CTV Africa

The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GiEPA), yesterday held a day-long investment incentives stakeholder engagement awareness forum to consider the challenges faced and the way forward by private sector players in helping the country’s economy and consider recommendations for government action. Held at the Bakadaji Hotel, the theme of the event was ‘Sensitization on investment incentives process and procedures for efficient service delivery’. The convergent engaged 73 Special Investment Certificate (SIC) and Special Export Promotion Zone License (EPZL) holders awarded by The Gambia government with a net investment portfolio of US$268 million. Modou Lamin Sowe, director of investment promotion and facilitation at GiEPA explained that when serving people or clients, they should at least come together annually and have a dialogue. Through the dialogue, he said, they will be able to assess how well they served their sector. “Our mandate is to promote and facilitate investment...

By Pa Modou Cham The ECOWAS Fund for Regional Stabilization and Development (FRSD) Gambia pilot project implemented by GIZ, in partnership with CepRass launched an expert group to develop policy guidelines for scaling up digital and agricultural value chain finance capability in The Gambia. The multi-stakeholder expert group launched today at the Bakadaji Hotel is designed to help identify obstacles and potential for agricultural value chain financing innovations in the Gambia, good practices and lessons to eradicate barriers for women, youth and marginalized groups. Ms. Evelin Ayadi-Krenzer, ECOWAS FRSD Programme Manager thanked GIZ FRSD for the job well-done in promoting financing for smallholder farmers, adding is crucial in sustainable development. “This Gambia project is a pilot programme. From here we will continue to extend our projects to Guinea Bissau, Niger and other countries to get lessons learn and ideas on those countries. We know agriculture is the backbone of ...

  Picture Credit: VOD Author: Pa Modou Cham In a press conference to update journalists on the campaign observations during the Mayoral and Chairpersonship elections, the Elections Watch Committee (EWC) revealed that its observers reported witnessing or hearing of incidents of campaign ethics violations. In a statement delivered at the Peace Ambassador's building, Omar Cham of the EWC stated: "EWC observers reported witnessing or hearing of incidents of campaign ethics violations including the use of state resources such as government vehicles or distribution of cash or items by government officials during the campaign, candidates providing money or gifts to supporters, or buying voters cards." According to the observation committee, the violations create an unlevel playing field during the election campaign and dilute the premise that political campaigns should be contested based on a candidate's skills, ideas, and ability to lead the wards, and not based on their a...

Picture Credit: VOD Author: Pa Modou Cham  The Elections Watch Committee (EWC), in a press conference earlier today recommended for the election stakeholders to adhere to the Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC) cooling-off period. Speaking during a press conference on the campaign update held at the Peace Ambassadors building in Kanifing, Omar Cham of EWC, stated political parties, candidates and their supporters should adhere to the IEC's mandated cooling-off period and refrain from all campaign activities today, 19th May.  Cham continued that the media and any other group should avoid publicizing unofficial results and that candidates should refrain from declaring victory until the IEC releases the final results.  "In addition to announcing the final results at the ward level, the IEC should make public a disaggregated list of polling station-level results in an analyzable format and in a timely manner. Political parties, candidates, and their suppor...

During his speech at the Gambia’s 58 th independence celebration held at Banjul, President Adama Barrow stated that the hike in prices has reduced the ability of households to fulfil their basic needs and responsibilities. “2022 was a challenging year. It confronted us with rising living costs and hiking prices of fuel influenced by the global crisis. These reduced the ability of households to fulfil their basic needs and responsibilities.”     The President further stated that conscious of the responsibilities of the State, and to deliver on their promise to stabilise prices, his government took strides to ease the accompanying hardship imposed on the people. He said his government took various steps to lower the price of fuel, which has implications for business transactions and the price of commodities.   Barrow continued that they will continue to monitor the public institutions and work with the private sector to maximise their contributions to nation...

WhIPSO, a charitable Foundation that is rethinking humanitarian aid and dedicated to making a difference in the world, on Koriteh day gave out 2500 of 10kg rice packages to the community of Sotokoto, Tipper Garage, Serekunda as part of their 'Zakatul Fitr' charity to needy families. The WHIPSO Foundation that was founded in Germany in 2018 aims to benefit everyone, and reach everywhere regardless of ethnicity, gender, political beliefs, or religion. To achieve this goal, the Foundation offers help to the suffering and needy all over the world. In their quest to support vulnerable families within the country and beyond, Mr. Muhammed Nyan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WHIPSO Gambia told this medium that during the distribution of the noble gesture, underprivileged families and disabled persons also benefited from the humanitarian gesture. He added that the beneficiaries were highly grateful and offered prayers to the entire WHIPSO team while pledging such a gesture to con...

As requested by the Guinea Bissau Maritime Administration to draw a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Gambia Maritime Administration (GMA), the agreement seeks to tackle all forms of illegal means that exist within the two countries water.   In an interview with the two parties, the Director-General of GMA Bakary Janneh explained that the MOU will be drawn according to Bissau request and to Gambia’s interest in order to keep the existing bilateral agreement within the two countries. He added that Maritime safety and security will be in higher priority for the agreement. “Bissau and The The Gambia is very close and whatever activity that happens in Bissau is likely to happen in Gambia’s water. So it becomes our join responsibilities to work as a team and combat any forms of illegal means, either drug trafficking, illegal migration, illegal fishing in our waters, and anything that could hamper our community and development.” He further stated that drug is a natural phe...