The picture above shows suffering families at Bansang Hospital in the Central River Region of The Gambia. But tear-evoking reports from our sources in the country, Friday say Gambia’s current health minister, Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh is the chief negotiator between youths from Sukuta in the Kombos and President Adama Barrow in a pay-off deal.

The deal, according to first-hand sources is still a fiasco as we publish this story. Dr. Samateh was told by the Sukuta youths that the deal won’t pass so far because their demands are not met. They first asked for D300,000 (Three hundred Thousand Dalasis) from the President, a tune to cater to both mobilization of youths to fill the streets of Foni as the president passes with his motorcade, as well as the logistics involved (hiring cars and trucks, and paying for food).

Sources continued that President Barrow begged that D300,000 is too much. He lamented that Gambia’s police demanded D6million (Six Million Dalasis) to prepare for the coming ‘Three Years Jotna’ demonstration. The police, our sources say, also hinged such amount on logistics needed to do their job.

Our sources believe such job to be crowd control and maintenance of law and order. Earlier reports informed forGambia that it is not uncommon in The Gambia to see police telling victims of serious crimes that they “Don’t have transport to arrive at crime scenes, or there is no fuel.”

Health minister, now turned chief negotiator told the youths that Barrow agreed to pay each participant D2000.00 (Two Thousand Dalasis) to fill the streets and cheer the President along the streets of Foni. The country’s piercing poverty forced the youths to accept this request but only on one condition: the money had to paid in full to each youth before they act. Barrow has not yet accepted instant payment before action. This is still a developing story we will continue to monitor!

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