President Jammeh calls Observer
helps needy Ndey

Tuesday, at 4.30pm, the Daily Observer  editor, Sheriff Bojang, answered a ringing phone.The caller said, "I saw a page three story in your paper today about a girl, a student, who needs help to continue her education. Can you tell her to... do you know who iscalling?", the caller asked.

"I guess it must be the president," the editor replied (bemused at the thought that any Gambian could fail to identify the voice of the caller)."Could you tell the girl to come to State House tomorrow and go to the Chief of Protocol directly?""Yes, sir," replied Mr Bojang.

Ndey Bah, 18, a student of Nusrat Senior Secondary School, was traced to her Serrekunda home and informed about the president's desire to meet her.Accompanied by her poor mother and our reporter, Lamin Jatta, they met the president in his office Wednesday afternoon.

President Jammeh censured Ndey's mother, Mariama Jobe, for keeping silent all along while Ndey's education was being jeopardised."You should not feel shy (to ask for help) when your child's education stands at the brink of spoiling," President Jammeh noted.

The president gave D5,000 cash for Ndey's educational expenses for the 1999/2000 academic year and said he would sponsor Ndey's education henceforth.He finally urged Ndey to take her education seriously and advised the mother that they can only spend the money on other needs if they had paid for all school

expenses. Speaking to our reporter after meeting President Jammeh, Ndey's mother said she was overwhelmed with President Jammeh's kindness. She described himas "a saviour."Ndey Bah also expressed gratitude to the president and promised that she would not let him down in her academic efforts.

The event was witnessed by the director of press and public relations at State House, Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay.