Mahamadou Ceesay - Chairman Basse Area Council

We remain focused on serving the interests of our people. No distraction for the servant of the people.

Basse Area Council/Sant Feliu City Council distributed massively — modern hospital beds, waste collection bins and school furniture to our hospitals, streets and schools across the Upper River Region to improve quality healthcare service, education and sanitation with our communities.

We engaged with the Soninkara community of Upper River Region during our initial preparation meeting for hosting the International Soninke Language Day 2026 in Basse.

Since 2023, when UNESCO designated September 25 as the annual celebration of International Soninke Language Day, we have involved local community leaders from our predominantly Soninkara region to collaboratively develop ideas for the successful celebration of the event this year.

We are calling on everyone to join us in URR as we continue to preserve the language and foster unity among our communities both at home and abroad.

Things take time but when patience meets purpose, the results are always worth it.

For a long time, we have held meaningful discussions on how to transform Basse into a true sporting hub for our country and unlock the full potential of the incredible talents within our region.

Today, that shared vision takes a significant step forward. In close collaboration and with the unwavering support of my brother, the Minister of Youth & Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, we have agreed to work collectively to enhance the Basse Mini Stadium and elevate it to a standard that reflects our ambition.

My sincere appreciation goes to the Governor’s Office of URR, the Regional Sports Committee, and all stakeholders whose dedication and concerted efforts continue to drive this vision forward.

With the grace of Allah, we are confident that this dream will soon become a reality and together, we will build a home for sporting excellence.

We partnered with Agib Bank Ltd to enhance the identity of our regional entrance for those visiting us for the first time.

This place has a strong identity, not only bordering us with a sister region but also symbolising the hospitality, openness, love and unity of home that continue to coexist among us.

It is just the start, among many previous facelifts we have done, from our tree-growing initiatives to the enhancement of a clean city, all geared towards achieving our Smart City dream.

As Chairperson of the Basse Area Council, I wish to categorically acknowledge the Gambia Football Federation for its foresight and ambition in initiating what is intended to be a meaningful mini stadium project for the people of the Upper River Region.

Such initiatives, when properly executed, have the potential to contribute significantly to youth empowerment and sporting development in our region, which has long been struggling to achieve such.

However, while I recognise the Federation’s stated ambition amid growing public concern regarding the reported scale and value of the GFF–Nyakoi project, I must respectfully but firmly condemn the recent remarks made by the GFF President, Mr Lamin Kaba Bajo, during his appearance on West Coast Radio on Tuesday morning.

His assertion that the people of the Upper River Region are divided, and that such division hinders development, is both misleading and unfounded—particularly coming from a former diplomat and senior public servant.

Over the years, the Upper River Region has successfully implemented highly-significant development projects under the current government and through partnerships with various stakeholders. These achievements were made possible through unity, cooperation, and a shared commitment to progress.

The growing calls for transparency and accountability surrounding the GFF–Nyakoi project do not reflect division; rather, they demonstrate the strong unity that exists among our people whenever matters concerning the collective interest of the region arise. Demanding accountability should never be misconstrued as disunity. On the contrary, it is a hallmark of civic responsibility and democratic maturity.

Attempts to frame legitimate public scrutiny as divisive, or to rely on past oversights as justification for present concerns, cause more harm than good. As a former senior government official, it is expected that you would appreciate and accommodate public demand for accountability rather than characterise it in a manner that undermines the people’s genuine concerns or elevates division among communities.

It is also important to clarify that at no point was the Basse Area Council involved in the implementation of this project. As regional authorities, we attend development-related events when invited, as a matter of courtesy and in support of initiatives that may benefit our region. Such attendance should not be interpreted as direct involvement in, or endorsement of, the technical or financial management of the project, as has been insinuated.

At the foundation stone–laying ceremony in July 2023, we described the project as a potentially historic milestone for sports development in our region. At the same time, we emphasised the importance of delivering quality and standard work to ensure sustainability with zero tolerance for corruption or its related activities. That position remains unchanged and applies to all development initiatives coming in the Upper River Region.

Finally, I wish to reassure all genuine Gambians and our development partners that the Upper River Region remains known for its hospitality, openness, and willingness to welcome meaningful investment and collaboration. No amount of ridicule or mischaracterisation will divide us. We remain united, committed to transparency, and steadfast in our pursuit of sustainable development for our people.

We responded swiftly to the cries of our women in Nyakoi Medina, working through the Sutukonding Ward Development Committee under the leadership of Honourable Mawdo Sisawo.

What was once a frustrating and exhausting journey for every woman in the community striving to venture into vegetable gardening — an effort that not only supports families but also contributes to the wider development of the Council has now been resolved.

Thanks to the prompt intervention of the Basse Area Council, the garden’s water pump system has been renovated on short notice, restoring reliable water access and bringing renewed hope

Join me in congratulating and welcoming my brother, Hon. Omar Jatto Jammeh, the NAM for Janjangbureh to the country’s most peaceful and progressive National People’s Party.

We have started this journey together and built on a strong foundation to reach this point.

NPP is a party for every progressive young person, and we are happy that the bus has picked up yet another instrumental young man along the way. The driver Barrow PORG is not slowing down on the wheels, come on December 5.

For decades, my grandfather and grandmother in the most remote villages of URR survived the nights with candles, kerosene lamps, and torchlights, spending their last bututs and dalasis just to see a few metres ahead.

They lived with humility and quiet acceptance, exposed to fire hazards, theft, and the fear that comes with darkness once the sun went down. That was their reality.

Today, barely 10 years into the Barrow-led government, not 30, not 22, the story is changing. The Government of The Gambia has electrified 719 rural communities, many of which are now being officially inaugurated. For villages long forgotten, light has finally arrived.

Against this backdrop, the Basse Area Council, despite inheriting years of governance and administrative lapses and battling through nearly three years of reform, has stepped in to collaborate and complement these national efforts by providing street lighting. In many of those communities, the lights will be switched on within the next 24 hours.

Beyond politics, party colours, religion, or personal affiliations, honesty demands that we pause and acknowledge progress when it is visible. These are historic gains, most especially for the poor and underprivileged rural communities achieved under the leadership of Barrow PORG and his government.

Light is no longer a privilege. It is a basic need.

We are recruiting and here is another opportunity to be part of our dedicated team in institutionalising our local government consortium of beloved Gambia.

GALGA is recruiting a Secretary General to oversee its Secretariat.

Details of Application Process
All interested applicants should submit their detailed CV, cover letter and supporting documents to the GALGA Secretariat in Tabokoto, adjacent to the Nice Building.

Closing date:
The closing date for applications is Thursday, 26th February 2026, at 12 noon.

Address:
All applications should be addressed to:
The President
The Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA)
Tabokoto, Adjacent to Nice Building

Follow this link below to access the detailed ToR for the Position:

Secretary General – Gamjobs.com Full Time Tabokoto, The Gambia February 5, 2026 - February 26, 2026 Administrations - Business development - Communication & Public Relations - Operations - Other - Record Keeping and Reporting