Ousman Sillah For Banjul North

Ousman Sillah, National Assembly Member for Banjul North, commences the distribution of facemasks as part of the "Campaign to Protect the Elderly, Vulnerable and Caregivers in Households Against COVID 19" in his Constituency - Friday, 4 September, 2020.

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR BANJUL NORTH

MY RESPPONSE TO THE PRESENCE OF CROCODILES IN THE BANJUL SWAMPS

12 October 2019

It was brought to my attention by GRTS reporters, who wanted an interview with me, that crocodiles have been surfacing in the canal that runs through the outlying swamps in the northern part of the Capital City of Banjul and in their large numbers. The areas where the said crocodiles have been spotted are within Banjul North which is the constituency I represent. I was also informed that photos of the said crocodiles at different locations in the area have even been taken and posted on social media platforms to show proof of their presence. This issue was reported to me as a matter of public concern which needs urgent attention and action as the reported presence of these crocodiles in the said area can pose a threat, particularly to the lives of both the residents of To***co Road who live in close proximity as well as their small ruminants and fowls.

Once I got wind of the information about the crocs, I felt obliged as the National Assembly Member (NAM) for Banjul North (the concern area) to immediately make enquiries from the constituents or residents of the area with a view to ascertaining its veracity. Although, this was not the first time I heard about the presence of crocodiles in the swamps in Banjul but the scale in which they are said to have infested the place which is very close to a residential area, is quite unexpected and a matter of urgent concern. However, my enquiries eventually confirmed that the crocodiles now inhabit the open drainage canal from the Box Bar Road end and right through the swamps and have also scattered all over the place from behind the National Assembly Complex up to the Bund Polder Station area.

To have these crocodiles inhabiting such a vicinity adjacent to a residential area is not only a danger to human beings and the domestic animals but even the wild reptiles.

As the National Assembly Member for Banjul North, I therefore considered it my duty and responsibility to immediately take interest and commence efforts towards addressing the issue of the crocodiles in the swamps in Banjul to alert the concern authorities in order to avert any eventual serious incident as a result of these dangerous animals coming into direct contact with human beings.

Considering its urgency, the first move I made was to immediately visit the appropriate authority on wildlife related matters and which is the Ministry of Environment and the Department of Parks and Wildlife in order to formally report the issue and to request for their intervention.

The suggestions I made for the crocodiles to be relocated to a more appropriate habitat or a safe haven or to even cordon off the place or confine them to an area where they will not endanger any life or be in danger are just opinions. It is only the Department of Parks and Wildlife that can determine the most appropriate approach to be taken. However, my concern and interest is that with any cause of action to be undertaken, we should ensure that the lives of human beings are safe as well as the crocodiles.

I wish to report that the response of the Ministry of the Environment was positive and swift. The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Saikou K. Sanyang, welcomed my intervention and immediately requested the Parks and Wildlife to send a team to visit the area in question with the view to ascertain the presence of the crocodiles in order to the address the situation appropriately and as soon as possible. A letter was written to that effect and which was copied to the Secretary General, PS Lands and Regional Government, Mayor of Banjul as well as the National Assembly Member for Banjul North.

I guided the Parks and Wildlife team that was sent to visit the area and also provided the escorts who showed them round. I was reliably informed by the officials that, while at the swamps, the team was not fortunate to sight any crocodile but could confirm the footprints and tail markings of the crocodiles on the ground. According to the officials in their post-visit report, they are studying the area to be able to determine the appropriate actions to be undertaken. I also wish to mention the concern demonstrated by Messrs. Saho and Darboe of Parks and Wildlife as well as the other members of the visiting team.

This was also confirmed by Hon. Lamin Dibba, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, while responding to the issue of the crocodiles in Banjul which was also raised at the floor of the National Assembly by the Hon. Muhammed Ndow, National Assembly Member for Banjul Central, during the adjournment debate on Friday, 4 October, 2019. The Minister hailed the swift move taken by the Banjul North NAM in contacting the officials of his ministry which he was informed about while abroad, describing it as responsive leadership in action. He gave assurance that all the necessary actions will be taken by the ministry and partners to ensure that the issue is appropriately and adequately addressed.

To conclude, I wish to inform the residents of Campama Estate or To***co Road in Banjul North, in particular, and those living in other parts of the city bordering with the ‘Tanbi’ Wetland that the issue of the crocodiles has been reported to the appropriate authorities for action and will be doing the necessary follow-up and to give them support wherever and whenever it is needed from me. However, as it stands now there is no cause for alarm but caution should be applied to avoid encroachment, especially the kids who use the area as a playground.

I also wish to reassure the people of Banjul North, in particular, and the Gambia, in general, that since I asked for the mandate to serve you, your welfare will always be my concern and that I will be discharging this responsibility to the best of my ability.


