Momodou Charreh Gibba: Open Letter to the Governmemt Spokesperson
1st August 2020
Dear Sir,
Re. THE GAMBIA GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE
With reference to the Gambia Government Press Release dated 30th July 2020 signed by Ebrima G Sankareh, I wish to refer to you the Citation of Face Masking Order.
This Citation may be cited as the Compulsory Wearing of the Face Mask Order 2020 and governed by certain Regulations. It is important to re-echo that COVID 19 is real and the Government should take up the current situation with utmost seriousness. It is very disappointing and disheartening to see people very closed to the state house flouting or disregarding the Orders of the State of Public Emergency.
Your Government was lazy and very slow to take stringent measures to combat the spread of COVID 19 until it is now getting out of hand. Mr Spokesman, I would like to refer you to Regulation No.(4) of the Compulsory Wearing of Face Masks which stated thus; ‘ the Area Council or Municipality of every area where a market is situated shall ensure that all persons entering a market wear a face mask.“
Mr Sankareh, what do you really mean in this statement ? Is it possible for Brikama Area Council to ensure that everyone wears a mask before entering the Brikama market? As a concerned policy maker at BAC, I deemed it necessary to enquire how this could be executed. Even though BAC does not have a chairman, i think it is reasonable for any policy maker to come out and seek clarification surrounding the inclusion of BAC as per Regulation No.(4) quoted above. This means that BAC is given a responsibility to ensure that people entering the market wear masks.
Mr. Sankareh, COVID 19 is real, and Government urgently needs the full cooperation and collaboration of everyone in our region and country in order to effectively combat the COVID 19 pandemic. However, with reference to Regulation No.4, I would like to inform you that Brikama Area Council does not have the administrative capacity and financial resources to ensure that everyone entering the Brikama market wear face masks . I think the Gambia Government should look at this statement diligently if they are really serious with our current situation.
As a concerned policy maker at BAC, I am scared and very much worried about how the government is currently handling this pandemic but the reality is that the Central government is less serious,! and more efforts have to be done to keep the Gambia safe and alive.
Brikama Area Council cannot take that responsibility, and I think it is fair enough to put that to your government.
May Allah protect the Gambia and her people. In the service of our people, I thank you for your attention.
Sincerely yours,
Hon Momodou Charreh Gibba Councillor Gunjur Ward.
Cc
CEO BAC
Admin Director BAC
The Clerk BAC
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