Alledged Businessmen Close to Barrow, Philanthropist failed to Deliver Covid-19 Relief Supply to Rural Gambians

At least two businessmen closed to Gambian President Adama Barrow awarded with contract by Ministry of Trade to suply Covid-19 relief rice supply to rural Gambian are said to  have repeated failed to deliver their consignments to World Food Programme (WFP) stores at Jeshwang close to two years after winning the bid.

Another businessman who is also a renown philanthropist is also said to be complicit in the deal after repeatedly failing to deliver the covid-19 Relief Rice supply to rural Gambians mainly in CRR and West Coast Region.

Our investigations revealed that Win Win Oils Company, owned by Alhagie Kebbeh,  Soninkara, own Demba Hydara top Sarahule Businessmen and alledged sponsorers of the National People’s Party and close allies of President Adama Barrow have reportedly failed to deliver 49, 000 bags of 50kg rice equivalent to 2, 260.2 metric tonnes of rrice, while Alassan Ceesay of Rahman Trading company has also repeatedly failed to deliver metric tonnes of rice equivalent to 1500 bags of 50kgs rice meant to support rural Gambians.

According to our sources, both Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Agriculture authorized Government Agencies responsible for sourcing and awarding of the contract have failed to prevail on these companies to deliver two thousand three hundred and eight five metric tonnes (2, 385.70 MT) of rice equivalent to forty six thousand five hundred (6500) 50kg bags of rice, revealing that since they trio were all questioned by the Gambia Police Forces since September of 2021 but upto today they all failed to deliver the covid-19 Relief Rice Supply to rural Gambians.

“I can confirm that Win Win Oils Company is yet to deliver 2, 070.20 metric tonnes equivalent to 45, 000 bags of 50kgs rice, Rahma Trading 75 metric tonnes of rice equivalent to 1500 bags of 50kgs rice, while Soninkara Enterprise is also yet to deliver 190 metric tonnes equivalent to 4000 bags of 50kgs rice.,” our source revealed.

He added: “These consignments supposed to be delivered in the WFP warehouse at Jeshwang since February of 2021. The  Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Agriculture have done all their efforts but the hands of the police are tied because there are people in it who are close to the President and members of his party.”

This medium have done every effort to reached out these suppliers through their Chief Executive Officers including Demba Hydara of Soninkara, Alassan Ceesay of Rahman Trading and Alagie Kebbeh of Win Win Oils Company both declined to comment on the matter.

However, this medium has also been reliably informed that the matter has been forwarded with the Police Fraud Squad since September last year but no progress been achieved so far.

He have also been reliably informed that Alhagie Kebbeh of Win Win Company whose company was contracted for the major shares has been on the run since September, 2021, when repeatedly failed to answer for questioning at the fraud squad of the Gambia Police Force (GPF).

It could be remembered that in January, 2021, Gambia Government in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) launched the two hundred and twenty two million dalasi (D222million), tax-payer Rice Distribution Scheme meant to provide emergency Covid-19, response to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable communities.

The emergency food assistance targets some three hundred and forty-two thousand (342, 000) people, forty-two thousand, seven hundred and fifty (42, 750) households across all regions and municipalities of the country as part of its Covid-19 response.

Each household will receive 50kgs bag of rice per month for a period of four months  running from February to May, 2021.

The food assistance priorities families with less than four-months food stock, surviving on daily wages without regular income or remittances; households with malnourished children and chronically ill individuals, and women headed or elderly headed households.

A total of nine thousand three hundred and thirty four (9334) households in CRR are expected to benefit from this massive Gambia Government food distribution.The rural phase of the scheme was launched by Minister of Agriculture Amie Fabureh and World Food Program (WFP), Country Director Yasuhiro Tsumura in January, 2021, where 39 communities received their suppliers.