel spa is spectacular, with treatment rooms overlooking the ocean. I had a hammam - an exfoliating session in a Moroccan-inspired steam room - while Savannah had a back massage. I only wish that instead of piped music we could have listened to the roar of the ocean. It's ironic that in many city spas you have to listen to taped ocean music. What is wrong with the real thing when it is right outside your window?
No trip to The Gambia would be complete without spending a day on the River Gambia, so we set off on the hotel boat, a pirogue, accompanied by Lamin, one of the hotel chefs.
During the trip we ate probably the most delicious food of our week. It was so delicious that it didn't matter in the least that our boat broke down - or that the crucial spare part required to mend the engine disappeared into the river after being thrown from a neighbouring boat. We were much too busy enjoying our fish marinaded in ginger, coriander, oyster sauce and chilli.
Messing about on boats: Guests enjoy a ride on the Coco Ocean's boat
When the fault was finally fixed, we went to the fishing port of Tanji and a nearby village. It was like a journey to a past century. The fishing continues as it has for aeons, with the smokery under a hut on the beach, amid the clamorous noise of gulls and children. The villagers, meanwhile, live in one-room houses and have no running water.
Our last day was Independence Day, and the president of a neighbouring African country arrived at our hotel with his entourage. The red carpet was laid out as his vast cavalcade approached, drums rolled and dancers in splendid costumes put on a marvellous performance. For a few glorious moments, it was like being in a scene from Evelyn Waugh's Scoop.
I looked out for the Lord Lieutenant, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Travel Facts
Specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience (0845 330 2087, www.gambia.co.uk) offers seven nights at The Coco Ocean Resort & Spa, part of The Gambia Experience Luxury Collection, from £989pp. This includes B&B accommodation in a junior suite, a complimentary foot massage and return flights from Gatwick.
Departures from other airports are also available.
SA, not China, Africa's biggest investor: study | DefenceWeb
South Africa, not China, was the biggest emerging market investor in Africa between 2006 and 2008 with US$2.6 billion (R19.3 billion) in average annual foreign direct investment (FDI) flows, the 2010 World Investment Report says.The research, undertaken by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), however shows China is among the most active investors in Africa, but developed countries still account for most FDI into the continent. It also shows developed nations accounted for by far the bulk of estimated inward FDI flows into Africa, contributing 72% of inflows between 2000 and 2008, and 92% of inward stock in 2008.
"The notion that Chinese investment is somehow the dominant foreign investment in Africa is quite misleading," said Stephen Gelb, a professor of development economics at the University of Johannesburg and a contributor to the report. "China is far from being the dominant investor. But it is growing faster from a low base." China invested $2.5 billion in Africa between 2006 and 2008, a fraction of its overall investment outflow, the Business Report says.
Africa’s Eastern Promise | Foreign Affairs
Washington need not worry about China's economic boom, much less respond with protectionism. Although China controls more of the world's exports than ever before, its high-return high-tech industries are dominated by foreign companies. And Chinese firms will not displace them any time soon: Beijing's one-party politics have bred a timid business culture that prevents domestic firms from developing key technologies and keeps them dependent on the West.
Brufut Ocen view property to let
Brufut Ocen view property to Let - Brufut £115 Property Reference: Propertyshop To Let Brufut 6 Status: To Let
Spacious 4 bedroom detached house with ocean views, situated on the desirable Brufut Gardens Estate. Master bedroom with en-suite, 3 further bedrooms and shared bathroom. Kitchen, dining room, lounge & wc. Driveway & gardens. Unfurnished.
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Holiday Bungalow for Sale Brufut
Hoilday Bungalow on Community Complex for Sale - Brufut £45,000
£45,000Property Reference: Propertyshop Brufut 14 Status: For Sale
Ideal holiday home or permanent residence…. Beautifully presented 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom furnished house with open plan kitchen / dining area, spacious lounge with high ceilings. Situated on community complex housing 4 bungalows. The property has its own private patio terraces overlooking mature gardens with various trees and shrubs. The property has solar power and benefits from 24 hour security, free water from a borehole, communal gardens and swimming pool for a reasonable annual service charge of £600 per year.
http://www.gambia-property-sales.co.uk/Details/gambia-bungalow-for-sale
Heavy Rains Predicted in Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania | News | English
The International Federation of the Red Cross is preparing for what it says will be heavy rains in the region this year, particularly in Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania. One village in southern Senegal already reports losing dozens of homes and animals because of severe flooding in the past week.In the Casamance region of southern Senegal, teacher Houssainatou Boiro says heavy rains that began last week have washed away her house as well as the rice and couscous she was storing to feed her children.
