The Secretary of State for Interior, Ousman Sonko, has commended Reliance as a reliable financial institution out to serve the Gambian people.

Hon Sonko said that since he attended the inauguration of Reliance, one year ago, he has been observing the performance of Reliance, which, he added, has been "satisfactory" and has therefore increased his admiration and confidence in the company as a financial institution which has come to salvage the Gambian population through savings and credit facilities, especially the small and medium scale enterprises and entrepreneurs.

SoS Sonko made these remarks, on Friday, at a corporate-client family ceremony for the presentation of the split air conditioner won two weeks ago by him at the grand raffle draw of Reliance Financial Services’ end-of-year premium bonanza.

The prize, valued between D14,000 and D18,000, was formally handed over to the SoS at the conference hall of Reliance, where words of appreciation and commendation were traded between both parties.

"We are indeed very grateful for the support and patronage, because on the very fateful day that you walked into our kiosk at the Trade Fair [held by the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry in December, last year], many more Gambians walked pass and never ventured to come into the kiosk to subscribe to our products and services in the manner that you have done," said Reliance’s chief executive officer, Baboucarr Khan.

Mr Khan further said the act of SoS Sonko opening an account with Reliance "is a manifestation" of his "profound endorsement" of young Gambians who have dared to invest with the view to building their own country, and that in itself was enough gratification.

"We have decided to organize this small ceremony to say thank you and to formally present the prize that you rightfully won at the draw," CEO Khan said, adding: "I want to congratulate you and also to use this opportunity to wish you the best that 2008 has to offer, to also pray to the Almighty Allah to guide you in all your activities in the running of your Department of State, and to also see you through in your job which – hopefully - will culminate in your reaching higher heights than your present level, as well as to extend similar progress  and protection to your entire family and loved ones."

In receiving the prize, SoS Sonko said he was honoured and proud to associate with Reliance.

"First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty Allah who made it all possible [for me to win this prize]," the SoS said. "I would also want to thank Reliance for this wonderful gesture, because, as I would always tell people, Reliance is a Gambian-owned business, and it is we, the Gambians, who can make The Gambia and, equally, we are the very people who can destroy The Gambia. 

I did not hesitate to open an account when I learned that Reliance is a Gambian-owned business and is here to stay.

"I did not only attend the formal opening [of Reliance] but I also met with you when you came over to North Bank, and this definitely shows how serious you people are. And not only did you promise the people of Barra to open a branch there, but you made it a reality and today it is up and running, which has definitely increased the confidence I have in Reliance."

The SoS also re-echoed the call of President Yahya Jammeh on Gambians, especially those abroad, to come and invest in their mother country so as to establish the stock of businesses and create the badly needed jobs similar to what obtains in the West where we are scrambling to go in search of jobs and better living conditions.