Hannah Forster appointed CPD Board Chair

Mrs Foster, who is the Executive Director of the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, was formally appointed on August, 25th, 2020. Other board members are Bakary Fatty, founding Executive Director, who will serve as Secretary to the board; property magnate Mustapha Njie, Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa Global and Chairman of TAF Africa Foundation; Tida Njie, Finance and Administrative Manager of Safe Hands for Girls; Sheriff Bojang Jr., President of Gambia Press Union; Musu Bakoto Sawo, Law Lecturer and National Coordinator of Think Young Women; and Ousman Yabo, Executive Director of TANGO. Their mandate is billed to run until March 1st, 2022.

Speaking after accepting her nomination, Mrs Foster firmed her unflagging commitment, unstoppable drive and uncompromising efforts to promote, protect and pursue democracy and human rights, which, she said, are tied to the goals of the CPD. As she thanked the board members for the trust and confidence they reposed in her, she pledged to work flat-out to deliver the collective results they have set out to achieve in harmony, professionalism and friendship.

Commenting on the nomination, Bakary Fatty said: “I thank Mrs Hannah Foster from the depths of my heart for accepting to serve as chair of the board of the CPD, and the other fantastic board members. This is a team brimming with energy, abounding with talent from the public and private sector, and from the civil society and international community. Without any shred of doubt, they would bring their diverse, varying degrees of experience to bear on the work of the commission, as we continue to make our great country, The Gambia, a beacon of democracy.”

The first big test for the newly-formed CPD will be the simulation mock debates and discussions it is organising on the US presidential election this October and November in partnership with the US Embassy, as it eyes hosting a televised debate among next year’s presidential aspirants in The Gambia.