Boiro's village, Sinthiou Koundara, is one of the first in Senegal to report heavy damage as the rainy season in West Africa gets underway. Last year heavy rains that hit the region caused flooding that drove hundreds of thousands of residents from their homes says Moustapha Diallo.
Diallo is the communications officer for the International Federation of the Red Cross' West and Central Africa Bureau. "Last year more than 450,000 people were affected in 16 countries in West and Central Africa. And among them, Senegal and Burkina Faso were the most affected countries," he says, "In Senegal, more than 150,000 people were affected by flooding in the suburbs of Dakar and in many regions and villages of the country."
The Red Cross works with the African Center of Meteorological Application for Development to predict what the rainy season will bring this year.
Diallo says the rains are expected to be particularly heavy in Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania. He adds the Red Cross is preparing for the possible flooding by stocking up on supplies to distribute to families in the areas where heavy rains are predicted.
Welcome to Freedom Newspaper Online You Can Drink Alcohol, But Don’t Use Cocaine—Jammeh
Concerned by the growing presence of cocaine in The Gambia, the country’s President Yahya Jammeh is recommending to Gambians to drink alcohol, and stay away from cocaine, and other dangerous drugs. The President was addressing thousands of party supporters—during the commemoration of his Government’s 16 years revolution that ousted the former People’s Progressive Party under the leadership of Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. Mr. Jammeh urged Gambians to consume the locally made palm wine, which according to the head of state is healthy and could go a long in serving their entertainment needs. He advised citizens to say “no to drugs” and official corruption. The Gambian leader urged youths in particular to give up drug sale and consumption. He warns that anyone caught trafficking, or selling drugs would face the brunt of the law. He emphasized that it is better to drink alcohol than to use drugs—which he says is bad for people’s health being.
Mr. Jammeh’s pronouncement encouraging the consumption of alcohol, in a country where 90 percent of the population are Muslim, is attracting criticism from Islamic scholars, who accused the President of contravening the teaches of the Koran. The concerned religious scholars said Islam frowns at alcohol consumption including the usage of hard drugs.
“ The Gambia is predominantly a Muslim country. If the President is encouraging youths to drink alcohol, what kind of messages is he trying to send to the populace? This is an irresponsible statement coming from a fake leader calling himself a devoted Muslim. We seriously questioned Jammeh’s claims of being a Muslim. He could have use a better statement than promoting alcohol consumption. We condemn the President’s statement in the strongest terms,” said a prominent Gambian Islamic scholar who wished not to be named.
A senior police officer who spoke to the Freedom Newspaper said close to five hundred Gambians died each year on alcohol related accidents. Quoting statistical data documented by the police Force, the official said the majority of the deaths were as a result of drunk driving. The official says the President’s statement sanctioning the consumption of alcohol at the national level, would no doubt have far reaching implications on the youth population. The official said many youths resort to drugs and alcohol consumption due to stress, or depression related challenges.
“ Essentially, the President is advocating for alcohol abuse in The Gambia. Many would be tempted to drink because of Jammeh’s call for alcohol legalization. He was not very clear in his speech, and evidently some minors would be tempted to drink. If concerted efforts are not put in place to tackle alcohol abuse we are likely to see more accident related deaths in The Gambia,” the official warned.
Mr. Jammeh’s statement followed the discovery of a one billion worth of cocaine in The Gambia, which is a subject of joint British and Gambian intelligence investigations. Already, some foreign nationals have been charged in connection with the cocaine bust. Police say some influential Gambian business tycoons are being associated with the intercepted drugs. More arrests are likely to be effected, police say.
