Fatou Mass Jobe, Managing Director of the Dunes Resort Casino, has been elected President of the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS).

Ms Jobe’s ascension to the GRCS’s presidency comes after she pulled out 27 votes at the organisation’s General Assembly held in Farafenni, over the weekend. Her close rival, Sheikh Omar Dibba, a renowned health expert, polled 21 votes.

A total of 51 individuals, including the three key members (President, Vice-President and Treasurer) of the out-going executive, participated in the three-day election process that also saw the election of Mamudou Bah as the new Vice-President and Modou Kalleh of the Centre for Innovation Against Malaria, as the new Treasurer.

The new executive, who will serve for three years, now replaces an out-going committee, which was under the leadership of Dr Saihou Sabally. Other members of the new executive are the seven regional chairmen and branch representatives, as well as four co-opted members.

The election of the former Standard Chartered Bank guru has been greeted with euphoria from the volunteers, members of the private sector and even some senior officials in the government circle.

Jubilant officials and volunteers accompanied victorious Fatou Mass Jobe, in a fleet of vehicles from the North Bank Region of the country to the GRCS’s Headquarters in Kanifing.

Alasan Senghore, Representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, who has served as the Secretary-General of GRCS, presided over the assembly, characterised by presentation of reports and the adoption and approval of the society’s policies.

Commenting on her election, Ms Mass Jobe thanked the members of GRCS for the confidence reposed in her, saying that her mandate represents the decision of the volunteers. “The volunteers have opted for a change for a brighter future. The volunteers have opted for the restoration of the image and reputation of GRCS, both nationally and internationally. The volunteers have opted for a more effective and efficient society that is responsive to the plight of its members. The volunteers have opted for an irreversible change and it is this change that we want to bring for the good of the society, the country and the Red Cross family,” she told the Daily Observer.

Ms Jobe then called on all like-minded volunteers and partners of the GRCS to draw their energy and resources together, to carry out programmes that will bring about reforms.

She assured her commitment to uphold the principles of Red Cross, in order to build a society that will be an envy of all. However, she stressed partnership as the foundation in realising this objective.

The assembly coincides with a torrent of growing dissatisfaction among the volunteers about the administration of the society, which is being heavily criticised for its inefficiency and the lack of attention to the plight of thousands of its volunteers. As a result, many of the volunteers are calling for the overhaul of the administration to put society on a sound footing.