Aja Mariama Jaw Urr APRC Women Mobiliser

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

Alieu Ceesay

26 May 2011

Urr — Welcome to another edition of your women weekly column where issues relating to women are brought to the limelight. In today’s edition, we bring to the limelight Aja Mariama Jaw, Upper River Region (URR) APRC women mobiliser and councilor for Basse Ward.

Aja Jaw was born 50 years ago in Basse and is married. She did her schooling in the same town. She also worked as a nurse at the Basse health centre, a teacher and later with the defunct Gambia Public Transport Corporation (GPTC). She also once travelled abroad but decided to come back home to contribute her quota to national development.

In a face-to-face interview with the Daily Observer URR correspondent at her residence in MSK, Basse, Aja Jaw said she started politics at an early age, but became active when President Jammeh took over power in 1994. She described President Jammeh as someone committed to the development of this country.

She said that though politics is not easy, particularly for women, it has been very smooth for herdue to the support of the people. Jaw was a councilor at the Women’s Bureau for nine years where she was well exposed to people and is now very instrumental in the APRC’s political movement in URR. Described by many as a down-to-earth person, Jaw has been the APRC women mobiliser for URR since 1994, and has been instrumental in convincing many people to join the ruling party. She acknowledged that her job is made easy because the women have trust, love, support and confidence in her.

Asked what else she engages in, Aja Jaw said she is involved in business, but that her main preoccupation is politics, which she has a great liking for. “What I don’t like in politics is violence because we are all Gambians,” she stressed, while calling for peace in politics. As to what challenges she faces as a women mobiliser, considering the fact that URR is an opposition stronghold, she noted that people have the right to chose which party to follow. However, she was quick to predict a 95% victory for President Jammeh in the upcoming November 24th Presidential Election. “APRC is the majority and will always form the majority in URR,” she declared.

Commenting on her plans for the November election, Aja Jaw said: “I don’t think the opposition will even come out, they are not our problem and we don’t fear them.” She added that she does not think there is any party that can defeat the APRC in URR, considering the numerous developments brought by President Jammeh. Commenting on the ongoing voter registration, Aja Mariama Jaw said President Jammeh is the father of Gambian women and so they will all register in order to vote massively for him. Under the Jammeh’s regime, Jaw added, the women of URR have seen positive changes in their life compared to many years ago. She observed that 85% of Gambians are now drinking safe water; have access to hospitals, schools among other infrastructural developments.

Asked what her red letter day in politics was, she replied that it was the day they went to ask the president to remove his military uniform and stand for politics as her most memorable day. Aja Jaw said that though the president was not willing to do it, people convinced him and he accepted. She said it was the happiest day for her in politics. Jaw, who is a role model for many young girls, commended the Gambian leader for empowering Gambian women and appointing them to high positions. She cited the vice president and other women appointed as ministers and directors as examples. She finally assured President Jammeh of her continuous support for him and the APRC. She concluded by thanking the governor and everyone that has been very supportive to her.

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