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The Israeli housing in Congo Brazzaville
The Congolese authorities have launched Thursday Kintélé market town 25 km north of Brazzaville, the construction of an Israeli housing 1000 at a cost of 50 billion FCFA.
In a village 25 km from Brazzaville, Congo's capital that will emerge from the 1000 housing land at a cost of 50 billion CFA francs (more than 76 million euros). The start of work was given by Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso on 75 hectares of land where, according to the technical specifications of the project, the Israeli company AB Construction erected within 48 months, three types of units: percent 150 m2, 250 100 m2 and 650 m2 70.
This project, which aims to alleviate the housing crisis, is funded by a credit framework agreement concluded between the Congo and Israel, the document said. The homes will be made "with modular panels and asbestos cement (material composed of cement and asbestos) and receive a network installation of water and electricity, he says.
"These homes have the advantage of offering the same comfort as those built with traditional materials, the final cost relatively more competitive," said Delegate General for the Great work, Jean-Jacques Bouya. He said housing prices will be determined at the end of the project.
The Congolese government claims to have a deposit of 7.5 billion CFA francs (more than 11.4 million euros) to the company responsible for executing the project. Questioned by AFP on all Congolese and the contribution by Israel, the Congolese Minister of Housing, Claude-Alphonse Nsilou, and Mr. Bouya did not wish to make comments.
Asbestos?
Renewable energy and energy efficiency Centre for West Africa opens with UNIDO support
By Millicent Njeri / Press Release
A new regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) opened in Praia on July 6.
It will help develop renewable energy and energy efficiency markets in West Africa, in policy and capacity development and quality assurance, in designing financing mechanisms, and implementing demonstration projects with potential for regional scaling-up.
ECREEE is a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It is supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Governments of Austria, Cape Verde and Spain. A special partnership between Brazil and ECOWAS will help support the activities of ECREEE, and open up opportunities for South-South cooperation and technology and know-how transfer.
“The current energy systems in the ECOWAS region are failing to support the growth prospects of the over 262 million inhabitants, especially the needs of the poor. The creation of ECREEE is a central milestone in efforts to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies and services in the region,” said the Deputy to UNIDO Director-General, Yoshiteru Uramoto, who took part in the opening ceremony.
“Investing in renewable energy systems and introducing energy efficient technologies will contribute to the region’s economic and social development without harming the environment.”
Estimates suggest that a total of 23,000 MW of large and small hydroelectric potential is concentrated in five of the ECOWAS Member States, of which only 16 per cent has been exploited. There is good potential for all forms of bioenergy. Traditional biomass is already the main source of energy for the poor majority and accounts for 80 per cent of total energy consumed for domestic purposes. There are also considerable wind, tidal, ocean thermal and wave energy resources available. The region has vast solar energy potential.
UNIDO has a number of projects in Africa where renewable energy sources like small hydro, biomass gasification, wind energy, solar thermal and photovoltaic, are used to promote the development of small industries, particularly in rural areas, that contribute to growth and poverty reduction.
UNIDO has also developed an energy programme for 18 countries in West Africa (including all ECOWAS Member States), funded by the Global Environment Facility. ECREEE will become the main implementing agency of the USD 150 million programme that will focus on the energy access agenda and energy efficiency in key sectors of the economy.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves; the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero Baute; the President of the ECOWAS Commission, James Victor Gbeho; and Austrian and Spanish Ambassadors, Gerhard Doujak and Manuel José Villavieja Vega.
Gambian agency woos Nigerian investors
“Gambia is a tourism economy; everything that is consumed in the sector is imported. We want to interest Nigerian investors to come into the sector so that our import budget can be reduced,” stated Yaya Kassama, chief executive officer of The Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zones Agency (GIPFZA), after the conclusion of a one-week investment visit to Nigeria.
Most of what is consumed in Gambia’s tourism industry, including orange juice, egg, milk, towel, linen and tissue, are presently imported from Europe. But the agency, which functions include fostering local and foreign direct investment, and promoting the export of local and value added products from the Gambia, wants this to stop.
“We want to attract industries from Nigeria to fill these gaps, instead of us depending on total import. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria helped identify some companies, and we had successful meetings with 15 of these in the last five days.
