The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh has continued to receive more goodwill and appreciation messages from people within and outside the country.

The latest messages came from Yousef Turkman, the outgoing general manger of BSIC Bank Gambia Ltd and Kodeh Ndow, a Private Secretary at the Office of the President.

The messages read:
It is with much pleasure that I write to inform and take leave of you, having come to the end of my tour of duty as General Manager of Banque Sahelo-Saharienne pour L’Investiseement et le Commerce, BSIC Bank – Gambia.

It is therefore a duty of care I owe to posterity, to convey to you, with the greatest humility, my sincere sentiments of goodwill and, to congratulate and celebrate with you, the coming into being of a nascent democratic state, which bears living testimony to your pronounced prediction of the demise of the now erstwhile ex-Libyan leader, Colonel Moamar Ghaddafi.

As General Manager of BSIC Bank, a Bank you have been instrumental in its creation, please permit me at this juncture, to place on record my observations of an atmosphere of continued stability, security and friendliness which have become the hallmark of your beautiful country; qualities which are now rate commodities in the world and in Africa, in particular. Indeed, Your Excellency has single handedly transformed Gambia into an enviable modern state, making her a model state now emulated by nations big and small.

In my own modest way, I have endeavored and ensured that in spite of the plethora of banks and the keenness of competition, particularly for start-up banks, in the country, BSIC Gambia is now a household name in the industry, having championed a significant reduction in lending rates from a high of twenty-five percent to around nineteen per cent. 

In addition, BSIC collaborated with your two key institutions namely Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, in ensuring a reduction in the number of expatriate staff and, an injection of additional capital of two million, five hundred thousand Euros, recently. 

I am taking with me, therefore, fond memories of a successful tour, supported by a young and dynamic team of professionals molded in your character and moral high ground.

Your Excellency, it behoves me to also recognize and acknowledge your generous and unflinching support you have continually rendered to the Libyan government and people, particularly your exemplary position in support of the Libyan Peoples’ Revolution, The National Transitional Council. 

In this regard, the whole world bears witness to your prophetic pronouncement on 23rd February 2011 which you became the first African Head of State to declare, with authority that, Colonel Ghadafi must step down, well before the Security Council Resolution 1970 and 1973. 

Your conviction then has become a beacon of hope not only for Africa’s leadership but, that indeed, you are a true Statesman: It did not go unnoticed that even at the level of the Security Council, you have made history by being the fourth world leader to denounce the regime of Colonel Ghadafi, a well informed posture and opportunity that even the African Union mis-judged.

Your Excellency, we are also mindful of and are enjoined in the conveyance of appreciation by the Chairman of the National Transitional Council to Your Excellency, for which we are all made proud, for his acknowledge of your kind and bold support.

Indeed, our two countries have enjoyed a long and enviable bilateral relationship, which we now hope and pray, will continue to grow from strength to strength. No doubt, we pledge hereby, our sincere commitment to continue to safeguard and further build upon the already cordial relationship between the two countries and our peoples.

Before closing, please allow me Your Excellency, to renew the assurance of my continued support to your cause and that of my country’s new leadership, with the knowledge that with your incessant support and advice, our two peoples will indeed, experience the greatest benefit from two of the greatest world leaders of our time.

Finally, Your Excellency, I take this opportunity to convey on my behalf and my family, prayerful wishes to you and your family and that indeed, your prayers will be with us now and forever always.

Yousef Turkman
Outgoing General Manager
BSIC Gambia Ltd

………….......
I greet you in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, hoping and praying that Allah the Almighty grant your efforts with good health and prosperity in this world as well as in the hereafter.

I am congratulating you on the anniversary of the July 22nd, and in the same vein, I convey hearty congratulation to Your Excellency on yet another successful countrywide tour of Meet the Farmers.

My name is Kodeh Ndow, (a Private Secretary in the Office of the President); I wrote to Your Excellency last year dated 30th July 2010 expressing my love, great admiration and appreciation I have for you as a humble personality and dynamic leader. In that same letter I wrote to Your Excellency for sponsorship to perform the last year’s Hajj, which was approved.

Here is yet another Hajj time fast approaching, which is reminding me of our last year’s Hajj. My mind cannot stand still and my tears cannot get dry until I write and express my happiness and thanking Your Excellency for the Hajj package you offered me.

Once again I am saying a big thank you for everything you are doing and everything you intend to do in the future. Sir, I am extending my greeting to you and your family and praying that Allah answer our prayers and gives you long life, good health and His maximum protection.

May the Blessings and protection of Allah (SWT) and in the Holy month of Ramadan that you called us and surprised us with a package to perform the pilgrimage to Makkah, certainly to whom much is given, much is expected and I pray that the Almighty Allah continues to protect and guide our lives.

Finally, Election time is fast approaching and INSAA-ALLAHU the Almighty Allah will not let you down. I am praying that He gives you peace, wisdom and strength to take this country into higher heights. May He also shower abundant Blessings on your family.

I have always been and will always be loyal to you and your Government. Sir, you made us proud to be Gambians. Thank you! Thank you! If there was a word more than thank you I will tell you.

Kodeh Ndow
Private Secretary 1