Ebrima,

Thanks to your source for this information. It is here for any body who
cares for the truth, to see that poverty among Gambians are at an all time
high. This is contrary to what Jammeh has been claiming all the time: that
he has enhanced the socioeconomic status of Gambians since coming to power.

Jammeh, admit that you have failed the nation and pack your things and
leave. Your own people, through statistics have proven you wrong or have
they not collected the statistics rightly? Also, those in touch with Gambia
will know that the dalasi is depreciating seriously against the dollar and
the pound.

Social services are also at their worst state. Infact, NAWEC has just
announced a ten week load schedding program. Ten weeks without regular
supply of electricity. Infact electricity has never been regular these past
years. Last year, Jammeh promised that the electricity problem will be
history by April this year. I wonder what happened to that and many similar
promises. So, no one in his right mind should believe his promise of
electrifying 98% of the countyr by next July. Even if the money is
available, it needs logistics, personnel, etc, to achieve such a feat. So,
Jammeh, another countdown has begun.

However, it is not late, admit to the Gambians that you have failed
miserably and ask for forgiveness. Then be prepared to account for
everything that happened in your time from July 94 to date.

Our country needs the prayers and support of each one of us.

Thanks.

Sulayman


>From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: How poor am I? PART 1
>Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2000 12:48:16 GMT
>
>Gambia-L:
>
>My sources are at it again! The e-mail below, as usual, came from a source
>in the heart of Government.
>
>Ebrima Ceesay
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: How poor am I? PART 1
>>Date:
>>
>
>Ebrima,
>
>How are things with you? I am glad to be back on the L once again. By the
>way, I met your friend at Kairaba Beach Hotel yesterday and he seems to be
>enjoying himself. Anyway, this is a first in a series of summaries of the
>Poverty Assessment Survey results that were formally released by the
>Department of Finance on the 24th July. I reproduce below some of the
>findings of the Participatory Poverty Assessment Survey (PPA)in which the
>poor assess themselves rather than being assessed. Findings and
>recommendations specific to the divisions and municipalities is
>given below:
>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>BANJUL:
>
>POVERTY - Prevalence of poverty in Banjul is about 89 per cent
>according to the perception of the informants.  Unemployment and lack of
>skills were cited, among others, as causes of poverty in the area.
>Salary/wage employment as well a non-agriculture sector activities are the
>predominant economic activities in this area.
>
>FOOD SECURITY - Being a non-agricultural community, household food
>security depends mostly on the purchasing power of the people and
>availability of food stuff in the market.  Food insecurity is at its peak
>during the rainy season when there is little money and not much
>foodstuff in the market for sale.
>
>SOCIAL SERVICES/WATER AND SANITATION:
>
>Being the capital city, most social services are available to the
>residents. Notwithstanding, the poor have limited access to some of
>the social services such as schools, safe drinking water, electricity and
>sanitation facilities because of the cost involved.
>
>SOLUTIONS:
>Provision of affordable skills training centers, job creation and access to
>start-up capital will help alleviate poverty in Banjul and provide incomes
>needed fof household food security.
>
>KANIFING MUNICIPAL AREA
>
>POVERTY - Prevalence of poverty in KMA is about 92 per cent according to
>the
>perception of the informants.  Unemployment, high family dependency and
>lack
>of farmlands were cited as some of the major causes of overty. Salary/wage
>emloyment as well as non-agriculture informal sector activities (i.e. petty
>trading, batik making and carpevtry amongst others) are the predominant
>economic activities in this area.
>
>FOOD SECURITY - Being non-agricultural, household food security in KMA
>depends mostly on the purchasing power of the people and availability of
>foodstuff in the market. Food security is at its peak during the rainy
>season when there is little money and not much foodstuff in the market for
>sale.
>
>SOCIAL SERVICES
>
>Since KMA is located in a typically urban area, most social services are
>available to the residents.  Notwithstanding, the poor have been
>marginalized in accesing some of the social services as schools, safe
>drinking water, electricity and sanitation facilities because of the cost
>involved. Overcrowding at the health centre and inadequate drug supply have
>also been cited as the constraints in accessing the facility.
>
>SOLUTIONS:
>
>Establish contacts with development institutions or agencies and create
>credit extension support system for investment in business activities. This
