Africa-Press – Gambia. The Gambia Teachers’ Union Cooperative Credit Union (GTUCCU) convened its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday at the Babucarr O. Joof Conference Hall in Brikama. The gathering brought together delegates from across the country to reflect on the union’s performance, review financial and activity reports, and strategize for the year ahead.
The AGM, which forms part of the governance obligations set by the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of The Gambia (NACCUG), aims to promote transparency, democratic accountability, and effective leadership within credit unions.
Delegates, comprising teachers and education stakeholders from all regions, reviewed the union’s activity and financial reports, which highlighted significant achievements over the past year. These included salary negotiations, support mechanisms for teachers, and ongoing engagement with key institutions such as the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and other partners.
In his remarks, Dawda Kujabi, Chief Executive Officer of GTUCCU, acknowledged the concerns raised by members and pledged the union’s commitment to addressing them.
“We are definitely conscious of your plight, and we want to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience. To whom much is given, much is expected. When I assumed the role of this job, I asked myself a few things: “What should I do to change the status quo, and how can we change the status quo? It is a journey we must walk to the end, but one thing that I can assure all of you is there will be light at the end of the tunnel. We are determined, the people of North Bank, we have heard your concerns that where the office is located is off the road, and we are responding,” he said.
The CEO of the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of The Gambia, Foday Sanyang, underscored ongoing efforts to implement a compliance framework aimed at standardizing credit union operations across the country, enhancing efficiency and governance.
“As of March of this year, the Gambia Credit Union movement has a membership of 118,000. As of March of this year, the Gambia Credit Union movement has mobilized savings above 1.8 billion Dalasi. This is remarkable. Again, as of March of 2025, the total assets of credit unions in this country have exceeded four billion Dalasi,” he said.
The GTU president, Ismaila Ceesay, further appealed to members to prioritize timely loan repayments, emphasizing that prompt loan servicing is critical for sustaining union operations and expanding financial access to more members.
“A lot of us have taken loans, and we have defaulted on paying loans, and sometimes we feel good that we have taken loans and, you know, nothing happens, or GTUCCU did not come after us and take us to the court. We may or may not drag teachers to court, but we will also be calling you to ensure that the money you have taken does not belong to you,” he remarked.
He added, “You need to pay back because if you have taken a loan you need to pay back your loan as soon as possible so that others can also be given the opportunity to be able to take loan, Credit unions survive in this perspective and then therefore our attitude towards loans or repaying loans is quite important,” he lamented.
Alkali Barrow, representing the Central Bank of The Gambia, also addressed the gathering, highlighting the vital role of cooperative credit unions in promoting financial inclusion and supporting economic development.
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