AskanwiGambia

🪦Meet Faa Manneh — Still Waiting to Lay Her Brother to Rest

Askanwi’s feature documentary shines a light on families still living with the pain of not being able to bury their loved ones.

Fatou Manneh, widely known as Faa Manneh, is the sister of Lt. Bakary Manneh, popularly known as Nyancho, who was executed during the purge of the Gambia National Army under the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh on 11th November 1994.

In this exclusive documentary, Faa shares her story alongside other relatives whose loved ones’ remains were exhumed back in April 2019. Seven years after the exhumation of seven sets of remains, Faa and other families are still waiting for the government to complete the necessary forensic investigations, identify the remains, and return them for a dignified burial.

The documentary explores the enduring trauma of unresolved loss, the search for closure, and the critical role of forensic science in delivering truth, accountability, and justice for victims of the former regime.

Could the much-discussed $48 million Forensic Science Laboratory have made a difference?

Photo Credit: Aisha Sillah

#Askanwi #ExhumedRemains #TransitionalJustice #HumanRights #ForensicInvestigation #TheGambia #TRRC #NeverAgain

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15 hours ago (edited) | [YT] | 2

AskanwiGambia

💸 NAWEC Reveals Breakdown of Donor Funds in Reaction to Askanwi Information Request

The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has released a brief explanation of donor funding received after a request for information from Askanwi Media during an interview with the NAWEC PRO, Mr Buba Badjie, on 10th June 2026.

After Askanwi Media followed up after the interview, the NAWEC PRO issued this response today: 23rd June 2026 to Askanwi Media, which is being reproduced below as received.

www.askanwi.com/feature-publications/nawec-reveals…

Subscribe to @AskanwiGambia on YouTube and TikTok for more.

#Askanwi #NAWEC #RequestForInformation #NAWECFunding

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2 days ago | [YT] | 3

AskanwiGambia

💸 Agriculture Overspends by D316 Million, Presidency by D82 Million as Government Moves Revenues to Escrow Accounts

By Askanwi Gambia

The Gambia’s Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Hon. Seedy Keita, has reported to Parliament on the use of an escrow account to ring-fence non-tax revenues and revealed that the Office of the President overspent by more than D82 million during the first quarter of 2026.

However, the biggest overspending institution was the Ministry of Agriculture, which exceeded its budget by at least D316 million.

Speaking to parliamentarians on Monday, 8th June 2026, Minister Keita noted that “an Escrow Account was created by the Accountant General to collect and transfer third-party revenues to the respective beneficiary institutions.” He added that the revenues transferred into the escrow account include “the National Education Levy, Sport Development Levy, Car Parking Fees, and PURA Fuel Levy from the CRF revenues in the fiscal year 2026.”

According to the report submitted to Parliament, the ring-fencing of these revenues resulted in the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) collecting 25% less non-tax revenue in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

Last year, GRA collected D132.87 million in non-tax revenue during the first quarter of 2025. This year, only D99.71 million was collected during the same period.

According to the Finance Minister, “this underperformance is mainly attributed to the removal of third-party revenues from government revenues.” However, the government has yet to disclose the amounts currently held in the escrow accounts, raising concerns that such revenues may now fall outside the routine scrutiny of Parliament.

Supporters of escrow arrangements argue that they help protect dedicated funds from being diverted to other government expenditures and ensure that beneficiary institutions receive resources on time. Critics, however, contend that unless the balances and transactions are regularly reported, escrow accounts can reduce transparency and limit Parliament’s ability to effectively monitor public finances.

Overspending and Underspending MDAs

Earlier this week, Askanwi reported that the Government recorded a budget deficit of more than D195 million. A closer look at the Finance Minister’s submission reveals the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) that overspent and underspent, contributing to the deficit.

Apart from the Office of the President and the Ministry of Agriculture, other budget entities that exceeded their 25% first-quarter spending threshold were the two education ministries, which overspent by a combined D67 million.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Petroleum significantly underspent, utilizing only 1% of its annual budget during the first three months of the year, amounting to just over D15 million. Our calculations show that the Ministry of Petroleum, which also serves as the parent institution of the country’s sole electricity provider, NAWEC, should have spent an additional D362 million during the first quarter.