Ousman Sillah
National Assembly Member (NAM)
Banjul North

Funeral service of the late President SIR D. K. JAWARA

The four PDOIS National Assembly Members, namely Sidia Jatta, Halifa Sallah, Suwaibou Touray and myself, Ousman Sillah, this morning (Wed. 28 August 2019), visited the Fajara residence of the late former first President of the Republic of The Gambia, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, to commiserate with his bereaved family. We were received by his widow, Mrs. Chilel Jawara and some close members of the family who accepted our condolences.
As for me, I believed that the life of former President Jawara has many good lessons to learn from by every Gambian, especially the young people. For the nation, President Jawara has been a unifier who stood against divisive elements and politics and promoted united Gambia for all, irrespective of ethnolinguistic and religious categorisations. He was not a tribalist and had been tolerant.
As for the young, the lesson is for them to develop their capacities, as Jawara did, and be ready to serve the nation whenever called upon to do so.
Former President Jawara's departure is a lost for not only his family but the Gambia as his family was intertwined with that of the nation.

May he rest in peace.

Ousman Sillah
National Assembly Member for Banjul North

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE VISIT OF THE TWO TOP EXECUTIVES OF THE UK BASED GSS Co. LTD. TO THE GAMBIA

The executives of GSS Co. Ltd. have now completed their initial scoping mission in The Gambia from the 13 – 20 August, 2019. They have visited a number of cabinet ministers, including the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, the Minister of Higher Education,Reseach, Science and Technology, the Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment and the Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure. They also met members of the business community, UTG, MDI, GIEPA, Action Aid The Gambia, youth representatives and other skills development and higher educational institutions. The visit has been adjudged to be a success by the company.

Their Chief Financial Officer, Mr Tim Bamberger, released the following statement at the conclusion of the company's visit.

“We have been exceptionally impressed with the opportunities that are clearly available in The Gambia. We now feel confident, that with continued collaboration with key stakeholders, we will be able to make a success of future investments into The Gambia. It is our intention to put plans directly into action upon our return to the United Kingdom, and then present these during the Commonwealth Summit in London in October. We then hope to return to The Gambia to begin our investment in earnest, by the end of the year. With this we hope to bring financing, training and well paid employment opportunities for the Gambian people, in a win-win outcome for all parties. We would deeply like to thank the Hon. Ousman Sillah for facilitating our visit, and we commend him as an exceptional parliamentarian for the constituents of Banjul North and The Gambia as a whole.”

GSS Ltd are seeking to bring training and employment opportunities for the Gambian people, with a specific emphasis on the youth and provision of professional office based services at a European standard level.

In addition to this, they have close links and ties with a leading UK private equity and financing firm, through which they will connect both the public and private sectors of The Gambia to funding opportunities.

kind regards,
Tim Bamberger

PRESS RELEASE ON THE VISIT OF TWO TOP EXECUTIVES OF THE UK BASED GSS LTD. TO THE GAMBIA

By Visit Facilitator: Honourable Ousman Sillah, Banjul North

Two top executives of the United Kingdom based GSS Company Ltd. are currently visiting the Gambia on an initial scoping mission to explore possibilities for partnerships and investments in Education, Infrastructure, Development and Employment creation and with particular emphasis on developing youth economic empowerment prospects.

Mr. Richard Vernon, Managing Director, and Mr. Tim Bamberger, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Company, were received by Honourable Ousman Sillah, their contact person in the Gambia.

During the course of their one week stay in the country from the 13 - 20 August, 2019, the two visitors would be meeting with officials and personalities who are relevant to the mission.

The duo received a briefing from Honourable Ousman Sillah and selected personalities on the priorities and prospects for investments in The Gambia.
They met and held discussions with Honourable Mambury Njie, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs and Honourable Lamin Jobe, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment and the Permanent Secretary1, Permanent Secretary responsible for Investment and Director General Department of Strategic Policy, Develipment and Implementation, Planning at the Office of the President.

Their schedule also includes meeting with Honourable Badara Joof, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure as well as officials from the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), University of The Gambia (UTG), Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), national and international NGOs, youth representatives, the British High Commission and the media, among others.

GSS is a UK based Ltd company that specialises in education delivery, provision and sourcing of capital for infrastructure projects. The Company has the objective of promoting development and employment prospects.

OUSMAN SILLAH VISITS AN ULTRA MODERN TVET CENTRE IN OSLO

Mr. Ousman Sillah, National Assembly Member (NAM) for Banjul North, left arrived around 9am in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday, 15 November, 2018, which is day 16th his seven nation European tour. He was received on arrival by Mr. Saul Sowe, a Gambian based in Norway.
At 1 pm on the same day Mr. Sillah met with Mr. Kjell Ove Hauge, the Rector of Kuben Upper Secondary School. The school is part of the Kuben Arena for vocational education and training with educational programmes focusing on Building & Construction, Design, Arts & Crafts, Electrical Trades & Electronics, Healthcare, Childhood & Youth Development , ICT Service, Technical & Industrial Production, General Studies and Preparatory Norwegian language programme for migrant students. The discussions focused on pursuing the possibility of a twinning and an exchange programme with Crab Island School. This idea will be followed up in due course through a meeting with the student council and staff of the school.

Kuben is one of the largest upper secondary schools in Norway with a student population of about 1800 students, 250 staff and an annual budget of 300 million Norwegian Kroners.