>will help alleviate poverty in KMA and provide incomes needed for household
>food security.
>
>WESTERN DIVISION
>
>POVERTY - Prevalence of poverty in Western Division is 94 per cent
>according to the perception of the informants.  Unemployment, low food
>production, lack of markets for agricultural produce and lack of farmlands
>were cited, amond others, as the causes of poverty. Income sources in the
>division come from farm and non-farm with farm sources forming the largest
>single source of income (almost 40 per cent). Most of the crops produced
>are
>mainly for consumption.
>
>FOOD SECURITY - It was easier for the villagers to discuss the concept of
>food insecurity rather than food security, so that was the angle from which
>the discussions emerged. Food insecurity is defined as the situation where
>food is not available for the household consumption all year round. It is
>also defined as when there is lack of money to buy food. Some define it
>simply as famine/hunger whilst others say it is lack of means to afford
>food. The analysis of the Livelihood Systems for this area reveals that
>almost all cereals produced are used primarily for food.  Groundnut is the
>only crop that was scored equally as a food as well as a cash crop whilst
>livestock are mainly reared for cash.
>
>SOCIAL SERVICES:
>
>Inadequate social services, especially education and health, and their
>related high costs have been highlighted. In addition, unsanitary toilet
>facilities and unsafe sources of water supply have also been of concern to
>the participants in the discussion.
>
>NORTH BANK DIVISION
>
>POVERTY - Prevalence of poverty in North bank is 90 per cent according to
>the perception of the informants. Poor producer prices, poor yields, and
>erratic rainfall were some of the causes of poverty cited by the people.
>The
>sources of income in the division are agricultural and and non-agricultural
>with agricultural source forming the largest single source of income. The
>crops produced are mainly for consumption with the expection of crops like
>groundnuts,
>cassava and sesame.
>
>FOOD SECURUTY - As a prodominantly agricultural area, households food
>security in North bank Division depends mostly on the availabilty of
>resources for production. However, because of inadequate farmimg implements
>and inputs, infertile soil and low rainfall, households in this area are
>not
>food secure. It is worth mentioning that almost all the cereals produced
>are
>used primarily for food. Food security is most pronounced during the rainy
>season when food stocks are low.
>
>The seasonal calenders indicate that there are times of the year when
>people
>go hungry and need loans. Meaning that if help is to be provided, this is
>the time it is needed most-during August and September. But on the other
>hand, the discussion has revealed that poverty is more pronounced during
>the
>rainy season and food is scarce, so if loans are provided at this time,
>they
>may use the money to buy food rather engage it in income-generating
>activities.
>
>This, however, does not mean that they do not need help during the rainy
>season. The issue is, what kind of help and what form should it take.
>Presently, availability of arable land is becoming more and more of a
>problem because of the increase in population resulting in the use for
>residential purposes.
>
>SOCIAL SERVICES:
>
>Inadequate social services especially education and health and their
>related
>high costs have been highlighted.  In addition, insanitary toilet
>factlities
>and unsafe drimking water supply have also been of concern to the
>participants in the discussions.
>
>SOLUTIONS:
>
>Provision of farm inputs such as groundnut seeds, fertiliser, implements,
>etc.; more focus given to the development of rice fields, i.e. to provide
>tractor ploughing and power tilling services, construction of dikes, bunds
>and causeways; awareness creation on erosion control techniques and contour
>ploughing; skills training and entrepreneurship development training for
>both men and women; literacy programmes should be revitalised with good
>management; strengthening of the PHC system for the proper dispensing of
>Health Services by reorganising the committee and training members in
>health
>issues and fund management for the sustenance of the drug revolving fund;
>water shortage problems can be alleviated through the construction or
>sinking of new wells and the formation of a Water Committee to take care of
>its maintenance; reorganization of the Village Development Committee such
>as
>that the leadership and management skills of the committees are developed
>through training.
>
>END OF FIRST INSTALLMENT.  SECOND INSTALLMENT WILL COVER LRD, CRD AND
>URD.(Suggestion: Hold your horses until the second installment is posted so
>that you can better appreciate the scope, magnitiude and  regional
>disparity
>of poverty in The Gambia )
>
>
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
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