The general feedback is very positive. I think three quarters of those 15 companies have given us their commitment of visiting the Gambia within the next four to six months,” added Musa Bah, manager, investment promotion and marketing, who accompanied Kassama on the trip.
Some incentives
Mr. Kassama explained further in an interview that the visit was to build on the cordial relationship between the country and Nigerian business men and women. He disclosed that there are 10 Nigerian banks including Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Skye Bank, and others operating in the Gambia.
Business relations between both countries, Kassama added, have further been boosted by Air Nigeria and Arik, which now operate regular flights to Gambia. “Lack of regular flights between Nigeria and Gambia used to be a major constraint in dealing with Nigerian investors. They tell us we love Gambia, but there are flight problems. However, that has been taken care of with the airlines, which fly direct or sometimes connect from Freetown,” Kassama stated.
The chief executive also disclosed that GIPFZA has a number of incentives for Nigerian investors. Some of these include the Special Investment Incentives, which has a five-year-duration and which enables investors outside the Free Zones to access attractive tax holidays.
There is the Export Processing Free Zones Incentives, which enables investors to operate within the Free Zones, with ideal infrastructure and special tax incentives, and a five-year exemption from customs duties on approved capital equipment, machinery, appliances, and other materials used by the project.
He explained that the Gambian government is reviewing its two existing acts on foreign investments into a single document to “make it more competitive. The government is also about to approve an incentive that will make companies eligible for exemption from corporate tax. Before, you pay corporate tax of 33 percent, but that that is soon to be changed to zero corporate tax for investment.
“We want to tell the Nigerian investor that the government and people of Gambia are ready to do business with Nigerian business community. We have over the years developed a new set of investment laws; the old investment law has been amended after 10 years, it is being made more investment friendly,” he reiterated.
No to nationalisation
Kassama also assured that unlike what happened in Ghana when some Nigerian shops were shut down and some investors frustrated out, nothing like that will happen in Gambia. “We have a constitutional guarantee that you cannot appropriate somebody’s business, whether it is local or foreign, without informing him.
“If government thinks your business or the service you are providing is better placed in the hands of the government, it doesn’t matter if you are a Nigerian or someone else, you will be compensated at the current market value of your company. We also guarantee you to send out your profits and dividends; there are no restrictions. You can also move your money in and out of the banking system. There are no exchange controls, our money is fully convertible,” Kassama stated.
However, any company that wants to bring more than three Nigerian management staff will have to pay a fee. “The law does not put a limit to the number of people you can bring in as an investor. There is no control on the number of expatriates you can bring in. The only one criteria that is linked to the number of people you can bring in as an ECOWAS citizen, is that there is a fee of 10,000 (about N29, 600) Dalasi you pay to bring in a staff per year.
“We want to encourage the employment of Gambians, we want you to train Gambians but the profit and everything else is yours. I think that’s a reasonable bargain,” he said.
Cheryl Cole being struck down by malaria in Tanzania gives timely warning to Brits heading to disease hotpots | Mail Online
Travellers to sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Tanzania, where Cheryl Cole spent her holiday, are at greatest risk. Half the UK's reported cases of malaria originate in this part of the world, which is home to the most lethal strain, plasmodium falciparum.
The singer collapsed on Saturday, and was initially thought to be suffering from exhaustion. But her condition deteriorated, and friends became concerned that she was 'sweating and shaking' at her £6million home in Hurtmore, Surrey.
She is expected to stay in hospital for a number of days, before spending several weeks recovering.
Dr Philip Monk, a Leicestershire-based consultant in health protection in, and member of the Malaria Awareness Panel, identifies Gambia as a particular hotspot for malaria.
He comes across more cases of travellers infected in the west African country than anywhere else.
'As it's a mainstream package holiday destination, people think it's like going to the Balearics,’ he says. ‘It's not. There are precautions you must take, especially in the rainy season when the risk of catching malaria is much higher.'
Malaria causes more than one million deaths worldwide each year. Scientists are making progress on a vaccine, but it is likely to be at least ten years before it will be widely available.
allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Response to Facebook Page Thrills Jonathan
Lagos — President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed delight at the immense response his new Facebook fan page has received in its first days.
