Back and Next - Back and NextUTG honours Amadou Samba, SoS Bala Gaye
Monday, January 26, 2009
The award of honorary degrees is common place in academic circles, and the authorities at the University of The Gambia (UTG) are upholding that highly regarded academic tradition, having given honorary degrees to no less than 10 deserving people in the space of 10 years.
The chief architect and chancellor of the UTG, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, was the first to receive a honorary doctorate degree from the institution, after having received it first from the precursor institution of the UTG, the University Extension Program (UEP) under the stewardship of the University of Halifax in Canada.
Other recipients of honorary doctorate degrees from the UTG include Dr Kennet Ozmon, president of the University of Halifax, Canada, and the Gambia’s very own vice president, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. And now, Amadou Samba and SoS Gibril Bala Gaye, have been privileged to join that honourable club of awardees. As part of its 5th convocation ceremony, last Saturday, at the Independence stadium in Bakau, the academic authorities at the UTG unveiled Dr Amadou Samba and Dr Bala Gaye, giving account of their impressive track records in human development at the national and international level.
The two, who were said to have met the UTG criteria for such a high academic gesture, have contributed immensely to The Gambia’s socio-economic development through their various areas of work.
SoS Gaye was awarded a doctorate degree in development and economics, whilst Amadou Samba was awarded a doctorate degree in business management. Reading through their citations, Dr Omar Jah Jr, acting deputy vice chancellor of the UTG and head of department, Arts, Language and Humanities, gave account of Dr Gaye’s academic and employment records.
SoS Gaye, apart from his work at home, is said to have represented The Gambia on numerous occasions at the international level. Dr Jah said: "In September 2003, when he was appointed SoS for Finance and Economic Affairs, it was a clear recognition of his impressive achievements in the fields of public finance, trade and development, at both the national and international levels.
He is admirably equipped by experience and proven capacity to occupy this office, and his contributions to the macro-economic stability and development progress of this country will be a legacy that will always remain vivid and indelible in our memories. His proven skills to earn the respect and confidence of multilateral agencies, without jeopardising the national interest of The Gambia, have been truly admirable."
With these words, the UTG deputy acting vice chancellor effectively sealed the prudent decision to award the country’s Finance SoS a honorary degree. For Dr Amadou Samba, a well known Gambian entrepreneur par excellence, and a distinguished lawyer by training, the story was no different. He too has a distinguished record in terms of his services to the nation.
He is said to be in possession of an innate aptitude and attributes for facing the challenges of entrepreneurship and innovations. Dr Samba represents a typical example of a lawyer turned private business entrepreneur, with a full-time involvement in the business sector. Industrialist and a real estate developer, Dr Samba, the UTG deputy acting vice chancellor said, has inspired "many of our youths, and has proven that Gambian entrepreneurs have the capacity, the commitment and the discipline to successfully initiate, establish and manage industrial and commercial ventures in the interest of the development of our country."
In 1986, Dr Samba became the trust managing director of ALFRON (Gambia) Ltd, and in pursuit of a programme of diversification of business activities, established Moskam Fisheries, a company that would contribute to the exploitation of the country’s fisheries resources. He is also said to have the establishment of GACEM, a cement producing factory, as part of his accolades, serving as chairman and president of the company. In 1995, he established GAMSEN Construction Co Ltd and served as executive chairman.
Between 1999 and 2002, Dr Samba played a pioneering role in the creation of several industrial projects, namely Gamcorrugate, Gamwater and Gampetroleum. Apart from initiating the establishment of several industrial and commercial projects, the veteran legal practitioner cum business tycoon has also put himself at the disposal of important private organisations, playing important roles in the Gambian economy.
In view of the sterling record of the duo to The Gambia’s development, as in the words of Dr Jah, "they deserve such a highly academic gesture."
The chief architect and chancellor of the UTG, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, was the first to receive a honorary doctorate degree from the institution, after having received it first from the precursor institution of the UTG, the University Extension Program (UEP) under the stewardship of the University of Halifax in Canada.
Other recipients of honorary doctorate degrees from the UTG include Dr Kennet Ozmon, president of the University of Halifax, Canada, and the Gambia’s very own vice president, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. And now, Amadou Samba and SoS Gibril Bala Gaye, have been privileged to join that honourable club of awardees. As part of its 5th convocation ceremony, last Saturday, at the Independence stadium in Bakau, the academic authorities at the UTG unveiled Dr Amadou Samba and Dr Bala Gaye, giving account of their impressive track records in human development at the national and international level.
The two, who were said to have met the UTG criteria for such a high academic gesture, have contributed immensely to The Gambia’s socio-economic development through their various areas of work.
SoS Gaye was awarded a doctorate degree in development and economics, whilst Amadou Samba was awarded a doctorate degree in business management. Reading through their citations, Dr Omar Jah Jr, acting deputy vice chancellor of the UTG and head of department, Arts, Language and Humanities, gave account of Dr Gaye’s academic and employment records.
SoS Gaye, apart from his work at home, is said to have represented The Gambia on numerous occasions at the international level. Dr Jah said: "In September 2003, when he was appointed SoS for Finance and Economic Affairs, it was a clear recognition of his impressive achievements in the fields of public finance, trade and development, at both the national and international levels.
He is admirably equipped by experience and proven capacity to occupy this office, and his contributions to the macro-economic stability and development progress of this country will be a legacy that will always remain vivid and indelible in our memories. His proven skills to earn the respect and confidence of multilateral agencies, without jeopardising the national interest of The Gambia, have been truly admirable."
With these words, the UTG deputy acting vice chancellor effectively sealed the prudent decision to award the country’s Finance SoS a honorary degree. For Dr Amadou Samba, a well known Gambian entrepreneur par excellence, and a distinguished lawyer by training, the story was no different. He too has a distinguished record in terms of his services to the nation.
He is said to be in possession of an innate aptitude and attributes for facing the challenges of entrepreneurship and innovations. Dr Samba represents a typical example of a lawyer turned private business entrepreneur, with a full-time involvement in the business sector. Industrialist and a real estate developer, Dr Samba, the UTG deputy acting vice chancellor said, has inspired "many of our youths, and has proven that Gambian entrepreneurs have the capacity, the commitment and the discipline to successfully initiate, establish and manage industrial and commercial ventures in the interest of the development of our country."
In 1986, Dr Samba became the trust managing director of ALFRON (Gambia) Ltd, and in pursuit of a programme of diversification of business activities, established Moskam Fisheries, a company that would contribute to the exploitation of the country’s fisheries resources. He is also said to have the establishment of GACEM, a cement producing factory, as part of his accolades, serving as chairman and president of the company. In 1995, he established GAMSEN Construction Co Ltd and served as executive chairman.
Between 1999 and 2002, Dr Samba played a pioneering role in the creation of several industrial projects, namely Gamcorrugate, Gamwater and Gampetroleum. Apart from initiating the establishment of several industrial and commercial projects, the veteran legal practitioner cum business tycoon has also put himself at the disposal of important private organisations, playing important roles in the Gambian economy.
In view of the sterling record of the duo to The Gambia’s development, as in the words of Dr Jah, "they deserve such a highly academic gesture."
Author: by Hatab Fadera & Gibirou Jammeh
See Also - See Also