By Landing Colley
Dr Momodou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs last week updated the august assembly on current situation of Gambians living abroad in the mid of covid-19 pandemic during the questions and answers session at the National Assembly.
Responding to Suwaibou Touray NAM for Wuli East who requested the Honorable Minister to tell the session at the assembly how many Gambians abroad are reported dead or infected by covid-19 and what measure have been taken to protect them especially those going to school?
Minister Tangara said “information relates to our Mission Aboard indicated that two elderly women of Gambian Nationality pass away in New York due to covid-19 and they were led to rest there.”
There were few Gambia in North Carolina who displayed symptom of covid-19 but subsequently recovered, he added.
He noted that “our Missions are in constant touch with various Gambians associations abroad under covid-19 situation.”
Meanwhile he stated that government has been rolling relief packages for Gambian students studying abroad through the Ministry of Finance and Higher Education. He noted that the sum of money is directly remitted to students in order to assist them to buy food, medicine and other essentials.
Suwaibou Touray NAM for Wuli East again asked the Minister whether the Ministry is aware that Gambia Students in country like Ghana complained that they don’t receive any support from the Government of The Gambia.
In his responds he attested to it that not only in Ghana but other country as well they received complaints from the Gambians there.
He added that his Ministry has provided the list of how many students studying abroad but the whole operation is handling by the Minister of Finance and Higher Education.
However, Fatoumatta Njai NAM for Banjul South asked the Minister to tell the sitting what his Ministry is doing to ensure that Gambians in United State are protected from police brutality and abuse?
Responding to that Minister Tangara said “the matter of police brutality especial in US have claim global condemnation and we have all seen the competent US authorities not only putting on time perpetrators of police brutality but also taken measures at various level to put in place reform in the police system.”