By Fatou Saine
The Gambian leader President Yahya Jammeh has conferred the National ‘Insignia Award’ on 14 APRC militants in Kanifing Municipality (KM) in recognition of their loyalty to the party from 1994 to date.
The ‘Insignia Awards’ were recently conferred on the militants in Kanifing Municipality, on behalf of the Gambian leader, by the Mayor of the Municipality, Yankuba Colley, at a colourful ceremony held at the council’s campus.
The ceremony also witnessed Kanifing Municipality’s APRC divisional executive committee awarding ‘Certification of Appreciation’ to 40 campaign committee members of the last Local Government election, for what the party described as their active participation in the electioneering period.
In his capacity as the Chairman of the ceremony, Hon. Sulayman Joof, the National Assembly Member for Serrekunda West Constituency, who also doubles as the Desk Officer for Kanifing Municipality and former Chairman of the last Local Government election committee of KM, described the ceremony as special in the annals of the municipality.
“This is the first time an important award like ‘Insignia Award’ be given to APRC militants within Kanifing Municipality, on behalf of the Gambian leader by the Mayor of the KM and I urge the awardees to be proud of the award conferred on them by the Gambian leader,” Hon. Joof said. According to him, consultations were made by the APRC municipality executive committee, as to how the selection should be conducted.
He then thanked both President Jammeh’s ‘Insignia Awardees’ and Kanifing Municipality awardees for choosing them from the whole caboodle of the municipality.
Speaking at the ceremony, shortly before conferring the Insignia Award on the awardees, Mayor Yankuba Colley, who doubles as the APRC national mobiliser, thanked the Gambian leader for giving him the first chance to present the ‘Insignia Award,’ to the awardees, which he (President Jammeh) used to confer on Gambians.
“We are all equal as far as President Jammeh and his APRC party is concerned and you need to continue with the love you have for the Gambian leader and his party and The Gambia in general so that the country can move forward for the betterment of our own future leaders”, Colley told the awardees.
The National Youth Mobilser Colley then said, “This is the first batch to receive the award,” adding that if similar award comes again another batch will also benefit from it.
According to Lord Mayor Yankuba Colley, President Jammeh is aware of the efforts each and every APRC party militant is doing. “Just continue with the good work, one day the Gambian leader will surprise you because he always surprises people with his well-known generosity.”
Lord Mayor Colley further thanked the awardees for their selfless service to the APRC party and the nation in general, urging them, their family members and friends to be proud of what he described as this important award, which he said, was conferred on them by the Gambian leader.
He reminded the awardees that “this award conferred on them by the Gambian leader will be remembered by their grand children who are yet to be born; this is why it is an important award for them which they should be proud of.”
He said “The Gambia is a small country but we are far ahead of many big countries in the world when it comes to security, peace, friendliness and its stability. We should allow that peace and stability to prevail under President Jammeh’s government.”
For his part, Majority Leader and member for Serrekunda East constituency, who was also a recipient of the Insignia Award, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta congratulated both Insignia and KM awardees for their support to the Gambian leader and the APRC party from 1994 to date.
Majority leader Jatta conveyed to the gathering, a special message from the Laison Officer for KM, who happens to be the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, whom he said, was unable to attend the ceremony due to another state engagement. “Let me also seize this opportunity to welcome our former Laison Officer Francis Litti Mobge who also received ‘certificate of appreciation’ from KM for the active role he had played during the last Local Government election and by extension we also welcome in our midst the former Minister of Information Alhagie Cham.”
Serekunda East representative also thanked the Mayor of KM and his management for giving the ‘certificate of appreciation’ to those who have played an active role in the last Local Government election.
Majority Leader Fabakary Tombong commended the Desk Officer of KM, Honorable Sulayman Joof, describing him (Joof) as someone who knows the needs of the people of the Kanifing Municipality and also Yayi compins and youth groups for their loyalty to President Jammeh and his party from 1994 to date.
The Insignia Awardees included Aja Fatou Binta Jammeh, Francis George Gomez, Dodou Sey, Ramatoulie Mbye, Elizabeth Lizy Val-Phatty Mendy, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Mustapha Njie, Dawda Sey, Oumie Camara, Eku Njie, late Baba Jindeh Jarjue, Boto Tamba, Alhagie Seedy Jobe and Ndey Gomez.
Meanwhile, the Gambian leader, President Yahya Jammeh continues his 21-Day tour of the country, which took him to the provincial areas, where he visits and meets residents of the area, farmers and project sites initiated and implemented by the ruling APRC party.
The Mirror 