As Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan, the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, yesterday distributed Ramadan sugar to the Muslim community in The Gambia.

The distribution ceremony of this traditional Ramadan sugar was held at State House in Banjul.  The 25 kgs bags of sugar, said to have been bagged in The Gambia, were distributed among the mayors and regional governors across the country, for the Muslims in their municipalities and regions.

Banjul City Council (BCC) got 4000 bags, Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) got 6000 bags, Western Region (WR) got 6000 bags, Central River Region (CRR) got 3000 bags, North Bank Region (NBR) got 3000 bags, Lower River Region (LRR) got 3000 bags and the Upper River Region (URR) got 4000 bags. Addressing the gathering at State House, President Jammeh thanked the Almighty Allah for affording him the strength to give out such a benevolent gesture and prayed to God for many more of this kind be witnessed.

He said he didn't give this benevolent gesture for the sake of politics or for people to like him, instead,   that it is in line with the practices of the Islamic religion.  "Islam attaches great importance to Zakat (charity) and Muslims should learn to share the little they have among themselves, especially during the month of Ramadan," he remarked.

President Jammeh noted that a good Muslim should love his/her people and should respect and care for all. Ramadan, he went on, is a very important month, adding that people especially the Muslims should learn to share the little resources they have and seek for Allah's blessing. However, the preisdent seized the opportunity to harp yet again on the price hike in the month of Ramadan. "It is only during the month of Ramadan that the prices of commodities go high.  Even the coos that is cultivated here is costly. What benefit does one get from taking Riba, whilst keeping fast? Riba is very harram," he noted. "What hurts me more is that Gambians are sometimes wicked on to their fellow Gambians. You will give foreigners opportunity and maltreat your fellow Gambians.  Even in the holy Quran, the neighbour is very important," the Gambian leader stressed.

President Jammeh then warned against the preferrence of the CFA to the dalasi by some businessmen in the country. "This country's currency is dalasi,  whoever wants to go to jail, if you see someone who wants to buy something from your business just say no I will not take dalasi instead, I will take CFA, then you will know whether our Gambian currency is dalasi or CFA.  I have empowered the minister of Interior, the regional governors, mayors  and the chiefs; if anyone does that send the person to jail and I will see which human rights will talk here," Professor Jammeh warned.

He said The Gambia is not a CFA zone and added that if anybody wants to sell his/her business in the CFA currency, the person should take his/her business to a CFA zone but not in The Gambia. Professor Jammeh finally said that those engaged in these activities would be severely dealt with according to the laws of the land, adding that he would regulate this country like a needle.

In an interview with journalists shortly after the distribution ceremony, Samba Faal, the Lord Mayor of Banjul, who also doubles as the president of The Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA), expressed delight at President Jammeh's gesture, describing it as timely, considering the high prices of commodities.

Mayor Faal revealed that there is a mechanism put in place to ensure that the sugar is fairly distributed. He thanked President Jammeh for his efforts and assured him that the gesture would reach the beneficiaries. The ceremony was attended by the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, ministers, National Assembly members, mayors, regional governors, among others.