Jonathan made good his promise to set up a page on the social networking site Facebook, after his profile was uploaded last Monday. Within four days, the President has registered 50,000 fans, more than any Nigerian politician on the network.
Jonathan had during a working visit to Rivers State on May 15 this year promised to set up a profile page where he will directly interact with Nigerian youths and sought their opinion on the way forward for the country.
THISDAY's monitoring of the page indicates that while pages of other Nigerian politicians have an average of 80 to 200 comments posted per day, Jonathan's page has an average of 1500 comments per day.
A look at the comments show they are mostly messages of solidarity from Nigerians from all walks of life cutting across the geo-political zones.
Giving an insight into the huge following the President gets from the online community, one of the pioneers of Internet campaigns, Joe Trippi said it is always rare to find a connection between the youth of a country and the head of the political leadership of that country.
"In Goodluck Jonathan however, the Nigerian youth have found a rallying point. "They see an unassuming leader who emerged in almost divine circumstances and who is not the typical type of Nigerian politician and they are flocking to him like the Pied Piper of Hammelin and what I would just advise is for him to ride the crest of the wave," Trippi, the author of the best selling "The Revolution will not be Televised," he told THISDAY from his base in the United States of America.
Also speaking on the issue, a US-based Nigerian and VP Africa at Joe Trippi and Associates, Reno Omokri, said the phenomenal growth of the President's facebook fan page is an indication of his popularity and if he can act on the feedback from Nigerians who comment in their thousands on the page he should be able to sustain this popularity.
According to Omokri, "if for instance Jonathan wants to know what the public feels about any issue in particular, all he has to do is make that issue the subject of his facebook update and within minutes he would have gotten the honest opinions of hundreds of Nigerians from all shades of life."
Asked for his reaction on the issue, the Special Assistant to the President of Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas said the President is delighted with the new avenue of interaction with Nigerians, especially the youths.
"I must say that Mr. President is pleasantly surprised at the response from the people of Nigeria to his page particularly as he manages and monitors it personally.
"The feedback we glean from the almost 2,000 comments posted on the page by Nigerians daily has started helping and will continue helping Mr. President feel the pulse of the public as he takes decisions that affect Nigerians everyday."
allAfrica.com: West Africa: Looming Hunger Threat in West Africa
Recent reports suggest an imminent threat of hunger in several countries of the West African sub-region. Persistent drought in the region partly accounts for this. Because of the resulting poor harvests and soaring food prices, some West African countries are already experiencing the hunger crisis. According to its 2010 report, the British charity Oxfam, said that it had already launched emergency appeal for seven million pounds sterling to help about 800,000 people threatened by hunger in different countries of the sub-region.
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allAfrica.com: Gambia: U.S. Embassy Celebrates 234th Independence Anniversary
The United States Embassy in The Gambia Sunday celebrated its country's 234th Independence Anniversary at a ceremony held at the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa, in Bijilo, Kombo North.
Speaking at the celebration, Barry L. Wells, the US ambassador to The Gambia, thanked everyone for joining them to celebrate their 234th Independence Anniversary. He said that 234 years ago their founding fathers took some ideas of what their freedom should look like and created some amazing documents such as the Declaration of Independence and their constitution that have stood the test of time- and their wisdom.
He explained that they left room for that constitution to be amended to meet the emerging needs of its citizens and changing times.Ambassador Wells further explained that there are 27 amendments to the US Constitution because their founding fathers did not get it completely right from the beginning; but they made certain provisions that they could keep trying.
"We are not a perfect nation but we will continue to confront our shortcomings and move our nation forward as we support the dreams of young democracies around the world -young democracies that strive to get it right for their people and stand proudly with community of free and responsible nations," he remarked.
The Gambia, he said, is one such young democracy that continues to work to get it right, after gaining independence only 45 years ago. While applauding The Gambia's efforts to enfranchise women in government, in education, in leadership and in all sectors of society, Wells noted that many nations could learn from The Gambia's example of tolerance and acceptance of religious diversity.