President Wade acknowledges Jammeh’s good work

Maitre Abdoulie Wade, president of the republic of Senegal has expressed appreciation for president Jammeh’s socio-economic development achievements over the years. President Wade made the remark during the annual Livestock show and Tobaski Ram sales at the department of livestock services in Abuko, Tuesday. President Wade who visited a number of development projects during his three day visit, said Jammeh had shown him everything. “If he hadn’t worked anything, he would not have shown me anything,” he said. President Wade gave Jammeh the French idiomatic title of (ILA BOUCLAIS LA BOUCLE) for being a leader who is building schools, roads, hospitals and at the same time, helping farmers and fishermen. This, according to Wade, showed that Jammeh is a worker.

“If he were not a worker, since I came, he would have kept me inside and talk and talk and talk after which he would accompany me to the airport for me to leave. But he wanted to show me what he had worked,” noting that such things are pleasing to see. Among Wade’s delegation was Mrs Maricole Seck, health minister. He said Mrs Maricole Seck was abroad when he called her home to serve in the cabinet - “a call she quickly responded to as a good citizen”. African intellectuals, Maitre Wade said, work under a democratic atmosphere, the absence of which in any state, forced them to “pack their materials and go somewhere else.” Toubabs, (Whitemen), according to Wade, would not fool intellectuals like Mrs Maricile Seck or he (Wade).

“The same Westerners, like Germany, France, England and America used bombs and other weaponry against one another in the past but they are one today. Why can’t we be one as Africans,” he questioned. “For Senegal and The Gambia, it was colonialism that built barriers between us. We are one and share many things in common. We will remove such barriers and infact the process has begun,” according to Wade. He thanked the farmers taking part in the 12th Livestock Show, demonstrating his personal admiration for animals. He particularly thanked the women farmers among them. “For Senegalese, a bad weather ever brought a disaster that killed about 250,000 animals in Podor, Matam, Linguere, and Luga with more calamities in villages where houses were ruined”.

At the Livestock Show, several animals, ranging from sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses, birds, etc where on exhibition. Prizes were given to various winners from across the country. Also on display were food products from Afet, National Bee Keepers Association, NAWFA, Food and Nutrition and other local enterprises. Besides, products such as soap and other household needs all produced by farmer co-operatives in The Gambia were exhibited.

NYSS establishes Youth Business Service Department

The National Youth Service Scheme has recently established a Youth Business Service Department to assist some of the youths who completed training in the scheme. The department was initiated through the National Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund established by the government to serve as a means of creating sources of funds for skillful youths in The Gambia. The NYSS would disburse the funds to applicants from the ranks of NYSS graduates and should submit completed application for the loan with a well outlined business plan and reasonable collateral with minimal interest charge for effective loan utilisation. The loan disbursement which has already commenced, would enable corps members to be more self reliant and encourage young people to be job creators and not job seekers.