If this gesture was done from the heart, and not another propanganda scheme,
then it clearly deserves commendation. However, the question still remains,
how many Gambian students and families find themselves in the same impossible
situation as miss Bah and her mother, and what is the reason for this
endless suffering? Mis-management of state funds that have plagued us for
years, as well as an inability by our governments to manage the country in a
competent enough way to bolster our economy, so that families can find
gainful employment to take care of their families and pay for their
children's education. These things are not supposed to be luxuries, but
essentials of daily life.If the President wants to do an even more
honourable gesture, perhaps he should give a sum that will take care of all
the needy students in the country, or better yet, come up with a plan that
will revamp our economy, and set our country on the right path, both
politically and economically . Then, everything else will fall into place
as it should. The question though remains, is the President independently
wealthy, or is it the funds from the state coffers that are being used to
demonstrate to the Gambian people how generous he can be?
Jabou Joh
In a message dated 11/5/99 10:36:32 PM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< All,
Even though I have my reservations about the genuineness of this gesture
because of the publicity involved, I truly believe that Jammeh has set a
great example here that needs to be emulated by many.
Stooges can be very generous sometimes -:)
Read on........
President Jammeh calls Observer
helps needy Ndey
Tuesday, at 4.30pm, the Daily Observer editor, Sheriff Bojang,
answered a ringing phone.The caller said, "I saw a page three story in your
paper today about a girl, a student, who needs help to continue her
education. Can you tell her to... do you know who iscalling?", the caller
asked.
"I guess it must be the president," the editor replied (bemused
at the thought that any Gambian could fail to identify the voice of the
caller)."Could you tell the girl to come to State House tomorrow and go to
the Chief of Protocol directly?""Yes, sir," replied Mr Bojang.
Ndey Bah, 18, a student of Nusrat Senior Secondary School, was
traced to her Serrekunda home and informed about the president's desire to
meet her.Accompanied by her poor mother and our reporter, Lamin Jatta, they
met the president in his office Wednesday afternoon.
President Jammeh censured Ndey's mother, Mariama Jobe, for
keeping silent all along while Ndey's education was being jeopardised."You
should not feel shy (to ask for help) when your child's education stands at
the brink of spoiling," President Jammeh noted.
The president gave D5,000 cash for Ndey's educational expenses
for the 1999/2000 academic year and said he would sponsor Ndey's education
henceforth.He finally urged Ndey to take her education seriously and advised
the mother that they can only spend the money on other needs if they had paid
for all school
expenses. Speaking to our reporter after meeting President
Jammeh, Ndey's mother said she was overwhelmed with President Jammeh's
kindness. She described himas "a saviour."Ndey Bah also expressed gratitude
to the president and promised that she would not let him down in her academic
efforts.
The event was witnessed by the director of press and public
relations at State House, Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay.
Abdoulie A. Jallow
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