After thevpresentation by the Rector, Hon. Sillah was taken round to the different departments of the vocational programmes where he also met teachers and students.

Wednesday, 14 November, 2018, it was a flurry of meetings and visits in Stockholm by Mr. Ousman Sillah, Banjul North National Assembly Member (NAM) while on his last day in the Swedish capital.

Accompanied by Mr. Buharry Gassama, Mr. Lamin Jarju and Mrs Bada Jobe Diene, who are all Gambians based in Sweden, the Banjul North MP started very early in the day with a meeting at the Jobbtorg Youth Employment Division of the Stockholm City Council Labour Market Administration.

Mr. Sillah held a meeting with some officials from different departments of the Centre who explained in detail the work they are doing in providing job placement and back to school programmes for young people between the ages of between 16 – 29 years.

The Centre officials who met the visiting Gambian MP were Disa Soderbar (Education Counsellor), Susan and Carolina (Youth Focus Project) and Sheriffa (Young IT Hosts). They told him that the Centre assists young people, including minors, with job placement for 6 months and also help others to go back to school. Among the target beneficiaries are the school drop outs, mentally challenged with diagnosis such as ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome etc, those with low self-esteem as well as the unemployed young people, including refugees.

They also offer preparatory courses to assist refugees to learn the Swedish language in order to make their integration into the society easy. In addition to finding job placements for its clients, the Centre also serves as a place where companies come to find employees.

Among the programmes being provided is the counselling service offered by doctors and counsellors to traumatised young people.

Mr. Gassama, who also works in this agency, explained that the young people are provided with the opportunity to study part-time and work part-time or work full time and be paid a motivational salary of 19,000 Swedish Crowns per month for the six months duration. This is being funded by the Stockholm City Council from tax payers money.

While on their way to the next appointment, Mr. Sillah and delegation stopped by the mausoleum to pay their respects to the respectable and well known former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, who was killed in cold blood by an assassin in the 80s.

From there, the team moved to the Stockholm City Archives, its second engagement in the last day of the Banjul North lawmaker’s short visit to Sweden.

While at the Stockholm City Archives, the delegation was received by Mr. Lennart Ploom, the Managing Director, and Peeter Mark, Archives Division Director who took them around to some parts of the facility, which is said to be more than two hundred years old and also the oldest in the world.

According to the Director, the construction of the National Archive came about as result of demands by the public to have free access to information or public records (freedom of information law) as they wanted to know how much public money was being collected and where it is spent. He said this was around the time when Sweden was the leader in Europe in the seventeenth century. He said the amount of documents kept there is about 85 kilometres of papers if placed on the ground.

The third engagement was a visit to a rehabilitation centre for those with mental illness, autism, Down's Syndrome etc.

They met with Mr. Jonathan, an official working at the facility, who took Mr. Sillah around the facility.

Mr. Sillah’s day ended with a meeting with the Gambian community in Stockholm. Among those present were the members of the Suhali Banjul group which includes Mr. Koro Sallah, Mr. Sahir Drammeh, a Stockholm City Councilor of Gambian descent, Mrs. Fatou Njie and a host of other compatriots who came from different places in Sweden to meet with the visiting National Assembly Member.

The Banjul North NAM, after explaining the purpose of his mission and the outcome of his engagements so far, implored the Gambian community to become more interested and involved with regards to matters happening at the national level back home. He applauded them for the support they continue giving their individual families and which is helping such families to escape the poverty in which many families find themselves. He told them that the Gambia can only be salvaged by Gambians both at home and in the diaspora. He said the better Gambia that they are all yearning for can only be realised if each and every one of them is committed to the mission of ‘One Gambia, One People and One Nation’.

The meeting, which was chaired by Mr. Drammeh, ended in a positive note with some resolutions on how to better organise and mobilise support from the Gambian community in Sweden towards national initiatives.

They hailed the visit as creating the impetus for them to pursue common goals.

The Suhali Banjul members also agreed to commit themselves to the realisation of the objectives of the organisation in supporting initiatives in Banjul.

On Thursday, 15 November, the Banjul North NAM was conveyed to the airport in Stockholm by Mr. Buharry Gassama to take a flight to Oslo.

OUSMAN SILLAH VISITS A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PIGMENT FACTORY
The last engagement of Mr. Ousman Sillah, Banjul North National Assembly Member (NAM), on Monday, 12 November, 2018, in Belgium was a visit to a family owned factory situated in the outskirts of Antwerp and which produces pigment for decoration in the construction industry.
Accompanied by Mr. Thomas de Beule, the Gambian lawmaker met with Mr. Erik Van Heuven, the proprietor of the business, and Mr. Koen Moeneclaey, the Export Market, and discussed with them how pigment colouring of concrete could be introduced in the Gambia through knowledge and technology transfer to young people in schemes such as the Crab Island Initiative.
Pigment colouring of concrete could be used in the production of interlocking bricks and slabs for city pavements, city parks and streets as well as floor /wall decorations in public facilities and private homes.
He was shown around the factory where this pigment is mixed with cement to give permanent colour for bricks.