By: Haruna Kuyateh
Jokadou District Assembly under the District Authority on Saturday held its second edition of the award and thanksgiving ceremony to award communities and institutions in recognition of their invaluable support to the communities of Jokadou in 2022.
The awards ceremony was held in Kuntair and was attended by cabinet ministers, chiefs, institutions, and residents.
The 2022 award was categorized as Most Peaceful Villages, Most Tax Compliance, Most Environmentally Friendly, Best Performing Institutions and Organizations, Special Outstanding and Supportive Individuals.
Chief Alpha Mariam Khan of Jokadou expressed delight at the important district authority and assembly attached to the development and promotion of sustainability through community policing practices.
He disclosed that 2022 registered remarkable achievement as 22 communities were awarded with certificates as most peaceful and 34 villages were awarded with 100% tax compliance. The concept of Community Policing is to bring about sustainable peace and value the infrastructure for peace-building initiatives.
He said the initiative started in 2021 of which seven communities out of 40 were able to settle disputes using traditional structures without reporting a case to Kuntair Police Station or at District Tribunal. On land, tenant agreement registered 22 land cases and only 4 are in court as the council of elders and authority explored all means to settle cases amicably without any hindrance. There exists peaceful cross-border movement without hitches.
Governor Lamin Saidykhan described the award ceremony as another milestone in promoting people-centered development and thanked communities for tax compliance and the peaceful nature of addressing issues. Governor Saidykhan called on other chiefs to emulate the success story.
Essa Bokar Sey of OIC Gambia and a native of Jokadou usesthe moment to reiterate the importance of peace and security, noting that no meaningful development can take place in the absence of peace. He thanked district chief Alpha Mariam Khan for his foresight in building peace in the minds of the people and assured them of more support in the consolidation of peace and development.
Retired Chief Alh Jimfatma Jobe described the award ceremony as historic and called on the people to be law-abiding. He uses the moment to call for more investment in agriculture to enable the country to attain food self-sufficiency.
Yama Jeng Officer Commanding Barra Police Division, Elizabeth Ndey Jatta Station Officer at Kuntair Police Station, Honorable Lamin Queen Jammeh Minister of Information and Fatou Kinteh Minister of Gender, Women and Children all hailed the efforts and called on women and youths to be proactive and support government program.
The occasion was attended by a large number of high dignitaries from all the regions