WEEKLY INTER-MINISTERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION: 11th SESSION HELD ONLINE, 16th OCTOBER 2020

Ministry of Agriculture: Provision of certified seeds to farmers across the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture has noted that crops in most parts of The Gambia will reach harvestable-maturity especially in regions that benefitted from free distribution of certified seeds with farmers expected to reap near bumper harvest.

It could be recalled that the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Seeds Secretariat at the beginning of the 2020 rainy season distributed 310 Metric tons of rice seed from registered certified rice seed producers from Central River Region. These rice seeds were procured by the Government and distributed to the farming communities across the country through the Department of Agriculture.

The Nema project also procured 142 metric tons of assorted rice seeds certified by the National Seeds Secretariat to farmers as Covid -19 support.

The following certified seeds and quantities were distributed across the country to farmers which are now at the near harvestable stage:

Groundnut    -  132 metric tons

Maize           -   36   metric tons

Cowpea        -   9 metric tons

Rice              -   76 metric tons

Findi             -  518 Kg.

Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters

Rural Water Supply

The Department of Water Resources under the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters is currently implementing two projects as part of efforts to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water. These projects include the Climate Smart Rural WASH Development (CSRWASH) Project funded by African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to the tune of USD 40 Million and the just ended Saudi Sahel Project Phase V (SSP V) funded by the Saudi Fund for Development (SDF) to the tune of USD 3.5 Million. Both projects aim to provide access to safe and quality drinking water to the rural populace.

The Climate Smart Rural WASH Development project would provide:

• 144 solar-powered water supply systems to 276 communities in five administrative regions of the country.
• The project will also enable more than 400, 000 people in rural areas to have access to safe and quality drinking water.

 Already, the just-ended Saudi Sahel Project Phase V provided:

• 27 solar-powered water supply system to 47 rural communities in five administrative regions of the country and these water facilities were handed over to the beneficiary communities in early June 2020 directly benefitting more than 50,000 of people.

Fisheries Sector 

The Fisheries sector as part of its objective to rationally generate revenue for the state in the form of both local and foreign currencies has from 2017 to date generated total revenue of D316,915,584.26 (Three hundred and Sixteen Million Nine hundred and fifteen thousand, five hundred and Eighty-four Dalasis Twenty-six bututs). The sources of revenue according to the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters include 10% fish landings by vessels that could not land catches in Banjul due to landing facility constraints (Inadequate landing /jetty facility), fishing license fines imposed on arrested fishing vessels and Partnership agreements notably the EU sustainable partnership agreement and Senegalo-Gambia Fishing agreement.

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare:

The Gambia to Strengthen Health Care Delivery in the Face of COVID-19

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors have approved a $30 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to improve the quality and utilization of essential health services in The Gambia.

 The Essential Health Services Strengthening Project will provide performance-based financing grants to health facilities, scale-up community engagement to improve utilization of quality health services, and build resilient and sustainable health systems to support the delivery of quality health services.  This will include the renovation of selected health facilities and the establishment of a national blood transfusion service.

 The project will build on the success of the Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health Results project and the ongoing COVID-19 Preparedness and Response project to improve access and use of primary health care services for all in The Gambia.

In the long term, the project is expected to help reduce maternal and child mortality, therefore contributing to the improvement of The Gambia’s Human Capital Index.

Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE)

The Ministry of Trade, Regional, Integration and Employment is developing the National Regional Integration Policy and Strategy to pave a clear direction of The Gambia in harnessing the much-needed benefits of her membership in the regional and sub-regional organizations. Following the Joint Presidential Council Meeting between The Gambia and Senegal, the Ministry of Trade, Regional, Integration and Employment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure is working on popularizing the Cross-Border Transport Cooperation Agreement, aimed at widening market access for operators in the transport sub-sector.

To better promote regional integration agenda through cross border cooperation and data collection, the Ministry of Trade, Regional, Integration and Employment continue to provide support in the form of materials and equipment to border authorities and other stakeholders in the promotion of the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocols.

Ministry of Tourism and Culture:

Pastry and Bread Production Centre for Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI)

The Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI) under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTC) is on the verge of constructing the first-ever Pastry and Bread Production Centre at the GTHI main campus in Kanifing.

The D2,000,000.00 Standardized Production Centre which is funded by the Government of the Gambia will enhance The Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute’s teaching capacity in the area of pastry and bread production using local ingredients such as millet and corn.

This project, which is expected to be completed and officially commissioned before the end of December 2020, and will further help close the skill gap in pastry and bread production as well as improve linkages with the agriculture sector.

Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education: 2020 GAMBIA BASIC CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (GABECE) RESULTS

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education on Tuesday 13th October 2020 released the results of the 2020 Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examination.

The total number of candidates who entered for the examination was 23,039 students out of which 10,083 were males and 12, 956 were females.

A total of 26 candidates scored aggregate 6 this year compared to 21 in 2019 and students have done remarkably well in all the core subject areas this year compared to last year except for Mathematics.

However, for the first time, 6 candidates scored one in all their nine subjects.

The underperformance of students in Mathematics is not only peculiar to the Gambia but across the West African Examination Council (WAEC) member states.

Overall, more students in 2020 have passed Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examination than before.