The Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) on Wednesday distributed a large quantity of food items and clothing to institutions and needy people in the country.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the SIC headquarters in Kanifing, Alhagie Banding Drammeh, president of SIC, thanked the Libyan leader, Maummar Gadaffi, and the Libyan People for what he termed the kind gesture.

According to him the donation was made possible thanks to the existing cordial bilateral relationship between The Gambia and Libya. He also applauded the Gambian leader, President Yahya Jammeh, for his dynamic leadership.

Alhagie Foday Wadda of the Gambia Organization of Visually Impaired (GOVI) thanked the donors on behalf of the beneficiaries.

For his part Abdou Colley, the Acting Mayor of KMC, said that the Supreme Islamic Council used to be seen and heard only during the Eid-al-Adha (Tobaski) and Eid-al-Fitr (Koriteh) feasts but that now the council’s existence is felt all year around. He thanked the council for donating to his council, adding that urban poverty exists in his municipality. Mayor Colly assured the SIC of his council’s continued support.

Other speakers include Imam Baba Leigh, who commended the SIC for their transparency in distributing the items.

Alhagie Mustapha Saine, Assistant Secretary-General responsible for English Language at SIC, and Alhagie Saja Fatty of Gambia Islamic Union, graced the occasion.

At the end of the ceremony beneficiary institutions such as GOVI and KMC Disaster Relief Committee carried away their shares.

It could be recalled that the said items were a consignment of 30 tones donated recently by the people of the Great Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the brotherly people of The Gambia. Upon arrival the items were handed over to the Department of State for Local Government and Lands and Religious Affairs, which in turn also handed over to the Supreme Islamic Council for onward distribution.