The political weaponisation of the development by the authorities in Nianija through the Ministry of Health at the detriment of our women in Nianija is unacceptable and must be condemned!!
The Gambia Diaspora Club earmarked the Chamen Nianija Health Care System to build a well-equipped maternity ward, and the Ministry of Health issued a Clearance Certificate after completing all official consultations. The Regional Health Director attended the foundation stone laying ceremony, and the project contract company manager addressed the gathering, acknowledged the signed contract, and promised to deliver the project on time.
Before the dust settled from the euphoria of the Project launch, some members of government authorities that issued the official clearance for the project to comment decided to dampen the public spirit and derail the project by revoking the official clearance given from the same office for political reasons were there should be no political hindrance against the welfare of people of Nianija.
The project started with great enthusiasm, anticipating its impact on saving women’s lives with their babies and improving Infant maternal mortality health. Some materials were procured in advance, and over 4000 blocks were already developed onsite, only for the same Government that issued the clearance to play politics and revoke its own issued clearance.
Brother Momodou Cham, a Community Champion, worked tirelessly and selfishly in collaboration with stakeholders at the health ministry and the community leaders level to provide the Diaspora club with the required data, resulting in Chamen being selected as the host community to benefit from this project. Instead of commending Mr Cham for his leadership and community-spirited actions, his distractors turn the entire goodwill of the project into a political game, perceiving Mr Cham as an opposition because he has contested under the UDP ticket in the past Parliamentary elections.
Why should Mr Cham’s Political affiliation, which is his constitutional right as it applies to all members of our community affiliating with different political parties, be used to deprive our women in Nianija of a modern healthcare facility that will save lives and give them dignity during labour? Why should we allow a few politically selfish members of our community to derail the project, forcing our women to be treated in such a despicable manner to silence an opponent who is more patriotic and should be commended for his efforts?
As a native of Nianija, I am disappointed and angry, expressed as an understatement. Why Must we allow political distractors like Seedy Njie, the Deputy Speaker, the National Assembly Member for Nianija Amadou Camara, and the District Chief Dawda York, playing politics with people’s life and welfare to deny the Wowen of the district a Modern Metanity facility?
While other citizens of Nianija are upholding their community responsibility and not waiting for government intervention to improve their living conditions, as recently as a few months ago, the Health Center was functioning without an electric supply due to damage to the solar system. Doctors had to use their mobile phone lights to attend to patients or women giving birth at night due to the damaged solar system until the Nianija Diaspora Team stepped in two weeks ago to spend over D35,000 to have that fixed from our pockets.
The Gambia belongs to all of us, instead of this government and its political leaders treating the Diaspora as respectable Partners who want to contribute and help our people. Why does the Ministry of Health allow Seedy Njie and his political hacks to dictate them in playing politics with the lives of our people, especially the women giving birth who are to benefit from the proposed Morden Maternity Facility?
I wish for the community to unite and not allow Seedy Njie and his political hack to get away with depriving the community of their right to Modern Health Care Services. If any more women die at that health centre during labour delivering babies, the government shall be held to account and possibly legal actions taken against the state. We encourage The Diaspora Club to consider taking legal action against the Ministry of Health for its failure of due care to the community by blocking the construction of the proposed healthcare facility without any genuine reason, leading them to reverse their decision on awarding the clearance for the project.
It’s glaring to the nation that the government is allowing Seedy Njie and his political hackers to play politics with the people’s lives for their political interests, not for the country’s and its people’s development. How can Seedy spearhead such a vile action denying his community essential health care facility? The entire situation clearly shows that this person doesn’t care about his own people’s health, and Allah willing, I will do a Facebook live and give a series of media interviews about this sad game of politics. The Gambia belongs to all of us, and if people think power belongs to them, then it is a timely reminder that we had Jawara and Jammeh gone; Barrow will also go someday, but the Gambia will always remain.
We learn that the government is now promising to build the facility; it’s interesting to note that they are scraping a competent project that could be delivered sooner, saving more lives than starting a new project all over again. Why wait until the 11th hour to stop a project with zero cost to the health budget and begin to commence feasibility studies to secure a grant that isn’t budgeted in our 2025 Budget? I also believe any government grant must be tabled and ratified in Parliament. What’s the government policy on taking a grant when project funding is in place by your citizens at zero cost to taxpayers? The whole thing is bunkers and smells like shit!!
Please see the two letters below and the link to the opening ceremony at Chamen Nianija, which covered my many media houses, including GRTS &QTV, on Monday, 30th December 2024.
Opinion Article by Bakary Bah UK!