Given the country’s ongoing electricity challenges, it is surprising that only 1% of the Ministry of Petroleum’s budget was spent during the first quarter of 2026.

Similarly, the Ministry of Public Service and Administration spent only 6% of its budget, while the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare utilized just 10%. Also spending less than half of their expected 25% first-quarter allocations were the National Audit Office and Centralized Services.

#Askanwi #BusinessEconomy #BudgetReporting #EscrowAccount

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1 week ago | [YT] | 3

AskanwiGambia

💸 Government Paid D2.58 Billion in Debt Obligations in First Three Months of 2026

By Askanwi Media

Askanwi’s analysis of the Finance Minister’s Budget Implementation Report for the first three months of 2026 has revealed that the Government of The Gambia spent over D2.58 billion on debt repayments out of a total expenditure of D9 billion.

This means that more than 28% of the country’s total expenditure, as detailed in Finance Minister Seedy Keita’s report, went toward servicing national debt.

For 2026, Parliament approved D13.4 billion for National Debt Service, including D6.898 billion allocated to debt interest payments.

Debt interest refers to payments made to lenders in addition to repaying the original amount borrowed. Principal payments, on the other hand, are repayments of the actual amount borrowed by The Gambia and are typically due within an agreed repayment period. Delays in repayment can result in additional interest charges and penalties.

According to the Minister’s report, D1.359 billion was spent on Debt Service (debt interest) in the first quarter alone. Combined with D1.16 billion in principal repayments, the figures indicate that The Gambia is currently spending more on debt interest than on repaying the original borrowed amounts.

An additional D60 million, recorded as Settlement of Confirmed Debts, pushed total debt-related payments to over D2.58 billion during the first three months of 2026.

The Minister’s first table shows that GLF Expenditure and Net Lending amounted to D7.871 billion. However, when Principal Payments and Settlement of Confirmed Debts, listed at the bottom of Annex 2, are included, total expenditure rises to D9.092 billion for the first quarter of 2026.

#Askanwi #BusinessEconomy #Debt #BudgetImplementation

1 week ago | [YT] | 2

AskanwiGambia

⚡Exclusive: NAWEC Denies Accusing Opposition of Politicizing Electricity Blackouts

This morning, Askanwi Editor Yusef Taylor received a phone call from NAWEC PRO Buba Badjie, who expressed reservations about an interview conducted with Madi Jobarteh of the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice. The interview was in response to comments attributed to NAWEC Managing Director Galo Saidy, suggesting that the opposition was politicizing the ongoing electricity blackouts.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Askanwi on 10 June 2026, Mr. Badjie clarified the Managing Director’s remarks and responded to several questions, including the newly issued load-shedding rota and NAWEC’s assurance that the electricity situation will return to normal by mid-June.

During the interview, which will be published on Askanwi’s YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook platforms, Mr. Badjie refuted the KERR FATOU headline: “NAWEC Managing Director Accuses Opposition of Politicizing Power Outages.”

Following the main interview in English, Mr. Badjie also gave summary interviews in Wolof and Mandinka.

Follow Askanwi Media for the full interview and more updates coming soon.

#Askanwi #NAWEC #MadiJobarteh #KerrFatou #BubaBadjie

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

AskanwiGambia

🏥 After Losing One Son to AKI, Mr Drammeh Pleads for Financial Support to Save Another Son

After losing his son, Muhammed Lamin Drammeh, to the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) outbreak in 2022, Mr Alhagie Drammeh is now facing another heartbreaking battle as he struggles to save the life of his son, Saikou Drammeh.

According to Mr Drammeh, Saikou is currently living with a serious medical condition that has left him passing stool through an opening on the side of his stomach (indicated by the white circle), and the family is urgently seeking financial support for his treatment.

Kindly contact Mr. Alhagie Drammeh directly on 3903846 (WAVE number) or 7124418. Supporters may also contact Mr. Ebrima Sagnia on 3551336 or 6197723.

🎥 Video interview to be aired shortly.

#Askanwi #AKI #Health #Children #SaikouDrammeh

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 8

AskanwiGambia

🏥 AKI Victim Pleads for Financial Support to Save Son’s Life

Mr. Alhagie Drammeh of Tanji, who lost his son Muhammed Lamin Drammeh during the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) outbreak in 2022, has appealed for urgent financial support to help save the life of his son, Saikou Drammeh.

During a meeting on 31st May 2026 with Mr. Drammeh and the President of the AKI Victims Association, Mr. Ebrima Sagnia, our reporter inquired about Saikou’s health condition.

In response, Mr. Drammeh revealed that six months ago, his son was admitted to hospital and underwent an operation that left him passing stool through an opening on the side of his abdomen. Mr. Drammeh showed our reporter the open wound, which was covered with pampers used to collect the stool. The pampers were secured with strings and had to be changed frequently. (See white circle).

According to Mr. Drammeh, his son urgently requires further medical treatment and surgery to restore his health, allowing him to return to a normal life, play, and learn alongside his peers.

After hearing the family’s distressing story, our reporter was compelled to make a small donation to assist with the purchase of pampers and transportation costs for further medical attention.

Mr. Drammeh previously lost his son, Muhammed Lamin Drammeh, to AKI after he consumed toxic medicines manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India and imported into The Gambia by Atlantic Pharmaceuticals. After failing to pass urine, the child eventually died, becoming one of at least 84 children who lost their lives during the outbreak.

Today, Mr. Drammeh is appealing to the public for financial and medical assistance to enable his son, Saikou Drammeh, to undergo a more comprehensive operation that could save his life and help him return to normal health.

Kindly contact Mr. Alhagie Drammeh directly on 3903846 (WAVE number) or 7124418. Supporters may also contact Mr. Ebrima Sagnia on 3551336 or 6197723.

🎥 Video interview to be aired shortly.

#Askanwi #AKI #Health #Children #SaikouDrammeh

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 5

AskanwiGambia

⛓️Police Release Bojang Siblings After Two Days GALA Protest

The Gambia Police Force has announced the release of Ousainou and Amie Bojang from state custody, following growing public pressure and a two day GALA-led protest, which started yesterday 31st March 2026.

The two siblings have been battling a two year long criminal suit after the state accused them of the murder of two police officers at the Sukuta–Jabang Traffic Lights back in September 2023.

In his judgment delivered on 25th March 2026, Justice Jaiteh cleared both individuals of all charges and granted them bail, rejecting the state’s request to remand them in the notorious Mile 2 Prison.

After years of incarcerating the duo, the Gambia Police Force disobeyed Justice Jaiteh's High Court ruling by re-arresting them soon after their release sparking an impromptu protest yesterday at Westfield.

Today, Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) issued another call for a protest at Brufut, which saw young people take to the streets demanding the immediate release of the duo.

This morning, the Ministry of Justice issued a statement attempting to justify the government’s arbitrary arrest of the Bojang siblings. The government had planned to hold a press conference today on the issue but cancelled at the last minute.

After sustained public pressure, the police have now confirmed that both Ousainou and Amie Bojang have now been released from state custody with immediate effect.

Images captured by Saidou Diallo

#Askanwi #BojangSiblings #Protest #ArbitraryArrest #Police #HumanRights

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2 months ago | [YT] | 11

AskanwiGambia

📹Live Interview with Disability Advocate Adama Hawa Camara

Adama Hawa Camara is a Gambian‑born disability advocate and bilateral amputee whose journey from a congenital condition to courageous self‑acceptance now drives her powerful voice on disability inclusion through GISPDinclusiveTV — live on Askanwi Media YouTube ‪@AskanwiGambia‬ today, 31st March at 4pm (Gambia).

#Askanwi #DisabilityAwareness #GISPDinclusiveTV

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2 months ago | [YT] | 1

AskanwiGambia

🔍The Gambia’s Maternal Mortality on the Rise, Contrary to the Health and Information Ministry’s Claims

New investigation out now on mother's loosing their lives during childbirth.

#Askanwi #MaternalMortality #FactCheck #Investigation #MoH

www.askanwi.com/feature-publications/the-gambias-m…

2 months ago | [YT] | 2